Henry Hugh Gordon Stoker

Captain Henry Hugh Gordon Dacre Stoker, (2 February 1885 – 2 February 1966), also known as Hew Stoker and commonly credited in films as H. G. Stoker or Dacre Stoker, was an Irish actor and Royal Navy officer who commanded the Royal Australian Navy's submarine during the First World War. Stoker was captured in 1915 and he spent the remaining three-and-a-half years as a prisoner of war of the Ottoman Empire. He retired from the navy in 1920 to pursue an acting career on the stage and film.

As an amateur athlete, Stoker competed in the Wimbledon tennis championships throughout the 1920s. Following the outbreak of the Second World War, he was recalled to service in the navy, where he helped with public relations. When the war finished, Stoker returned to his acting career. In 1962, at the age of 77, he became Irish Croquet Champion.

Early life Henry Hugh Gordon Dacre Stoker was born on 2 February 1885 in Dublin to William Stoker (–1921), a surgeon, and Jane 'Jeannie' Martin Ross Stoker (; –1935). Stoker was the fourth of six siblings, of which five survived to adulthood.

Stoker's paternal uncle was Frank Stoker, a two-time winner of the Wimbledon Championships Gentlemen's Doubles and an Irish international rugby union player. They were cousins of the author Bram Stoker.

Henry was educated in Dublin; he was an average student but excelled at sport, particularly tennis and rugby. On 30 May 1901, he was promoted to midshipman and posted to as part of the Channel Fleet and was later posted to in the Mediterranean. Stoker volunteered to be loaned to the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). On 7 November 1913, he was given command of , AE2 was accompanied by its sister submarine , with crews composed of both Royal Navy and RAN personnel, and sailed from England for Australia on 2 March 1914. The first leg, under the escort of , arrived at Colombo, on 9 April. The second leg, with an escort provided by , arrived in Singapore on 21 April. The final leg was completed under escort of and arrived in Sydney on 24 May, completing a voyage of , the longest voyage recorded by a submarine up to that time. On 17 October 1919 he was mentioned in despatches "For valuable services in HM Australian Submarine AE2 in the prosecution of the war".

On 10 February 1919, Stoker was given command of . He was promoted to commander on 31 December 1919. In 1920 he was offered command of submarine depot vessel , but instead chose to resign and was put on the retired list on 2 October 1920. In the following year's Wimbledon Championship, Stoker reached the third round, beating L. Andrews in the first and Arthur Wallis Myers in the second, losing to eventual finalist Manuel Alonso Areizaga.

Family life and legacy Stoker was married twice; his first wife was Olive Joan Violet Gwendoline Leacock, daughter of Colonel Schuler Leacock of the Bengal Cavalry. The marriage ended in divorce when Stoker, after returning to England following service with the RAN and being a prisoner of war in the Ottoman Empire, discovered she had given birth to three children in his absence.

The Australian submarine rescue vessel MV Stoker is named in his honour. The sister ship, MV Besant, is named for the commanding officer of HMAS AE1, Lieutenant Commander Thomas Besant.

Filmography Film Year Title Role Notes 1933 One Precious Year Sir John Rome Credited as H.G. Stoker Channel Crossing Captain Credited as H.G. Stoker 1934 The Warren Case Credited as H.G. Stoker The Man Who Knew Too Much 1935 Brown on Resolution Captain Holt Credited as H.G. Stoker Koenigsmark Uncredited 1936 Pot Luck Davey Credited as H.G. Stoker The First Offence Dr G.E. Penrose Credited as H.G. Stoker It's You I Want Braille Credited as H.G. Stoker 1937 Non-Stop New York Captain Credited as H.G. Stoker Moonlight Sonata Club Member (uncredited) 1938 Crackerjack Supt. Benting Credited as H.G. Stoker 1940 Full Speed Ahead Sir Robert Barrymore 1948 It's Hard to Be Good Elderly Man (uncredited) Woman Hater Old Boy at club (uncredited) Brighton Rock Registrar (uncredited) Call of the Blood Uncle Ben (uncredited) 1951 Four Days Baxter Credited as H.G. Stoker 1952 Where's Charley? Wilkinson

Television Year Title Role Notes 1946 I Want to Be an Actor Narrator TV movie. Credited as H.G. Stoker Adventure Story Dr. Lane TV play. Credited as H.G. Stoker 1947 Toad of Toad Hall The Storyteller TV play. Credited as H.G. Stoker 1948 Morning Departure Captain Marshall, D.S.O., R.N. TV play. Credited as H.G. Stoker The Middle Watch Admiral Sir Hercules Hewitt, K.C.B. Credited as H.G. Stoker Celestial Fire The General, G.O.C., A.A. Command Credited as H.G. Stoker 1949 Deep Waters The Admiral Co-written with Gilbert Hackforth-Jones. Credited as H.G. Stoker Radiolympia: Old Songs for New The boy of yesterday Credited as H.G. Stoker Counsel's Opinion Willock Credited as H.G. Stoker 1950 Mr. Gillie The Judge TV movie. Credited as H.G. Stoker The Switchback Sir Anthony Craye Bart., K.C.V.O., F.R.C.S. TV movie. Credited as H.G. Stoker 1951 Sherlock Holmes Colonel Hayter The Reigate Squires. Credited as H.G. Stoker 1952 My Wife Jacqueline General Bridger The Agonies of Courtship and Happily Ever After. Credited as H.G. Stoker 1953 The Disagreeable Man His Honour Judge Strachan Credited as H.G. Stoker 1955 Alfred Hitchcock Presents Dr. Senior The Case of Mr. Pelham. Credited as H.G. Stoker 1959 Armchair Theatre Star in the Summer Night. Credited as H.G. Stoker 1961 Element of Doubt TV play. Credited as H.G. Stoker

Radio Year Title Role Notes 1930 Red Tabs Radio play. Credited as H.G. Stoker