Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

Arthur Henry Christian, (31 August 1863 – 20 August 1926) was a senior

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

officer.

Early life

Born on 31 August 1863 at 13

Lowndes Square Lowndes Square is a residential garden square at the north-west end of Belgravia, London, SW1. It is formed of archetypal grand terraces of light stucco houses, cream or white. The length of the central rectangular garden is parallel with Sloane ...

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

, Christian was the fourth son of George Christian and his wife Sarah Mary Christian (née Bainbrigge). He was educated at

Twyford School Twyford School is a co-educational, independent, preparatory boarding and day school, located in the village of Twyford, Hampshire, England. History Twyford states itself to be the oldest preparatory school in the United Kingdom. It moved to i ...

, then an all-boys

Private Private or privates may refer to: Music * " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation'' * Private (band), a Denmark-based band * "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...

preparatory school.

Naval career

Christian entered the

in July 1876. He was promoted to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often sub ...

on 31 December 1885, to

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countries this naval rank is termed frigate captain. ...

on 1 January 1896 "for services on the West and East Coasts of Africa", and to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

on 31 December 1901. In June 1902, he was appointed in command of the

protected cruiser Protected cruisers, a type of naval cruiser of the late-19th century, gained their description because an armoured deck offered protection for vital machine-spaces from fragments caused by shells exploding above them. Protected cruisers re ...

, and as

flag captain In the Royal Navy, a flag captain was the captain of an admiral's flagship. During the 18th and 19th centuries, this ship might also have a "captain of the fleet", who would be ranked between the admiral and the "flag captain" as the ship's "First ...

to Rear-Admiral

Charles Carter Drury Admiral Sir Charles Carter Drury, (27 August 1846 – 18 May 1914) was a Canadian-born senior of the Royal Navy who served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel from 1903 to 1907. Naval career Born in Rothesay, New Brunswick, Drury was ...

on his appointment as Commander-in-Chief of the

East Indies Station The East Indies Station was a formation and command of the British Royal Navy. Created in 1744 by the Admiralty, it was under the command of the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies. Even in official documents, the term ''East Indies Station'' was ...

. He was Captain of the

Royal Naval College, Osborne The Royal Naval College, Osborne, was a training college for Royal Navy officer cadets on the Osborne House estate, Isle of Wight, established in 1903 and closed in 1921. Boys were admitted at about the age of thirteen to follow a course lasting ...

, from 16 July 1908 to 5 October 1910. Christian was appointed Naval Aide-de-Camp to

King George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936. Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...

on 30 April 1910 and, on 24 July, was appointed a

Member of the Royal Victorian Order The Royal Victorian Order (french: Ordre royal de Victoria) is a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the British monarch, Canadian monarch, Australian monarch, or ...

. He relinquished the appointment of ADC on 21 August 1911, when he was promoted to

rear admiral Rear admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, equivalent to a major general and air vice marshal and above that of a commodore and captain, but below that of a vice admiral. It is regarded as a two star "admiral" rank. It is often regarde ...

. Following the outbreak of the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, Christian was appointed to command Southern Force. He was appointed Rear-Admiral, Second-in-Command,

Eastern Mediterranean Squadron The Eastern Mediterranean Squadron later known as the British Aegean Squadron was a naval formation of the Mediterranean Fleet based at Mudros from 1914 to 1916. It then alternated between Mudros and Salonika from 1917 to 1919. History The Easter ...

in July 1915 and, in August, was wounded during the Suvla Bay landings of the Gallipoli Campaign. He was appointed a

Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

on 1 January 1916 as part of "honours awarded in recognition of services rendered by Officers of the Eastern Mediterranean Squadron between the time of the landing in the Gallipoli Peninsula in April 1915, and the evacuation in December 1915 – January 1916".

Personal life

In 1911, Christian married Geraldine Diana Monsell. Together they had one son and two daughters. One of his daughters, Mary Diana Christian, was married to General

Victor FitzGeorge-Balfour General Sir Robert George Victor FitzGeorge-Balfour, (15 September 1913 – 28 December 1994) was a senior officer in the British Army. Early life Robert George Victor FitzGeorge-Balfour was born on 15 September 1913 at Knightsbridge, London. H ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Christian, Arthur 1863 births 1926 deaths Military personnel from London Captains and Commandants of the Royal Naval College, Osborne Royal Navy admirals of World War I Companions of the Order of the Bath Members of the Royal Victorian Order People educated at Twyford School