George Atkinson-Willes

Educated at Leamington College and at Burney's Royal Naval Academy in Gosport,[1] he joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1861[2] and took part in the Abyssinian Expedition in 1868 where he was second in command of the naval rocket brigade.[3]

Promoted to Captain in 1886,[2] he commanded HMS Comus, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Agamemnon, HMS Hero and then HMS Howe.[3] He was appointed commodore commanding the Training Squadron in 1895 and then commanded the Dockyard Reserve at Chatham from 1898.[1]

In 1901 he assumed the additional surname of Willes in compliance with the will of his uncle Admiral Sir George Ommanney Willes.[1] Later the same year he was promoted to rear admiral,[2] and in May 1902 he became Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet.[4] He hoisted his flag on board the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Resolution on 7 May 1902, as his flagship during the Coronation Fleet Review for King Edward VII.[5] After the end of the manoeuvres, he transferred on 16 September to HMS Empress of India, which became flagship to the Home Squadron, the permanent sea-going nucleus of the Home Fleet.[6]

In 1903 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.[1] He led a squadron of three ships during the Somaliland Campaign in 1904, supplying landing parties that stormed and captured the forts at Illig, his ships' guns supporting the attack.[3] In June 1905 in recognition of his service in Somaliland he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.[7]

Atkinson-Willes was promoted vice admiral in 1905 and admiral in 1908. He retired in July 1912 and died in December 1921, aged 74.[3]