Benjamin Bathurst (Royal Navy officer)

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Relations	Lieutenant General Sir Ben Bathurst (son)

First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 1993 to 1995: in that capacity he advised the British Government on the deployment of Naval Support including Sea Harriers during the Bosnian War

.

Early life

Bathurst is the son of Peter Bathurst and his wife Lady Elizabeth Ann Bathurst (née Temple-Gore-Langton).[1] Generally known by his middle name of Benjamin,^[2] Bathurst was educated at Eton College and Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.^[3]

Naval career

Bathurst joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1953 and became a midshipman on 1 September 1955.^[4] During his early career he served in the minesweeper HMS Woolaston and, following promotion to sub-lieutenant on 1 January 1957 and to lieutenant on 1 February 1959,^[5] he qualified as a pilot in 1960.^[4] He next served in the ship's flight on the destroyer HMS Devonshire and then qualified as a helicopter instructor in 1964.^[4] He served as an exchange officer with the Royal Australian Navy in 1965 and, following promotion to lieutenant commander on 1 February 1967,^[6] he became senior pilot of 820 Naval Air Squadron on the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle.^[4] He was given command of 819 Naval Air Squadron in February 1969 and then joined the Directorate of Naval Recruiting at the Ministry of Defence in early 1970.^[4] Promoted to commander on 30 June 1970, he became executive officer on the destroyer HMS Norfolk in February 1971.^[4] He joined the Directorate of Naval Air Warfare at the Ministry of Defence in February 1973.^[4]

Promoted to

First Sea Lord in May 1976 and Commanding Officer of HMS Minerva as well as Captain of the 5th Frigate Squadron in September 1978.^[4] He attended the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1981 and became Director of Naval Air Warfare at the Ministry of Defence in January 1982.^[4]

Sea Harrier, an aircraft type deployed by Bathurst during the Bosnian War

Promoted to

First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in March 1993.^[11] As First Sea Lord he advised the British Government on the deployment of Naval Support including Sea Harriers during the Bosnian War.^[12] He was promoted Admiral of the Fleet on 10 July 1995 on his retirement.^[11]

Later career

In retirement Bathurst became a Non-Executive Director of

Guild of Air Pilots and Air Navigators.^[3] His interests include gardening, shooting and fishing.^[3]

Family

Bathurst married Sarah Christian Pandora Peto, daughter of Major John Peto and granddaughter of

Sir Basil Peto, 1st Baronet, in 1959.^[1] They have one son, Lieutenant General Sir Benjamin Bathurst, and three daughters.^[3]

References

^ ^a ^b "Admiral Sir David Benjamin Bathurst". The Peerage.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
^ Mosley, p. 215
^
ISBN 978-1-408-11414-8

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Heathcote, p.22
^ "No. 41831". The London Gazette. 29 September 1959. p. 6137.
^ "No. 44238". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 January 1967. p. 1153.
^ "No. 49496". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 1983. p. 12932.
^ "No. 50740". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 December 1986. p. 15867.
^ "No. 50948". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1987. p. 2.
^ "No. 52382". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1990. p. 2.
^ ^a ^b Heathcote, p.23
^ "British units deployed to Bosnia". Britain's Small Wars. Archived from the original on 11 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
^ "Admiral Bathurst awarded honorary degree". University of Greenwich Biography. 19 July 2004. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2012.
^ "No. 54507". The London Gazette. 27 August 1996. p. 11443.
^ "No. 55413". The London Gazette. 25 February 1999. p. 2247.

Sources

Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734–1995. Pen & Sword Ltd.
ISBN 0-85052-835-6
.

Mosley, Charles (1999). Burke's Peerage and Baronetage, 106th edition, volume 1. Crans, Switzerland: Burke's Peerage (Genealogical Books) Ltd.
ISBN 978-1579580834
.

External links

Imperial War Museum Interview

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Anthony Tippet	Chief of Fleet Support 1986–1989	Succeeded by Sir Jock Slater
Preceded by Sir Julian Oswald	Commander-in-Chief Fleet 1989–1991
Preceded by Sir Richard Vincent	Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff 1991–1993
Preceded by Sir Julian Oswald	First Sea Lord 1993–1995

[peerage-1] "Admiral Sir David Benjamin Bathurst". The Peerage.com. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

[2] Mosley, p. 215

[WW-3] 
ISBN 978-1-408-11414-8

[heath22-4] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m Heathcote, p.22

[5] "No. 41831". The London Gazette. 29 September 1959. p. 6137.

[6] "No. 44238". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 January 1967. p. 1153.

[7] "No. 49496". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 1983. p. 12932.

[8] "No. 50740". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 December 1986. p. 15867.

[9] "No. 50948". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 June 1987. p. 2.

[10] "No. 52382". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1990. p. 2.

[heath23-11] Heathcote, p.23

[12] "British units deployed to Bosnia". Britain's Small Wars. Archived from the original on 11 August 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

[Greenwich-13] "Admiral Bathurst awarded honorary degree". University of Greenwich Biography. 19 July 2004. Archived from the original on 30 September 2011. Retrieved 24 August 2012.

[14] "No. 54507". The London Gazette. 27 August 1996. p. 11443.

[15] "No. 55413". The London Gazette. 25 February 1999. p. 2247.

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[1]

First Sea Lords of the Royal Navy
Senior Naval Lords (1689–1771)	Arthur Herbert Sir John Chicheley Edward Russell Henry Priestman Earl of Orford Sir George Rooke Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Matthew Aylmer Sir George Byng Sir John Jennings Sir John Norris Sir Charles Wager Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Harry Powlett Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Vere Beauclerk Lord Anson Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen John Forbes Earl Howe Sir Charles Saunders Augustus Keppel Sir Peircy Brett Sir Francis Holburne
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