Rosslyn Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss

First Sea Lord in December 1917, in which role he encouraged Admiral Roger Keyes, Commander of the Dover Patrol, to undertake more vigorous operations in the Channel, ultimately leading to the launch of the Zeebrugge Raid

in April 1918.

Early life and naval career

Born the youngest son of James Hay Erskine Wemyss and Millicent Ann Mary Kennedy Wemyss (née Erskine), Wemyss (pronounced "Weems") he was raised at the ancestral home of Wemyss Castle on the Fife coast.^[1]

He joined the

HMS Empress of India in the Channel Squadron in 1892 and the cruiser HMS Astraea in the Mediterranean Fleet in 1895.^[2]

Wemyss joined the Royal Yacht

Admiralty in October 1902,^[9] but the following month was on 25 November 1902 appointed in command of the old battleship HMS Superb, in Fleet Reserve at Portsmouth.^[10] He became Captain of the Royal Naval College, Osborne in August 1903.^[2]

Given command of the cruiser

2nd Battle Squadron of the Home Fleet in October 1912.^[11]

First World War and after

Wemyss served in the

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1916 New Year Honours.^[17]

Wemyss became Commander of the

vice-admiral on 6 December 1916,^[19] he was appointed a Commander of the French Legion of Honour on 23 March 1917^[20] and a Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy on 11 August 1917.^[21]

Returning to the Admiralty, Wemyss was appointed

Order of the Crown on 17 March 1919^[27] and presented with the American Distinguished Service Medal on 16 September 1919.^[28]

Wemyss was the senior British representative at the signing of the

Paris Peace Conference as Britain's naval representative and arranging for the end of the food blockade and hence unblocking the negotiations,^[31] Wemyss resigned in November 1919 following persistent calls for Sir David Beatty to be given his job.^[32]

Wemyss was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 1 November 1919. In retirement he wrote his memoirs under the title The Navy in the Dardanelles Campaign and became a Non-Executive Director of Cable & Wireless.^[32] He lived in Cannes where he died in his garden on 24 May 1933.^[32] He was buried at Wemyss Castle, his ancestral home.^[32]

Family

On 21 December 1903 Wemyss married Victoria Morier, daughter of Sir Robert Morier; they had one daughter, Alice Elizabeth Millicent Erskine-Wemyss.^[33]

References

^ "How a Fife naval officer shortened the First World War by hours after defying his Prime Minister at the Armistice". The Courier. 10 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2019.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Heathcote, p. 250
^ "No. 25689". The London Gazette. 5 April 1887. p. 1978.
^ "No. 27004". The London Gazette. 13 September 1898. p. 5431.
^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36345. London. 7 January 1901. p. 8.
^ "No. 27372". The London Gazette. 5 November 1901. p. 7147.
^ "No. 27378". The London Gazette. 19 November 1901. p. 7473.
^ "No. 27390". The London Gazette. 24 December 1901. p. 9061.
^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36897. London. 13 October 1902. p. 7.
^ "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36936. London. 27 November 1902. p. 7.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Heathcote, p. 251
^ "No. 28360". The London Gazette. 26 April 1910. p. 2866.
^ "No. 28401". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 July 1910. p. 5474.
^ "No. 28383". The London Gazette. 10 June 1910. p. 4074.
^ "No. 28457". The London Gazette. 17 January 1911. p. 412.
^ "No. 28487". The London Gazette. 21 April 1911. p. 3093.
^ "No. 29423". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1915. p. 79.
^ Lawrence, p. 112
^ "No. 29853". The London Gazette. 8 December 1916. p. 11970.
^ "No. 29997". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 March 1917. p. 2953.
^ "No. 30227". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 August 1917. p. 8209.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Heathcote, p. 252
^ "No. 30723". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6527.
^ "No. 31130". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1919. p. 885.
^ "No. 31182". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 February 1919. p. 2361.
^ "No. 31223". The London Gazette. 11 March 1919. p. 3294.
^ "No. 31236". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 March 1919. p. 3593.
^ "No. 31553". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 September 1919. p. 11583.
^ "The Forest Clearing of the Armistice, Forêt de Compiègne". Archived from the original on 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.
^ "Lest we forget". Church Times. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2018.
^ Keynes 1949, pp. 65–67.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Heathcote, p. 253
^ Pine, L. G.. The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971: Containing Extinct, Abeyant, Dormant and Suspended Peerages With Genealogies and Arms. London, U.K.: Heraldry Today, 1972.

Sources

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

Keynes, John Maynard (1949). Two Memoirs: Dr Melchior - a Defeated Enemy and My Early Beliefs. London: Rupert Hart-Davis.

Lawrence, T.E. (1997). Seven Pillars of Wisdom. Wordsworth Editions Ltd.
ISBN 978-1853264696
.

External links

The Papers of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Wester Wemyss, Churchill Archives Centre
Who's Who in the First World War
The Dreadnought Project: Rosslyn Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss
Coat of Arms

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Richard Peirse	Commander-in-Chief, East Indies and Egypt Station 1916–1917	Succeeded by Sir Ernest Gaunt
Preceded by Sir Cecil Burney	Second Sea Lord 1917	Succeeded by Sir Herbert Heath
Preceded by Sir John Jellicoe	First Sea Lord 1917–1919	Succeeded by The Earl Beatty
Peerage of the United Kingdom
New creation	Baron Wester Wemyss 1919–1933	Extinct

[1] "How a Fife naval officer shortened the First World War by hours after defying his Prime Minister at the Armistice". The Courier. 10 November 2018. Retrieved 12 November 2019.

[heath250-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ Heathcote, p. 250

[3] "No. 25689". The London Gazette. 5 April 1887. p. 1978.

[4] "No. 27004". The London Gazette. 13 September 1898. p. 5431.

[5] "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36345. London. 7 January 1901. p. 8.

[6] "No. 27372". The London Gazette. 5 November 1901. p. 7147.

[7] "No. 27378". The London Gazette. 19 November 1901. p. 7473.

[8] "No. 27390". The London Gazette. 24 December 1901. p. 9061.

[9] "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36897. London. 13 October 1902. p. 7.

[10] "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times. No. 36936. London. 27 November 1902. p. 7.

[heath251-11] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Heathcote, p. 251

[12] "No. 28360". The London Gazette. 26 April 1910. p. 2866.

[13] "No. 28401". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 July 1910. p. 5474.

[14] "No. 28383". The London Gazette. 10 June 1910. p. 4074.

[15] "No. 28457". The London Gazette. 17 January 1911. p. 412.

[16] "No. 28487". The London Gazette. 21 April 1911. p. 3093.

[17] "No. 29423". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1915. p. 79.

[18] Lawrence, p. 112

[19] "No. 29853". The London Gazette. 8 December 1916. p. 11970.

[20] "No. 29997". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 March 1917. p. 2953.

[21] "No. 30227". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 August 1917. p. 8209.

[heath252-22] Heathcote, p. 252

[23] "No. 30723". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6527.

[24] "No. 31130". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1919. p. 885.

[25] "No. 31182". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 February 1919. p. 2361.

[26] "No. 31223". The London Gazette. 11 March 1919. p. 3294.

[27] "No. 31236". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 March 1919. p. 3593.

[28] "No. 31553". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 September 1919. p. 11583.

[29] "The Forest Clearing of the Armistice, Forêt de Compiègne". Archived from the original on 9 April 2014. Retrieved 9 April 2014.

[30] "Lest we forget". Church Times. 6 November 2015. Retrieved 13 November 2018.

[FOOTNOTEKeynes194965–67-31] Keynes 1949, pp. 65–67.

[heath253-32] Heathcote, p. 253

[33] Pine, L. G.. The New Extinct Peerage 1884-1971: Containing Extinct, Abeyant, Dormant and Suspended Peerages With Genealogies and Arms. London, U.K.: Heraldry Today, 1972.

[1]

[2]

[9]

[10]

[11]

[17]

[19]

[20]

[21]

[27]

[28]

[31]

[32]

[33]

First Sea Lords of the Royal Navy
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