Rear-Admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

David Charles Cairns, 5th Earl Cairns, (3 July 1909 – 21 March 1989), styled Viscount Garmoyle from 1942 to 1946, was

Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps His Majesty's Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps is a senior member of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is the King's link with the diplomatic community in London, arranges the annual diplomatic corps reception by th ...

in the Royal Household of the

Sovereign ''Sovereign'' is a title that can be applied to the highest leader in various categories. The word is borrowed from Old French , which is ultimately derived from the Latin">-4; we might wonder whether there's a point at which it's appropriate to ...

of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...

from 1962 to 1971.

Early life

Cairns was born on 3 July 1909. He was the second son of

Wilfred Cairns, 4th Earl Cairns Lieutenant-Colonel Wilfred Dallas Cairns, 4th Earl Cairns, CMG, DL (28 November 1865 – 23 October 1946), was a peer of the United Kingdom and a Rifle Brigade officer. Life Born in 1865, he succeeded as the 4th Earl Cairns on the death of h ...

, and Olive Cobbold. His elder brother, Brig. Hugh Cairns, Viscount Garmoyle, died unmarried at age 35 in 1942 at El Alamein, Egypt, from wounds received in action. Among his sisters were Lady Hester (who married Robert Bourne), Lady Ursula (who married

John Roland Abbey Major John Roland Abbey (23 November 1894 – 24 December 1969) was an English book collector and high sheriff. Early life He was the eldest of three sons of William Henry Abbey, a brewer, and was named John Rowland before dropping the 'w'. ...

), Lady Sheila (who married Maj. Charles Holroyd of the Rifles), and Lady Katharine (who was a Senior Commander in the

Auxiliary Territorial Service The Auxiliary Territorial Service (ATS; often pronounced as an acronym) was the women's branch of the British Army during the World War II, Second World War. It was formed on 9 September 1938, initially as a women's voluntary service, and existe ...

). His maternal grandfather was John Patteson Cobbold, MP for

Ipswich Ipswich () is a port town and Borough status in the United Kingdom, borough in Suffolk, England. It is the county town, and largest in Suffolk, followed by Lowestoft and Bury St Edmunds, and the third-largest population centre in East Anglia, ...

. His paternal grandparents were

Hugh Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns Hugh McCalmont Cairns, 1st Earl Cairns (27 December 1819 – 2 April 1885) was an Anglo-Irish statesman who served as Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain during the first two ministries of Benjamin Disraeli. He was one of the most prominent ...

, a British statesman who served as

Lord Chancellor The Lord Chancellor, formally titled Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain, is a senior minister of the Crown within the Government of the United Kingdom. The lord chancellor is the minister of justice for England and Wales and the highest-ra ...

during the first two ministries of

Benjamin Disraeli Benjamin Disraeli, 1st Earl of Beaconsfield (21 December 1804 – 19 April 1881) was a British statesman, Conservative Party (UK), Conservative politician and writer who twice served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. He played a ...

, and the former Mary Harriet MacNeile.

Career

Cairns joined the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

in 1923, and was promoted to the rank of

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a Junior officer, junior commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations, as well as fire services, emergency medical services, Security agency, security services ...

in 1931.Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
/ref> He served in

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

and succeeded as the 5th Earl Cairns in 1946, then was promoted to

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

on 30 Jun 1949, before becoming deputy director of the Signal Department at the

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong * Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Tra ...

in 1950. He went on to be Commanding Officer of the

cruiser A cruiser is a type of warship. Modern cruisers are generally the largest ships in a fleet after aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships, and can usually perform several operational roles from search-and-destroy to ocean escort to sea ...

in 1956. Following promotion to

rear admiral Rear admiral is a flag officer rank used by English-speaking navies. In most European navies, the equivalent rank is called counter admiral. Rear admiral is usually immediately senior to commodore and immediately below vice admiral. It is ...

on 7 July 1958, he was appointed President of the

Royal Naval College, Greenwich The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. The equi ...

, in 1958 before retiring in 1961.

Later life

In retirement Cairns was

in the Royal Household of the

of the

from 1962 to 1971. He was also a

Liveryman A livery company is a type of guild or professional association that originated in medieval times in London, England. Livery companies comprise London's ancient and modern trade associations and guilds, almost all of which are styled the "Wors ...

of the

Worshipful Company of Fishmongers The Worshipful Company of Fishmongers (or Fishmongers' Company) is one of the 111 livery companies of the City of London, being an incorporated guild of sellers of fish and seafood in the City. The Company ranks fourth in the order of precede ...

of the

City of London The City of London, also known as ''the City'', is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county and Districts of England, local government district with City status in the United Kingdom, city status in England. It is the Old town, his ...

, rising to become the company's Prime Warden for 1972–73, and for many years was Chairman of the Governing Body of

Gresham's School Gresham's School is a private school (English fee-charging boarding and day school) in Holt, Norfolk, England, one of the top thirty International Baccalaureate schools in England. The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a f ...

. In 1973, he served as Deputy Lieutenant of Suffolk.

Personal life

On 16 April 1936, David married Barbara Jeanne Harrison Burgess, a daughter of Sydney Harrison Burgess. Together, they were the parents of: * Simon Dallas Cairns, 6th Earl Cairns (b. 1939), who married Amanda Mary Heathcoat-Amory (granddaughter of Maj. Ludovic Heathcoat-Amory). * Hon. Hugh Andrew David Cairns (b. 1942), who married Elizabeth Bell, daughter of Lt.-Col. Francis Cecil Leonard "Bill" Bell. * Lady Elisabeth Olive Cairns (1944–1998), who married Capt. Martin Ralph Lowe, son of Maj. Ralph Mason Lowe. Lord Cairns died on 21 March 1989. On his death in 1989 he was succeeded by his eldest son,

Simon Simon may refer to: People * Simon (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name Simon * Simon (surname), including a list of people with the surname Simon * Eugène Simon, French naturalist and the genus ...

.Charles Mosley, editor, ''Burke's Peerage, Baronetage & Knightage, 107th edition, 3 volumes'' (

Wilmington, Delaware Wilmington is the List of municipalities in Delaware, most populous city in the U.S. state of Delaware. The city was built on the site of Fort Christina, the first Swedish colonization of the Americas, Swedish settlement in North America. It lie ...

, U.S.:

Burke's Peerage Burke's Peerage Limited is a British genealogical publisher, considered an authority on the order of precedence of noble families and information on the lesser nobility of the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1826, when the Anglo-Irish genea ...

(Genealogical Books) Ltd, 2003), vol. 1, p. 641.

References

External links

* 1909 births 1989 deaths Companions of the Order of the Bath Earls in the Peerage of the United Kingdom Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Marshals of the Diplomatic Corps Royal Navy rear admirals Prime Wardens of the Worshipful Company of Fishmongers Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich Younger sons of earls {{UK-earl-stub