Eric William Longley Longley-Cook DSO, RN

Born  6 Oct 1898

Ranks

2 Aug 1914 Mid.
15 Mar 1917 A/S.Lt.
15 Nov 1917 S.Lt.
15 Jun 1919 Lt.
15 Jun 1927 Lt.Cdr.
30 Jun 1932 Cdr.
31 Dec 1938 Capt.
8 Jan 1948 Rear-Admiral
1 May 1951 Vice-Admiral

Retired: 15 Sep 1951


Decorations

6 Apr 1943 Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
21 Dec 1943 CBE
28 Nov 1944 Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
27 Mar 1945 DSO
14 Aug 1945 Mentioned in Despatches (MID)
2 Jan 1950 CB

Warship Commands listed for Eric William Longley Longley-Cook, RN


ShipRankTypeFromTo
HMS Caradoc (D 60)Capt.Light cruiser31 Jul 19398 Jun 1940
HMS Argonaut (61)Capt.Light cruiser21 Apr 19426 Jan 1943
HMS Argonaut (61)Capt.Light cruiser27 Oct 194310 Jan 1945

Career information

We currently have no career / biographical information on this officer.

Events related to this officer

Light cruiser HMS Caradoc (D 60)


7 Sep 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) conducted gunnery exercises off Portland. (1)

11 Sep 1939
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and HMS Ceres (Capt. E.G. Abbott, AM, RN) both departed Portland to provide cover for convoy operations to and from France. (2)

14 Sep 1939
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and HMS Ceres (Capt. E.G. Abbott, AM, RN) arrived at Plymouth. (2)

20 Sep 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and HMS Ceres (Capt. E.G. Abbott, AM, RN) returned to Plymouth from patrol. (2)

21 Sep 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and HMS Ceres (Capt. E.G. Abbott, AM, RN) both departed Plymouth to provide cover for convoy operations to and from France. (2)

23 Sep 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and HMS Ceres (Capt. E.G. Abbott, AM, RN) both retuned to Plymouth. (2)

25 Sep 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) is docked in No.9 Dock at the Devonport Dockyard. (1)

6 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) is undocked. (3)

7 Oct 1939
Around 1100A/7, the battleships HMS Resolution (Capt. C.H. Knox-Little, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral L.E. Holland, CB, RN), HMS Revenge (Capt. E.R. Archer, RN) and the destroyers HMS Wolverine (Cdr. R.C. Gordon, RN), HMS Witherington (Lt.Cdr. G.C. Fryer, RN), HMS Volunteer (Lt.Cdr. H. Gartside-Tippinge, RN) and HMS Verity (Lt.Cdr. A.R.M. Black, RN) departed Portland for Halifax, Nova Scotia. Both battleships had silver on board for safe storage in Canada.

Around 1645A/7, the light cruisers HMS Emerald (Capt. A.W.S. Agar, VC, DSO, RN), HMS Enterprise (Capt. H.J. Egerton, RN), HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and the destroyers HMS Inglefield (Capt. A.G. Talbot, RN) and HMS Ivanhoe (Cdr. B. Jones, RN), departed Plymouth. Both E-class cruiser had gold bullion on board for safe storage in Canada.

Around 1900A/7 both forces made rendezvous.

The destroyers parted company around 1930A/8.

They arrived at Halifax on the 16th and were escorted into port by the destroyers HMCS Fraser (Cdr. W.B. Creery, RCN) and HMCS St. Laurent (Lt.Cdr. H.G. de Wolf, RCN) which had joined around 0630Q/16. (3)

18 Oct 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) departed Halifax for Bermuda. (3)

20 Oct 1939
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Bermuda. After fuelling she departed for Kingston, Jamaica together with HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN). (4)

25 Oct 1939
The German tanker Emmy Friedrich (4372 GRT, built 1904) departed Tampico, Mexico to try to break out into the Atlantic.

Light cruiser HMS Orion (Capt. H.R.G. Kinahan, RN) and the destroyer HMCS Saguenay (Lt.Cdr. G.R. Miles, RCN) were ordered to patrol in the Yukatan Strait.

The light cruisers HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) and HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) which had been en-route from Bermuda to Kingston, Jamaica were diverted to patrol north of Cuba to try to intercept.

At 2120R/24, HMS Despatch sighted an unknown ship and altered course to close to investigate.

At 2215R/24, HMS Despatch stopped to sent over a boarding party and armed guard to inspect the suspicious vessel which claimed to be the Belgian Ostende (4528 GRT, built 1903).

At 2251R/24, the boarding officer reported that the ship was the German Emmy Friederich and four minutes later the German ship started to sink having been scuttled by her crew which then started to abandon ship.

In the meantime HMS Caradoc, which had been nearby, had sighted the suspicious vessel at 2130R/24 and had also altered course to investigate. She now took the cutter with the boarding party and armed guard in tow while also rescuing the German crew.

At 0030R/25, HMS Caradoc sent over her own boarding party to try to salvage the German ship. They returned at 0115R/25 having been unable to stop the inflow of water.

At 0500R/25, the Emmy Friederich sank.

HMS Caradoc remained in the area to sink the German lifeboats while HMS Despatch left the area for Kingston followed later by HMS Caradoc. (5)

27 Oct 1939
HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) and HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) both arrived at Kingston from patrol. (4)

3 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) departed Kingston for Colon. (6)

6 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Colon.

She then entered the Panama Canal and arrived at Balboa later the same day. (6)

7 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) departed Balboa for patrol towards Cocos Island. (6)

9 Nov 1939
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) fuelled from the RFA tanker Orangeleaf (5927 GRT, built 1917) off Cocos Island.

Meanwhile HMS Despatch (Commodore 2nd cl. A. Poland, DSO, RN) also arrived at the rendezvous. She fuelled after HMS Caradoc had completed doing so.

Both cruisers then resumed patrol. HMS Caradoc proceeded to the north-east towards San Diego. HMS Despatch proceeded to the south-west towards the coast of Equador. (7)

16 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at San Diego to fuel. She departed for Esquimalt later the same day. (6)

19 Nov 1939 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Esquimalt where she is to undergo major turbine repairs as well as a regular refit. (6)

2 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) is docked at Esquimalt. (8)

4 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) is undocked. (8)

11 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) conducted full power trials off Esquimalt. (8)

15 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) conducted compass swing and D/F trials off Esquimalt followed by exercises during the night of 15/16 April. (8)

17 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) conducted exercises off Esquimalt. (8)

19 Apr 1940
During 19/20 April 1940, HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN), conducted gunnery and torpedo firing exercises off Esquimalt. These included night exercises. (8)

26 Apr 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) conducted gunnery and torpedo firing exercises off Esquimalt.

She departed for San Pedro, California, USA later the same day. (8)

29 Apr 1940
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at San Pedro to fuel. 700 tons had been requisted but she was only allowed to take in 100 tons due to the Neutrality Law. HMS Caradoc departed later the same day.

The next fuelling rendezvous would have been in the Gulf of Panama with the RFA tanker Bishopdale (8406 GRT, built 1937) but this could not be made. The tanker was therefore sent to the Gulf of Fonseca. (8)

7 May 1940
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) fuelled from the RFA tanker Bishopdale (8406 GRT, built 1937) off the Gulf of Fonseca.

HMS Caradoc set course for Balboa on completion of fuelling. (9)

9 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) transited the Panama Canal eastbound and then set course for Kingston, Jamaica. (9)

10 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Kingston, Jamaica. (9)

11 May 1940
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and HMCS Fraser (Cdr. W.B. Creery, RCN) departed Kingston, Jamaica for Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands West Indies. They had on board troops and equipment for the Dutch Island. (9)

12 May 1940
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) and HMCS Fraser (Cdr. W.B. Creery, RCN) arrived at Willemstad, Curacao, Netherlands West Indies. (9)

17 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) departed Curacao to patrol near the island. (9)

20 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) returned to Willemstad, Curacao. She departed for Kingston, Jamaica later the same day. (9)

22 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Kingston. (9)

23 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) departed Kingston, Jamaica for Willemstad, Curacao. (9)

25 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Willemstad, Curacao. (9)

27 May 1940
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) departed Willemstad, Curacao for Kingston, Jamaica but shortly after departure she was ordered to proceed to Bermuda instead. (9)

31 May 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Bermuda. (9)

5 Jun 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) departed Bermuda for Halifax. (10)

7 Jun 1940 (position 0.00, 0.00)
HMS Caradoc (Capt. E.W.L. Longley-Cook, RN) arrived at Halifax. (10)

Sources

  1. ADM 53/107951
  2. ADM 53/107951 + ADM 53/107790
  3. ADM 53/107952
  4. ADM 53/107952 + ADM 53/108290
  5. ADM 53/107952 + ADM 53/108290 + ADM 53/109988
  6. ADM 53/107953
  7. ADM 53/107953 + ADM 53/108291
  8. ADM 53/111705
  9. ADM 53/111706
  10. ADM 53/111707

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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