William Lowther Grant
Sir William Lowther Grant was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station.Naval career
Grant joined the Royal Navy in 1877, and served in the Anglo-Egyptian War in 1882. He was later Commander on board, flagship of the Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station, Admiral Sir Robert Hastings Harris, and was in January 1900 landed in Cape Colony to take part in the Second Boer War. During the next months he commanded a detachment of guns operating in the Orange River Colony, and was specially promoted to captain on 21 October 1900 for services during the war.
Still in South Africa, he was appointed in command of the guardship at Simons Town, the elderly ironclad masted turret ship on 5 May 1902. After the end of the Second Boer war, he was appointed Naval Advisor to the Inspector-General of Fortifications, and left South Africa on SS Britannic in early October 1902 to take up the position on his return the following month. Appointment as Assistant to the Director of Naval Intelligence followed in 1908, before he became rear admiral providing special service with the Home Fleet in 1910. He served in World War I initially commanding the 6th Cruiser Squadron with cruiser as his flagship. He was made Commander-in-Chief, China Station in 1916 and Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station in 1918. He retired in 1920.
In retirement he sought to justify Admiral Lord Jellicoe's actions at the Battle of Jutland in the face of German criticism.Family
In 1892, Grant married Mabel Emily Brodrick, daughter of the Rev. Henry Brodrick and Emily Hester Brodrick.
