AdmiralSir Guy Reginald Archer Gaunt, KCMG,CB (25 May 1869 – 18 May 1953)[1] was an Australian-born officer of the Royal Navy, counter-intelligence officer and a British Conservative Party politician.
Gaunt was born in Ballarat, Australia, to William Henry Gaunt and his wife Elizabeth Mary Palmer. Gaunt's brother-in-law was Alexander Stenson Palmer (banker and M.P. for Victoria). Gaunt's brother Ernest Gaunt was also an admiral. Their sister, Mary Gaunt, was a well-known author in Australia and wrote several travel books. Guy was educated at Melbourne Grammar School from 1881 to 1883.[1]
Gaunt's parents wanted him to become a lawyer, but he chose to go to sea. He began training for the merchant navy, but transferred to the Royal Navy in 1885, one of the "hungry hundred" merchant navy officers who were commissioned via the supplementary list.
Gaunt served as a lieutenant on several vessels in the Pacific Ocean, and was promoted to the rank of Commander in 1901. He became a captain in 1907, commanding a series of cruisers and the battleshipsHMS Majestic and HMS Thunderer. He saw action in the Philippines in 1897 and Samoa in 1901.[1]
In 1914 Gaunt was appointed naval attaché to the United States,[1] and was instrumental in infiltrating the Hindu–German Conspiracy during the First World War. Gaunt headed the intelligence network operated by Courtenay Bennett's intelligence and liaised with the Czech intelligence network operated by E. V. Voska. On learning of the plot from the Czech European network at the outbreak of the war, Voska passed on the information to Gaunt and to Tomáš Masaryk who further passed on the information the American authorities.[2][3][4][5] Voska's American network was a counter-espionage network of nearly 80 members who, as Habsburg subjects, were presumed to be German supporters but were involved in spying on German and Austrian diplomats.
When the U.S. entered the war in 1917, Gaunt was appointed as liaison officer. In 1918 he served on convoys across the Atlantic[6] and in June was appointed to the naval intelligence staff at the Admiralty.
Gaunt was promoted on the retired list to rear admiral in October 1918,[1] vice admiral in July 1924 and admiral in February 1928. He was knighted as KCMG in 1918.
Gaunt resigned from the House of Commons in 1926, when he was cited as co-respondent in the divorce case between Sir Richard Cruise and his wife.
Family
Gaunt married a widow, Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Worthington (daughter of Sir Thomas Wardle) at Hong Kong in 1904.[1] She divorced him in 1927 following the scandal with Lady Cruise, and he retired to Tangier. He later remarried on 1 December 1932 a 35-year-old widow, Sybil Victoria Joseph, née Grant White and had two daughters. He returned to live in Cobham, Surrey and died at Woking Hospital on 18 May 1953 and was cremated.[1]
Gaunt's autobiography, The Yield of the Years, was published in 1940. His brother Ernest Gaunt was also an admiral in the Royal Navy; his sister, Mary Gaunt, was a novelist.
^ "Dine Commodore Gaunt.; His India House Friends Bid Farewell to Departing Naval Attache". The New York Times. 27 March 1918. Retrieved 1 September 2014.
Bose, A.C (1971), Indian Revolutionaries Abroad, 1905-1927, Patna:Bharati Bhawan., ISBN81-7211-123-1.
Masaryk, T (1970), Making of a State, Howard Fertig, ISBN0-685-09575-4.
Popplewell, Richard J (1995), Intelligence and Imperial Defence: British Intelligence and the Defence of the Indian Empire 1904-1924., Routledge, ISBN0-7146-4580-X.
Voska, E.V; Irwin, W (1940), Spy and Counterspy, New York. Doubleday, Doran & Co.
External links
The Dreadnought Project: Guy Gaunt
Hansard 1803–2005: contributions in Parliament by Guy Gaunt
gaunt, admiral, reginald, archer, gaunt, kcmg, 1869, 1953, australian, born, officer, royal, navy, counter, intelligence, officer, british, conservative, party, politician, born, 1869, 1869ballarat, australiadied18, 1953, 1953, aged, woking, surrey, englandnat. Admiral Sir Guy Reginald Archer Gaunt KCMG CB 25 May 1869 18 May 1953 1 was an Australian born officer of the Royal Navy counter intelligence officer and a British Conservative Party politician Sir Guy GauntBorn 1869 05 25 25 May 1869Ballarat AustraliaDied18 May 1953 1953 05 18 aged 83 Woking Surrey EnglandNationalityBritishKnown forAdmiralPolitical partyConservativeSpouse s Margaret Elizabeth Worthington m 1904 div 1927 wbr Sybil Victoria Joseph m 1935 wbr Children2 daughters from second marriageParent s William Henry Gaunt and his wife Elizabeth MaryRelativesErnest GauntMary Elizabeth Bakewell GauntAwardsKCMG CBGaunt was born in Ballarat Australia to William Henry Gaunt and his wife Elizabeth Mary Palmer Gaunt s brother in law was Alexander Stenson Palmer banker and M P for Victoria Gaunt s brother Ernest Gaunt was also an admiral Their sister Mary Gaunt was a well known author in Australia and wrote several travel books Guy was educated at Melbourne Grammar School from 1881 to 1883 1 Contents 1 Naval career 2 Political career 3 Family 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksNaval career EditGaunt s parents wanted him to become a lawyer but he chose to go to sea He began training for the merchant navy but transferred to the Royal Navy in 1885 one of the hungry hundred merchant navy officers who were commissioned via the supplementary list Gaunt served as a lieutenant on several vessels in the Pacific Ocean and was promoted to the rank of Commander in 1901 He became a captain in 1907 commanding a series of cruisers and the battleships HMS Majestic and HMS Thunderer He saw action in the Philippines in 1897 and Samoa in 1901 1 In 1914 Gaunt was appointed naval attache to the United States 1 and was instrumental in infiltrating the Hindu German Conspiracy during the First World War Gaunt headed the intelligence network operated by Courtenay Bennett s intelligence and liaised with the Czech intelligence network operated by E V Voska On learning of the plot from the Czech European network at the outbreak of the war Voska passed on the information to Gaunt and to Tomas Masaryk who further passed on the information the American authorities 2 3 4 5 Voska s American network was a counter espionage network of nearly 80 members who as Habsburg subjects were presumed to be German supporters but were involved in spying on German and Austrian diplomats When the U S entered the war in 1917 Gaunt was appointed as liaison officer In 1918 he served on convoys across the Atlantic 6 and in June was appointed to the naval intelligence staff at the Admiralty Gaunt was promoted on the retired list to rear admiral in October 1918 1 vice admiral in July 1924 and admiral in February 1928 He was knighted as KCMG in 1918 Political career EditGaunt first stood as a candidate for parliament at the 1918 general election He was the Liberal candidate for Leek and despite receiving the Coalition Coupon he was unable to hold the seat 7 Gaunt was elected as Unionist Member of Parliament MP for the Buckrose constituency in the East Riding of Yorkshire at the 1922 general election replacing the Liberal Algernon Moreing Gaunt resigned from the House of Commons in 1926 when he was cited as co respondent in the divorce case between Sir Richard Cruise and his wife Family EditGaunt married a widow Mrs Margaret Elizabeth Worthington daughter of Sir Thomas Wardle at Hong Kong in 1904 1 She divorced him in 1927 following the scandal with Lady Cruise and he retired to Tangier He later remarried on 1 December 1932 a 35 year old widow Sybil Victoria Joseph nee Grant White and had two daughters He returned to live in Cobham Surrey and died at Woking Hospital on 18 May 1953 and was cremated 1 Gaunt s autobiography The Yield of the Years was published in 1940 His brother Ernest Gaunt was also an admiral in the Royal Navy his sister Mary Gaunt was a novelist References Edit a b c d e f g O Neill Sally Gaunt Sir Guy Reginald Archer 1869 1953 Australian Dictionary of Biography National Centre of Biography Australian National University ISSN 1833 7538 Popplewell 1995 p 237 Masaryk 1970 pp 50 221 242 Voska amp Irwin 1940 pp 98 108 120 122 123 Bose 1971 pp 233 233 Dine Commodore Gaunt His India House Friends Bid Farewell to Departing Naval Attache The New York Times 27 March 1918 Retrieved 1 September 2014 Debrett s House of Commons 1922Bibliography EditBose A C 1971 Indian Revolutionaries Abroad 1905 1927 Patna Bharati Bhawan ISBN 81 7211 123 1 Masaryk T 1970 Making of a State Howard Fertig ISBN 0 685 09575 4 Popplewell Richard J 1995 Intelligence and Imperial Defence British Intelligence and the Defence of the Indian Empire 1904 1924 Routledge ISBN 0 7146 4580 X Voska E V Irwin W 1940 Spy and Counterspy New York Doubleday Doran amp Co External links EditThe Dreadnought Project Guy Gaunt Hansard 1803 2005 contributions in Parliament by Guy GauntParliament of the United KingdomPreceded byAlgernon Moreing Member of Parliament for Buckrose1922 1926 Succeeded byAlbert Braithwaite Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Guy Gaunt amp oldid 1171161650, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
