Murray Sueter

Murray Fraser Sueter
Born	6 September 1872(1872-09-06) Alverstoke, Gosport
Died	3 February 1960(1960-02-03) (aged 87) Watlington, Oxfordshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1886 - 1918 (officially retired 1920)
Rank	Rear Admiral
Battles/wars	World War I
Relations	Sir Andrew Clarke (father-in-law)
Other work	Developed imperial air mail postal services Member of Parliament Author

Sir Murray Fraser Sueter, CB, MP (6 September 1872, Alverstoke – 3 February 1960, Watlington, Oxfordshire) was a Royal Naval officer who was noted as a pioneer of naval aviation and later became a Member of Parliament (MP).

Naval career

Coming from a naval background he entered the Royal Navy as a cadet on Britannia in 1886 before serving as a midshipman with HMS Swiftsure. After becoming a Lieutenant in 1894 he became a specialist in torpedo warfare and served HMS Vernon and HMS Jupiter in this capacity.^[1] With this experience Sueter moved over to Reginald Bacon's submarine tender HMS Hazard in 1902 where he distinguished himself in aiding stricken crew members. Sueter's book, The Evolution of the Submarine Boat, Mine and Torpedo (1907), was a consequence of his close work with submarines in this capacity.^[1]

He married Andrew Clarke's daughter, Elinor Mary "Nell" de Winton, in 1903, a year before his promotion to commander (he was made a captain in 1909). Elinor Sueter died on 15 December 1948.^[2]

Murray Sueter's technical skills saw him brought in to the naval ordnance department of the Admiralty and in 1909 he supervised the construction of airship Mayfly, a new avenue of naval development.^[1] As inspecting captain of airships he oversaw the failure of the experiment but was nonetheless given command of the Navy's Air Department in 1912. In this role he oversaw the creation of the Royal Naval Air Service.^[1]

Sueter continued his aerial innovations during the early stages of World War I including the launching of torpedoes from aircraft and in 1915 he was promoted commodore first class and appointed superintendent of aircraft construction. He promoted the use of armoured cars for the defence of airfields in France, after the stalemate of the trenches developed the cars would be sent to Russia and Egypt^[3] His interest in the armoured car led to involvement in tank development.

In 1917 he clashed with the Admiralty and was posted to command the RNAS in Italy. While in Italy, Sueter sent a letter to King George which incurred the displeasure of the Sea Lords and he was relieved of command. He was given no work from 1918 to 1920 when he was retired as a rear admiral.^[1]

After his naval service he became worked with airmail provision and published a number of books, notably Airmen or Noahs (1928) an autobiography and critique of current naval practices and The Evolution of the Tank (1937). He was knighted in 1934.^[1]

Politics

After his naval service Sueter entered politics as a member of the Anti-Waste League and was co-sponsored by them and the Independent Parliamentary Group for the Hertford by-election, 1921 which he won.^[4] He went on to join the Conservative Party and contested the 1923 general election for them, winning election in Hertford. He went on to hold the seat until his retirement in 1945.^[1] During the 1930s he was one of a number of Members of Parliament to become active in the Anglo-German Fellowship.^[5]

References

1. ^ ^{a b c d e f g} Oxford Dictionary of National Biography entry
2. ^ London Gazette Issue 38503 published on the 4 January 1949
3. ^ under Oliver Locker-Lampson and the Duke of Westminster respectively
4. ^ see List of UK minor party and independent MPs elected
5. ^ Martin Pugh, "Hurrah For the Blackshirts!" Fascists and Fascism in Britain Between the War, Pimlico, 2006, p. 270

• Murray Fraser Sueter biodata

• Leigh Rayment's Historical List of MPs

Military offices
New title Department established from the aviation responsibilities of C-in-C the Nore	Director of the Admiralty Air Department 1912 - 1915	Succeeded by C L Vaughan-Lee As Director of the Air Service
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Preceded by Noel Pemberton Billing	Member of Parliament for Hertford 1921–1945	Succeeded by Derek Walker-Smith

Persondata
Name	Sueter, Murray
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	6 September 1872
Place of birth	Alverstoke, Gosport
Date of death	3 February 1960
Place of death	Watlington, Oxfordshire