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{{Infobox military person
| name = Arthur Rullion Rattray
| image = The Royal Indian Navy during the Second World War IND3724.jpg
| caption = Rear-Admiral Rattray, c.1945
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=yes|1891|05|02}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|1966|08|10|1891|05|02|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Gatehouse of Fleet]], [[Kirkcudbrightshire]], [[Scotland]]
| death_place = [[Camberley]], Surrey, England
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_coordinates = 
| nickname =
| allegiance = United Kingdom
| branch = [[Royal Indian Navy]] [[British Army]]
| serviceyears = 1912–1946
| rank = [[Rear admiral (Royal Navy)|Rear-Admiral]]
| unit =
| commands =
| battles = World War I {{*}}[[Mesopotamian campaign]] {{*}}[[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] World War II
| awards = [[Order of the British Empire]] [[Order of the Bath]] [[Order of the Indian Empire]]
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
Rear-Admiral '''Sir Arthur Rullion Rattray''', {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KBE|CB|CIE|sep=yes}} (2 May 1891 – 10 August 1966) was a British naval officer who served in the [[Royal Indian Marine]] and was an [[air observer]] during World War I. He rose to senior rank in the Royal Indian Navy during World War II.

==Early life==
Rattray was born in [[Gatehouse of Fleet]], Scotland, the fourth of five children born to Arthur Rattray, a retired [[Indian Civil Service (British India)|Indian Civil Servant]] and judge, and his wife Mary Louise Wakely (née Sutherland). His parents had returned from [[Bengal]], where their first three children were born, in around 1889.<ref name="gatehouse">{{cite web |url= http://www.gatehouse-folk.org.uk/detailpage.asp?d=74&ID=17 |title=The Rattrays of Roseville |work=Gatehouse Folk |year=2015 |accessdate=11 November 2015}}</ref>

Rattray was sent to {{HMS|Conway|school ship|6}}, a training ship based at [[Liverpool]], in January 1906, remaining there until December 1907.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://hmsconway.org/Cadets%20R.html |title=Conway Cadets List ("R") |work=hmsconway.org |year=2015 |accessdate=11 November 2015}}</ref> He then trained at [[RNTE Shotley|HMS ''Ganges'']], near [[Ipswich]],<ref name="gatehouse"/> before serving in the [[Merchant Navy (United Kingdom)|Merchant Service]], working for the Aberdeen-based shipping company of George Milne & Co.,<ref name="genealogist">{{cite web |url=http://www.gatehouse-folk.org.uk/ww1.asp?offset=315&d=5&ID=2 |title=Gatehouse of Fleet Connections with World War One: Arthur Rullion Rattray |work=Gatehouse Folk |year=2015 |accessdate=11 November 2015}}</ref> until joining the [[Royal Indian Marine]] (RIM) in 1912.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.jhfk.com/pdf/rim_1900_1920.pdf |title=The Royal Indian Marine 1900–1920 |work=jhfk.com |year=2014 |accessdate=11 November 2015}}</ref>

==First World War==
Rattray continued to serve in the RIM after the outbreak of World War I, but on 15 February 1917 he was appointed a temporary lieutenant on the [[General List]]<ref>{{London Gazette |date=2 March 1917 |issue=29967 |page=2128}}</ref> as a [[Air observer|flying officer (observer)]],<ref>{{cite book |last=Guttman |first=Jon |title=Aircraft of the Aces 123: Reconnaissance and Bomber Aces of World War I
|publisher=Osprey |page=44}}</ref> with seniority from 7 November 1916,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=4 May 1917 |supp=y |issue=30051 |page=4314 |nolink=yes}}</ref> but without prior pay or allowances.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=8 May 1917 |supp=y |issue=30058 |page=4448 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps from the Royal Naval Air Service on 6 November 1916 becoming a member of the RNAS attached to [[No. 30 Squadron RAF|No. 30 Squadron]] flying the [[Royal Aircraft Factory B.E.2|BE2c]]. in [[Mesopotamian campaign|Mesopotamia]] for reconnaissance.{{Cn|date=December 2021}} He received a [[mention in despatches]] following a recommendation from the Commander-in-Chief, Lieutenant-General Sir [[Stanley Maude]], on 15 August 1917.<ref>{{London Gazette |date= 14 August 1917 |supp=y |issue= 30233 |pages=8327–8330 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

In 1917, he was flying in a BE 2c as an observer on a low-level bombing attack. His aircraft was hit by ground fire, and Rattray was wounded in the leg. Service records state that he transferred back to the Royal Navy undertaking minesweeping duties at Ramsgate, in January 1918.{{Cn|date=December 2021}}

Rattray transferred back to the Royal Indian Marine on 17 November 1920 after sixteen months leave. The Royal Indian Marine became the Royal Indian Navy in 1934. On 26 December 1934, he was promoted from [[lieutenant commander]] to [[Commander (Royal Navy)|commander]].<ref>{{London Gazette |date=6 September 1935 |issue=34196 |page=5660 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

==Second World War==
Promoted to [[Captain (Royal Navy)|captain]] on 5 April 1940.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=30 May 1941 |issue=35176 |page=3113 |nolink=yes}}</ref> By the time he was made a [[Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire]] on 1 January 1943, he was serving as a [[Commodore (Royal Navy)|commodore]],<ref>{{London Gazette |date=29 December 1942 |issue=35841 |page=6 |nolink=yes}}</ref> and by 14 June 1945, when he was made a [[Companion of the Order of the Bath]], had been promoted to [[Rear admiral (Royal Navy)|rear-admiral]].<ref>{{London Gazette |date=8 June 1945 |supp=y |issue=37119 |page=2935 |nolink=yes}}</ref> He was serving as Flag Officer, Bombay, during the 1946 mutiny. Rattray was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1948, two weeks before his retirement on 13 January.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=16 April 1948 |issue=38262 |page=2413 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

==Family life==
Rattray married Doris Gertrude Muir in 1917 and they had one son.<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Rear-Admiral Sir Arthur Rattray|date=12 August 1966 |page=12 |issue=56708 |column= }}</ref> Rattray died at his home in Camberley, Surrey, on 10 August 1966.<ref>{{London Gazette |date= 23 August 1966 |issue= 44091 |page=9338 |nolink=yes}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Rattray, Arthur Rullion}}
[[Category:1891 births]]
[[Category:1966 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Dumfries and Galloway]]
[[Category:Royal Flying Corps officers]]
[[Category:Royal Air Force personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:British World War I flying aces]]
[[Category:Scottish flying aces]]
[[Category:Royal Indian Navy admirals]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]

Arthur Rullion Rattray - Revision history

Bot at 01:45, 29 May 2022