27/10/2026
ON THIS DAY: On 27th October 1862, the Royal Navy officer Admiral Sir Hugh Evan-Thomas was born at The Gnoll, which was owned by his family.
Hugh was the son of Charles Evan-Thomas, High Sheriff of Brecknockshire for 1885 The family also owned Pencerrig at Builth Wells and the Llwynmadoc estate near Beulah, Powys, the latter for 200 years.
In 1877, aged 15, Hugh Thomas was a naval cadet on the training ship HMS Britannia. In September, the royal princes George Frederick (the future King Goerge V) and his elder brother, Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence, both joined the ship as part of their education. The princes' tutor, John Neale Dalton approved of Thomas and permitted him to become friends with the royal boys. After Thomas left Britannia in December 1877, George sent him a Christmas card (from 'Sprat', while Albert was 'herring' and Thomas 'Old Voice'), both wrote letters and Dalton wrote to Thomas requesting that he write back and remain in contact.
Hugh's father would the family name from Thomas to Evan-Thomas some time after the beginning of 1878. At this time Hugh was posted to the barque-rigged battery ship HMS Swiftsure. In July of that year, when stationed in the Gulf of Saros off Gallipoli, Evan-Thomas and another officer were arrested by Russian soldiers. He was soon released, and the following month transferred to the barque-rigged turret ship, HMS Monarch, captained by Algernon Lyons, who was his first cousin once removed.
His influence growing, in 1879 he was chosen to join HMS Bacchante, selected as a likely good influence on the two princes, who were continuing their naval careers. The Boer War was causing concern back home with Queen Victoria, who was not at all happy that her grandsons found themselves in the war zone. But the ship saw no action - the main instance of danger for the Bacchante was when a rudder was damaged off Western Australia during a storm.
In June 1881, Hugh became senior midshipman and was the princes' regular companion on trips ashore, including trips for riding, shooting, visits to gold mines and other sightseeing locations, and a visit from the Emperor in Japan. There was also a visit to the princes' uncle, King George I of Greece.
From there, having been promoted to sub-lieutenant, Evan-Thomas spent seven months at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, meeting and befriending Lieutenant John Jellicoe, later first sea lord and commander of the British fleet during World War I. His relationship with the princes continued on; in 1883 he visited Prince Edward at Sandringham and at Trinity college (George was at sea). Another promotion, to Lieutenant, came that year, and he received Prince George's congratulations, in which the George wrote "that his father had been pressing the lords of the admiralty for the promotion."
Upon the premature death of Prince Edward on 14th January 1892, Evan-Thomas was responsible for ordering flags aboard his now-ship, HMS Victoria, to half-mast. Prince George - now heir to the throne following his elder brother's death, rapidly rose through the naval ranks, and had become commander of HMS Melampus, where he appointed Evan-Thomas as first lieutenant.
After receiving sick leave in 1984, Evan-Thomas proposed to and married Hilda Barnard at St. Saviours Church, Walton Place, Knightsbridge. The couple moved to Valletta, Malta, where his fleet was based. On 1st January 1897, he was promoted to commander.
During World War I he commanded the 5th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet, flying his flag in HMS Barham, and fought at the Battle of Jutland on 31 May – 1 June 1916. In the official history report of Jutland, which inquired into the perceived failings in the battle, John Jellicoe (by this time Sea Lord) objected to the claim that Evan-Thomas had been responsible for the distance between his ships and Beatty's, which had resulted in Admiral David Beatty going into battle without the support of the four most powerful ships in his command.
Evan-Thomas suffered a stroke as the fallout from Jutland was still ongoing, and was obliged to retire in March 1924. He was too unwell to attend a formal interview with the King, as would be expected for a retiring admiral. He was awarded the grand cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) for his services to the Royal Navy.
Winston Churchill's account of the War in 1927 saw him side with Admiral Beatty's account, rather than Evan-Thomas. This prompted Evan-Thomas to write to the Times to explain his case.
Evan-Thomas became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore, in 1921 and retired in 1924.
Mount Evan-Thomas, the highest summit in the Opal Range in Alberta, Canada, is named in his honour.
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