George Albert Cubitt was born on the 22 September 1854 in Louvain Belgium. He joined the training ship ‘Conway’ in 1868 and commenced his sea going career in 1870. He served 3 years in sail and the remaining 35 years in steamships of the P&O line. In 1883 he was 5 ft 7 in tall and he had an anchor tattoo on his left arm.
On the 1 May 1882 while serving as Chief Officer of the P&O steamer ‘Poona’ he saw the chief officer of the SS Scam, Mr R Peters fall overboard whilst his ship was underway in Bombay Harbour. In the fall Mr Peters broke his leg. Mr Cubitt jumped into the water taking a life belt with him, he reached Mr Peters and supported him until a steam launch arrived, thereby saving his life. A strong tide was running at the time and there was a danger from sharks. For this rescue Mr Cubitt was awarded the Royal Humane Society bronze medal.
He joined the Royal Naval Reserve and by 1899 he had completed a year’s training and held a certificate in either gunnery or torpedo. His RD was awarded on the 25 Aug 1916, 25 years after his promotion to Lieutenant.
Captain Cubitt’s ship the ‘Formosa’ was requisitioned as a war transport for both the South African Boer War 1899-1902 and the Boxer Rebellion in China in 1900.
As Commander Cubitt he served throughout the Great War in his reserve capacity and retired in 1918 at the age of 64. Captain Cubitt died on the 5 February 1934 in his 79th year.