Charles Dicken

Admiral Charles Gauntlett Dicken (26 April 1854 – 7 September 1937) was a Royal Navy officer. Serving during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, he took part in the Anglo-Egyptian War, held appointments at the Admiralty, commanded the protected cruiser HMS Royal Arthur, and served as Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong during the Russo-Japanese War before retiring from active service in 1908.

Early life Dicken was born on 26 April 1854 at Westover Villas, Bournemouth. He was the youngest son of the Reverend Alldersey Dicken (1794–1879) and Caroline Mary Huddleston. The family later lived at Norton Rectory near Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk.

He was educated at Ipswich Grammar School before preparing for entry into the Royal Navy at Bell and Johnson's Academy in Southsea. After passing the naval entrance examination at Portsmouth on 10 December 1867, he entered the Royal Navy as a naval cadet aboard HMS Britannia in January 1868. He passed the examinations required for promotion to midshipman in April 1869.

For his service during the campaign, Dicken received the Egypt Medal with the Alexandria clasp and the Khedive's Star.

Promotion and staff appointments Between 1889 and 1893, Dicken served as second-in-command of HMS Australia. During this period, he participated in the International Naval Review at New York City in 1893. In 1895 he became Assistant Director of the Naval Intelligence Division at the Admiralty. During this period he was offered command of the battleships HMS Hannibal and HMS Bulwark, although neither appointment was taken up.

During this period, HMS Royal Arthur also served on the Australia Station, where Dicken undertook official duties connected with the Royal Navy's presence in the region.

His appointment coincided with the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905), when Hong Kong served as an important Royal Navy base in East Asia. He was promoted to rear admiral in July 1905 and returned to Britain later that year. He was later promoted to vice-admiral and admiral on the retired list.

Dicken married Margaret Christiena Cornish on 14 October 1880. Following her death in 1888, he married Ada Mary Byron on 9 June 1894.

Another son, John Aldersey Dicken, served in the Royal Navy and retired as a lieutenant commander.

Death Charles Gauntlett Dicken died on 7 September 1937 at the age of 83.