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{{Use British English|date=July 2014}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2020}}
{{Infobox military person
|honorific_prefix = [[Vice-admiral (Royal Navy)|Vice-Admiral]]
|name = Alfred Carpenter
|honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|VC}}
|birth_date=17 September 1881
|death_date=27 December 1955 (aged 74)
|birth_place=[[Barnes, London|Barnes]], Surrey
|death_place= 
|placeofburial=
|image= Arthur Stockdale Cope - Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter.jpg
|nickname=
|allegiance={{UK}}
|serviceyears=1898 – 1934
|rank=[[Vice-Admiral]]
|branch={{navy|United Kingdom}}
|commands= [[HMS Vindictive (1897)|HMS ''Vindictive'']]
|unit=
|battles=[[1898 Occupation of Crete]]<br>[[Boxer Rebellion]]<br>[[World War I]]<br>[[World War II]]
|awards= [[Victoria Cross]]<br>[[Légion d'honneur]]<br>[[Croix de Guerre]] (France)
|laterwork=
}}
[[File:Alfred Carpenter VC IWM Q 20831.jpg|thumbnail|Alfred Carpenter in centre of a group]]
Vice-Admiral '''Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter''', [[Victoria Cross|VC]] (17 September 1881 &ndash; 27 December 1955) was a [[Royal Navy]] officer who was selected by his fellow officers and men to receive the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to [[United Kingdom|British]] and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.

==Family==
Carpenter was born in [[Barnes, London|Barnes]],<ref name="Commander Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter"/> the son of Henrietta Maud née Shadwell (1858-1889) and Captain Alfred Carpenter RN, and grandson of Commander Charles Carpenter. He attended [[Bedales School]] founded by his Uncle [[Edward Carpenter]]'s close friend [[John Haden Badley]]. In 1903 married to Emily Maud Mary Tordiffe (1881-1923) and after her death married Hilda Margaret Allison née Smith (1891-1958) in 1927.

==Career==
Carpenter joined the Royal Navy and saw naval service as a midshipman in Crete in 1898 and during the [[Boxer Rebellion]] of 1900–01. He was acting [[sub-lieutenant]] from 15 May 1901.<ref name=LG27494>{{London Gazette |issue=27494 |date=11 November 1902 |page=7166 }}</ref> In August 1902 he was temporarily posted to the [[torpedo boat destroyer]] [[HMS Havock (1893)|HMS ''Havock'']] for service during the [[Coronation of King Edward VII and Queen Alexandra|Coronation]] [[Fleet review (Commonwealth realms)|Fleet review]].<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=The Coronation - the Naval Review|date=29 July 1902 |page=10 |issue=36832}}</ref> From late October that year he was posted to the corvette [[HMS Cleopatra (1878)|HMS ''Cleopatra'']], used as a training cruiser in home waters,<ref>{{Cite newspaper The Times |title=Naval & Military intelligence|date=22 October 1902 |page=9 |issue=36905}}</ref> and confirmed in the rank of sub-lieutenant.<ref name=LG27494 /> He specialised in [[navigation]] from 1903 and received the thanks of the [[British Admiralty|Admiralty]] for several inventions, and a [[Humane Society]] medal for saving life at sea. During [[World War I]] he served on [[Admiral Jellicoe]]'s staff 1914–15. He was promoted to [[Commander (Royal Navy)|Commander]] in 1915<ref name="Commander Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter">{{Lives of WWI | id= 6889414 | name= Alfred Francis Blakeney Carpenter }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/29214/pages/6438|title=The London Gazette, 2 July 1915|access-date=26 October 2014}}</ref> and served as navigating officer of [[HMS Emperor of India|HMS ''Emperor of India'']] 1915–17.

On 22/23 April 1918, [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] Carpenter was in command of [[HMS Vindictive (1897)|HMS ''Vindictive'']] which was to land a force of 200 [[Royal Marines]] on the [[Mole (architecture)|mole]] at [[Zeebrugge]] at the start of the [[Zeebrugge Raid]]. For his conduct during this action he was awarded the VC:
{{quote|For most conspicuous gallantry.
This officer was in command of "Vindictive." He set a magnificent example to all those under his command by his calm composure when navigating mined waters, bringing his ship alongside the mole in darkness. When "Vindictive" was within a few yards of the mole the enemy started and maintained a heavy fire from batteries, machine guns and rifles on to the bridge. He showed most conspicuous bravery, and did much to encourage similar behaviour on the part of the crew, supervising the landing from the "Vindictive" on to the mole, and walking round the decks directing operations and encouraging the men in the most dangerous and exposed positions. By his encouragement to those under him, his power of command and personal bearing, he undoubtedly contributed greatly to the success of the operation.
Capt. Carpenter was selected by the officers of the "Vindictive," "Iris II.," and "Daffodil," and of the naval assaulting force to receive the Victoria Cross under Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant, dated 29 January 1856.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=30807|date=23 July 1918 |page=8585|supp=y }}</ref>}}
(Rule 13 of the Royal Warrant provides that after an action in which all are equally brave and distinguished, where no special selection can be made, the officer in overall command may direct that one officer may be selected for the award by the officers and men who took part in the action.)

Carpenter was also made an Officer of the Legion of Honour and awarded the Croix de Guerre with palm. He was sent on a lecturing tour through the US and Canada, 1918–19.

After the war, Carpenter was in command of [[HMS Carysfort (1914)|HMS ''Carysfort'']] in the [[Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)|Atlantic Fleet]] 1921–23, Captain of [[Chatham Dockyard]] 1924–26, in command of [[HMS Benbow (1913)|HMS ''Benbow'']] in 1926 and of [[HMS Marlborough (1912)|HMS Marlborough]] 1927–28. He was a naval [[aide-de-camp]] to the [[George V|King]] (an honorary position) in 1929,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/33505/pages/3859|title=The London Gazette, 11 June 1929|access-date=26 October 2014}}</ref> and promoted [[Rear admiral (Royal Navy)|rear-admiral]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/33523/pages/5145|title=The London Gazette, 6 August 1929|access-date=26 October 2014}}</ref> and placed on the retired list in the same year. He was promoted to [[Vice admiral (Royal Navy)|vice-admiral]] (retired) in 1934.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/34076/pages/5054|title=The London Gazette, 7 August 1934|access-date=26 October 2014}}</ref> During [[World War II]] he commanded the Wye Valley section of the Gloucestershire [[Home Guard (United Kingdom)|Home Guard]].

His Victoria Cross is displayed at the [[Imperial War Museum]], London, England.

==Publications==
*''The blocking of Zeebrugge'', Herbert Jenkins, London, 1925, translated into French as ''L'embouteillage de Zeebrugge'', Payot, Paris, 1924
*''De Raid op Zeebrugge'' door Carl Decaluwé en Tomas Termoteis (gebaseerd op 80 glasplaten van de kapitein van de Vindictive, Captain Alfred Carpenter, die in WO I de aanval op Zeebrugge leidde), ROULARTA MEDIA GROUP, {{ISBN|9789086794966}}, 15 April 2015

==References==
*[http://www.ukwhoswho.com/view/article/oupww/whowaswho/U235519 CARPENTER, Vice-Admiral Alfred Francis Blakeney], Who Was Who, A & C Black, 1920–2008; online edn, Oxford University Press, Dec 2007
*[http://find.galegroup.com/ttda/infomark.do?&source=gale&prodId=TTDA&tabID=T003&docPage=article&docId=CS184767900&type=multipage&contentSet=LTO&version=1.0 Obituary – Vice-Adm. A.F. Carpenter – The Zeebrugge Raid], ''The Times'', London, 28 December 1955, page 11
{{reflist}}
*[[Monuments to Courage]] (David Harvey, 1999)
*[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]] (This England, 1997)
*[[VCs of the First World War - The Naval VCs]] (Stephen Snelling, 2002)

==External links==
* {{Gutenberg author|id=43427}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20070822214645/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/gloucest.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Gloucestershire)''

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Carpenter, Alfred Francis Blakeney}}
[[Category:1881 births]]
[[Category:1955 deaths]]
[[Category:People from Barnes, London]]
[[Category:People educated at Bedales School]]
[[Category:Officers of the Legion of Honour]]
[[Category:Royal Navy vice admirals]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Surrey]]
[[Category:British World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1914–1918 (France)]]
[[Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Boxer Rebellion]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War I]]
[[Category:British Home Guard officers]]
[[Category:Deputy lieutenants of Gloucestershire]]
[[Category:British military personnel of the 1898 Occupation of Crete]]
[[Category:19th-century Royal Navy personnel]]