William Agnew (Royal Navy officer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Agnew
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Rear Admiral Agnew in July 1948.
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| Born | 2 December 1898 London, England |
| Died | 12 July 1960 (aged 61) Alverstoke, England |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1911–1950 |
| Rank | Vice Admiral |
| Commands held | HMS Vanguard (1945–47) HMS Excellent (1944–45) HMS Dido (1943) 12th Cruiser Squadron (1943) HMS Aurora (1940–43) Force K (1941) HMS Corfu (1939–40) HMS Pegasus (1938–39) HMS Deptford (1937–38) |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands) |
| Relations | Charles Morland Agnew (father) |
Vice-Admiral Sir William Gladstone Agnew (2 December 1898 – 12 July 1960) was a brave officer in the Royal Navy. He served during both the First World War and the Second World War. He rose through the ranks to become a vice-admiral.
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William Agnew was born in London, England, on December 2, 1898. He was the fifth son of Charles Morland Agnew. William went to school at the Royal Naval College, Osborne and then the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. He joined the Royal Navy in 1911 when he was just 13 years old.
Service in World War I
During the First World War, William Agnew served on several important ships. He was on the battleships HMS Glory and HMS Royal Oak. He also served on the destroyer HMS Skilful. After the war, he continued his naval career. He served on HMS Durban and was a gunnery officer on HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Heroic Actions in World War II
When the Second World War began, Agnew took command of the cruiser HMS Aurora in October 1940.
Force K and the Duisburg Convoy
In 1941, his ship, the Aurora, moved to the Mediterranean Sea. There, it joined with HMS Penelope and the destroyers HMS Lance and HMS Lively. Together, they formed a special group called Force K, based in Malta.
Commodore Agnew led Force K in a very important battle on November 8, 1941. This was the Battle of the Duisburg Convoy. His force successfully stopped a convoy of enemy ships. For his leadership in this action, he received the award of Companion of the Order of the Bath.
Royal Service
In June 1943, the Aurora had a very special mission. It carried King George VI to Malta. For safely transporting the King, Agnew was honored again. He was made a Companion of the Royal Victorian Order.
Post-War Career and Retirement
After his time on the Aurora, Agnew was given command of HMS Excellent in 1943. This was the Royal Navy's main gunnery school.
In 1946, he took command of HMS Vanguard. He stayed on this ship even after he was promoted to rear-admiral in January 1947. He was in command during a special royal tour of South Africa. After this tour, he received another high honor, being appointed Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order.
In August 1947, Agnew became the director of personnel services at the British Admiralty. He worked there until October 1949. In January 1950, he decided to retire from the Navy. Later that year, he was promoted to vice-admiral on the retired list.
After retiring from the Navy, William Agnew continued to serve the public. From 1950 to 1953, he was the General Secretary of the National Playing Fields Association. This organization helps create and protect places for children to play. He was also involved in local government.
Agnew married Patricia Caroline Bewley in 1930. They did not have any children. He passed away on July 12, 1960, at his home in Alverstoke, Hampshire.
