Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many 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. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

Sir Robert Hastings Penruddock Harris KCB, KCMG (12 October 1843 – 25 August 1926) was a

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 ...

officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station.

Naval career

Harris joined the

in 1856.Anglo-Boer War
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 ...

in 1879 and to rear-admiral in 1891, he commanded the Training Squadron from 1893 to 1895 before becoming Second-in-Command of the

Mediterranean Fleet The British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between ...

in 1896. In that role he was involved in the Cretan Revolt. He was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station in 1898 and played an important role in the

Second Boer War The Second Boer War (, , 11 October 189931 May 1902), also known as the Boer War, Transvaal War, Anglo–Boer War, or South African War, was a conflict fought between the British Empire and the two Boer republics (the South African Republic and ...

: in October 1899 he formed a Naval Brigade and despatched the brigade to support General Frederick Forestier-Walker in defeating of the

Boers Boers ( ; ; ) are the descendants of the proto Afrikaans-speaking Free Burghers of the eastern Cape frontier in Southern Africa during the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. From 1652 to 1795, the Dutch East India Company controlled the Dutch ...

at the

Battle of Ladysmith The Battle of Ladysmith, also known as the Battle of Lombard's Kop, was one of the early engagements of the Second Boer War. A large British force which had concentrated at the garrison town of Ladysmith launched a sortie on 30 October 1899, ag ...

– one of the guns surrendered by the Boers survives at Devonport today. Promoted to vice admiral in 1901 he went on to serve as 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 1903 with promotion to admiral in 1904.Royal Navy Flag Officers, 1 June 1906
/ref>'HARRIS, Adm. Sir Robert Hastings', in ''Who Was Who 1916–1928'' (London: A & C Black, 1992 reprint, ) He lived at a house called The Brake in Yelverton,

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

.Admiral Sir Robert Hastings Penruddock Harris
/ref>

Family

He married Florence Cordelia Henn-Gennys; they had three sons and five daughters.

References

External links

* , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Harris, Robert 1843 births 1926 deaths Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich Royal Navy admirals Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Knights Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Royal Navy personnel of the Second Boer War