Stuart Bonham Carter

Vice-Admiral Sir Stuart Sumner Bonham Carter, (9 July 1889 – 5 September 1972) was an officer in the Royal Navy who served in both the First and Second World Wars.

Naval career Born into the prominent British Bonham Carter family, as the younger son of Lothian Bonham-Carter and his wife, Emily Maud Sumner. Stuart joined the Royal Navy in 1904. He served in the First World War, commanding the block ship during the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918. He also commanded the destroyer in the closing stages of the war. He was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Africa in 1928, Bonham Carter was made Flag Officer, Malta in 1942 and after periodically suffering from depression, insomnia, even to the extent of contemplating suicide, he retired due to ill health in 1943 (to be succeeded by Vice-Admiral Sir Arthur Power); he was duly benefitted by rest and treatment and was eventually recalled in 1944 to lead naval convoys. It was perhaps unfortunate that a toxic atmosphere existed between Lord Gort (Malta Governor) and RAF's Sir Keith Park; Gort never forgave the RAF for what he perceived as their negligence in providing adequate air cover for troops departing Dunkirk and, given Park's leading role in that battle, this bias was deeply personal and ultimately became quite unhealthy. There was also a sharp divide in how both saw the RAF's function with Gort favouring pure defence while Park pursued offence against Rommel's supply lines as well as maintaining an aggressive defence. Bonham Carter was somewhat caught between two strong characters and the constant tension and conflict could not have helped his mental state.

There is a memorial to Bonham Carter at St Mary's Church, Buriton.