Stuart Bonham Carter

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For other people with the name Stuart Carter, see Stuart Carter (disambiguation).

This British surname is barrelled, being made up of multiple names. It should be written as Bonham Carter, not Carter.
Sir Stuart Bonham Carter
Arrival of Powerful American Task Force To Operate With Home Fleet. 3 and 4 April 1942, on Board HMS Edinburgh, in Mid-atlantic. the Task Force Is Under the Command of Rear Admiral R G Griffen. A9241.jpg
Vice Admiral Bonham Carter on the bridge of HMS Edinburgh in 1942
Born(1889-07-09)9 July 1889
Portsmouth, Hampshire
Died5 September 1972(1972-09-05) (aged 83)
Petersfield, Hampshire
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1904–1945
RankVice Admiral
Commands heldFlag Officer, Malta (1942–43)
18th Cruiser Squadron (1942)
3rd Battle Squadron (1940–41)
Royal Naval Barracks, Chatham (1937–39)
HMS Sussex (1934–37)
HMS Calcutta (1929–31)
HMS Petersfield (1919–21)
HMS Shark (1918–19)
HMS Intrepid (1918)
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches
Legion of Honour (France)
Croix de Guerre (France)
Silver Medal of Military Valor (Italy)
Croix de Guerre (Belgium)

Vice Admiral Sir Stuart Sumner Bonham Carter, KCB, CVO, DSO (9 July 1889 – 5 September 1972) was an officer in the Royal Navy who served in both the First and Second World Wars.

Naval career[]

Born the younger son of Lothian Bonham-Carter and Emily Maud Sumner, Bonham Carter joined the Royal Navy in 1904.[1] He served in the First World War, commanding the block ship HMS Intrepid during the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918.[2] He also commanded the destroyer HMS Shark in the closing stages of the war.[1]

A keen cricketer, Bonham Carter played two first-class matches for the Royal Navy Cricket Club in 1925.[3] He was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Africa in 1928,[1] and made Assistant Director for Navy Equipment in 1932 before becoming Chief Staff Officer to the commander of the 1st Cruiser Squadron in 1934.[1] He was given command of the Royal Naval Barracks at Chatham in 1937 and made Naval Secretary in 1939.[2]

Bonham Carter also served in the Second World War, commanding the 3rd Battle Squadron from 1940 and the 18th Cruiser Squadron from 1942.[2] It is said that he had something of a reputation of being a Jonah in any cruiser in which he raised his Admiral's flag, as these kept being sunk from under his feet.[4] He was made Flag Officer, Malta in 1942 and retired due to ill health in 1943, although he was recalled in 1944 to lead naval convoys.[2]

Family[]

In 1933 Bonham Carter married Eve Lloyd; they had one child, Joanna.[1] He is distantly related to the actress Helena Bonham Carter.[5]

There is a memorial to Bonham Carter at St Mary's Church, Buriton.[6]

See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ a b c d e Unit Histories
  2. ^ a b c d Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
  3. ^ CricketArchive
  4. ^ Bassett, Ronald (1988). HMS Sheffield. pp. Chapter 14. ISBN 0-85368-911-3.
  5. ^ Info re Bonham Carter family Archived 19 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  6. ^ Geograph
Military offices
Preceded by Naval Secretary
May – November 1939 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Flag Officer, Malta
1942–1943 		Succeeded by
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