Rear Admiral Sir Charles Lionel Vaughan-Lee, (27 February 1867-16 March 1928) 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 ...

officer in the early 20th century. He served during World War I, rising to the rank of

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 ...

Biography

Vaughan-Lee was born in the English village of

Measham Measham is a large village in the North West Leicestershire district in Leicestershire, England, near the Derbyshire, Staffordshire and Warwickshire boundaries. It lies off the A42, 4½ miles (7.25 km) south of Ashby de la Zouch, in the Natio ...

in 1867. By 1881 he was a

naval cadet Officer Cadet is a military rank, rank held by military cadets during their training to become commissioned officers. In the United Kingdom, the rank is also used by members of University Royal Naval Units, Officers' Training Corps, University ...

on , the Royal Navy's officer cadet training ship. In September 1882, Vaughan-Lee was appointed as a

midshipman A midshipman is an officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Canada (Naval Cadet), Australia, Bangladesh, Namibia, New Zealand, South Afr ...

on . Vaughan-Lee was promoted 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 30 June 1904. In June 1906, he was captain of as part of the

Eastern Fleet Eastern may refer to: Transportation *China Eastern Airlines, a current Chinese airline based in Shanghai * Eastern Air, former name of Zambia Skyways *Eastern Air Lines, a defunct American airline that operated from 1926 to 1991 * Eastern Air ...

China Station The Commander-in-Chief, China was the admiral in command of what was usually known as the China Station, at once both a British Royal Navy naval formation and its admiral in command. It was created in 1865 and deactivated in 1941. From 1831 to 18 ...

Cruiser Squadron. From 1909 to 1911, he served as the captain of which was also then known as Royal Naval Training Establishment Shotley. On 12 August 1915, Vaughan-Lee was promoted to

and on 8 September he was selected to be the Director of the Admiralty's

Air Department The Air Department of the British Admiralty later succeeded briefly by the Air Section followed by the Air Division was established prior to World War I by Winston Churchill to administer the Royal Naval Air Service. History In 1908, the Briti ...

. He continued in this role until the start of 1917 when he was posted to be the Superintendent of

Portsmouth Dockyard His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is lo ...

. In 1917, he was awarded the Japanese Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Star, which represents the second highest of eight classes associated with the award. Notice of the King's permission to accept and to display this honour was duly published in the ''

London Gazette 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 major s ...

''.Order of the Rising Sun, conferred 1917 -- He died on 16 March 1928.

References

External links

Probert Encyclopedia – Charles Vaughan Lee
, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Vaughan-Lee, Charles Lionel 1867 births 1928 deaths Military personnel from Leicestershire Companions of the Order of the Bath Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire Royal Navy admirals of World War I Military aviation leaders of World War I Recipients of the Order of the Rising Sun, 2nd class Commanders of the Order of Saints Maurice and Lazarus Commandeurs of the Légion d'honneur People from Measham Royal Navy personnel of the Anglo-Egyptian War People educated at Stubbington House School