Philip Lionel Saumarez DSC, RN
| Born | 18 Sep 1904 | ||
| Died | 1995 | (90) |
 | Ranks
Retired: 5 Nov 1956 Decorations
|
Warship Commands listed for Philip Lionel Saumarez, RN
| Ship | Rank | Type | From | To |
| HMS Ilex (D 61) | Lt.Cdr. | Destroyer | 1 Jan 1938 | 30 Dec 1940 |
| HMS Queenborough (G 70) | Cdr. | Destroyer | Sep 1944 | 28 Oct 1945 |
Career information
As a junior officer he became a submariner, later transferring to destroyers. His first command was HMS Wolfhound. Following HMS Ilex, he joined CinC Home Fleet's staff. He then in 1943 joined the Plans Division in the Admiralty to work on the Naval Plans ffor D Day. Subsequently he joined HMS Scylla (Capt Brownrigg RN), the Invasion Naval headquarters ship as the executive officer. HMS Scylla was crippled by a mine in July 1944 and was then scrapped. He went in command to the Queenborough for the last 8 months of the Pacific War. He was promoted as Captain in 1947 and commanded the "Rhine Flotilla" based in Cuxhaven. He last seagoing command was Captain(D) of the 8th Destroyer Flotilla in HMS Crispin. His last appointment was director of the Naval Tactical School at Woolwich. On leaving the Navy, he worked in Armstrong Whitworth, later (Hawker-Syddley) and was involved in development of the Seaslug anti-aircraft missile for the County class destroyers. On final retirement, he moved to Guernsey, the origin of the Saumarez family and became a cabinet maker of some distinction. He died in 1995, aged 91.
Events related to this officer
Destroyer HMS Ilex (D 61)
29 Sep 1939
Convoy OB 12G.
This convoy departed Liverpool on 29 September 1939.
It was made up of the following merchant vessels; Alcora (British, 1381 GRT, built 1919), Baltistan (British, 6083 GRT, built 1937), Bantria (British, 2407 GRT, built 1928), Baron Forbes (British, 3061 GRT, built 1915), Castalia (British, 6601 GRT, built 1906), City of Lancaster (British, 3041 GRT, built 1924), City of Marseilles (British, 8317 GRT, built 1913), Courland (British, 1325 GRT, built 1932), Dromus (British (tanker), 8036 GRT, built 1938), Fintra (British, 2089 GRT, built 1918), Heminge (British, 2499 GRT, built 1919), Lesbian (British, 2370 GRT, built 1923), Montauban (French, 4191 GRT, built 1920), Palmella (British, 1578 GRT, built 1920), Peterston (British, 4680 GRT, built 1925), Shetland (British, 1846 GRT, built 1921) and Ulea (British, 1574 GRT, built 1936).
On departure from Liverpool the convoy was escorted by the destroyers HMS Ilex (Lt.Cdr. P.L. Saumarez, RN) and HMS Imogen (Cdr. E.B.K. Stevens, RN).
The convoy merged with convoy OA 12G coming from Southend in the afternoon of 2 October 1939.
13 Oct 1939 (position 49.12, -16.00)
German U-boat U-42 was sunk south-west of Ireland, in position 49°12'N, 16°00'W, by depth charges from the British destroyers HMS Imogen (Cdr. E.B.K. Stevens, RN) and HMS Ilex (Lt.Cdr. P.L. Saumarez, RN).
14 Oct 1939
HMS Ilex (Lt.Cdr. P.L. Saumarez, RN) picks up all survivors from the British merchant Lochavon that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-45 about 230 miles southwest of Fastnet in position 50°25'N, 13°10'W.
14 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
The French merchant Bretagne was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-45 about 230 miles south-west of Fastnet. The survivors were later picked up by HMS Imogen (Cdr. E.B.K. Stevens, RN) and HMS Ilex (Lt.Cdr. P.L. Saumarez, RN).
18 Feb 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Ilex (Lt.Cdr. P.L. Saumarez, RN) picks up one survivor from the British destroyer HMS Daring that was torpedoed and sunk by German U-boat U-23 about 40 nautical miles east of the Pentland Firth in position 58°40'N, 01°35'W.
27 Jun 1940 (position 33.26, 27.27)
Around 0600C/27, the destroyers HMS Dainty (Cdr. M.S. Thomas, RN), HMS Decoy (Cdr. E.G. McGregor, RN), HMS Defender (Lt.Cdr. St.J.R.J. Tyrwhitt, RN), HMS Ilex (Lt.Cdr. P.L. Saumarez, DSC, RN) and HMAS Voyager (Lt.Cdr. J.C. Morrow, RAN) departed Alexandria for an A/S sweep in the Eastern Mediterranean.
In the evening the Italian submarine Console Generale Liuzzi was scuttled south-east of Crete in position 33°36'N, 27°27'E after being depth charged and forced to surface by the above detroyers.
Destroyer HMS Queenborough (G 70)
8 Feb 1945 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Queenborough (Cdr. P.L. Saumarez, DSC and Bar, RN) conducted exercises off Auckland. (1)
Sources
- File R20028880 (New Zealand archives)
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