Frank Larken

Admiral Sir Frank Larken KCB CMG (15 November 1875 – 21 January 1953) was a Royal Navy officer who became Naval Secretary.

Early life and education Larken was born in Lincoln, Lincolnshire, the middle son of Eliza Larken and solicitor Francis Roper Larken. He was the grandson of Edmund Larken and brother of Hubert Larken, Archdeacon of Lincoln.

Naval career Larken served in World War I and, as Captain of the cruiser HMS Doris, he led a successful raid cutting the railway line between Adana and Alexandretta in December 1914 thereby impeding the progress of the Turkish invasion of North Africa.

Engineer Graeme Haldane recalled Larken's tremendous leadership aboard the Doris:

He also saw action at Gallipoli in 1915.

After the War, he was made Captain of the Fleet, Mediterranean Fleet before being given command of the battleship . Following his promotion to rear admiral, he became Naval Secretary in 1925 and Commander of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron in 1927, before retiring later the same month.

He was made CB in the 1925 New Year Honours and advanced to KCB in the 1932 Birthday Honours.

Personal life In 1909, he married Victoria Alexandrina Rawson, the daughter of Commander Wyatt Rawson. They had two sons and two daughters. Their son Francis became a Royal Navy captain and Deputy Director of Naval Ordnance at the Admiralty. Their son Nigel was killed in action in 1941 aboard HMS Dolphin.