| Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves | |
|---|---|
 Ensign of the Royal Navy | |
| Admiralty, Ministry of Defence | |
| Reports to | First Sea Lord, then Second Sea Lord |
| Nominator | Secretary of State for Defence |
| Appointer | Prime Minister Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council |
| Term length | Not fixed (typically 1–4 years) |
| Inaugural holder | Vice-Admiral Sir John W. Tarleton |
| Formation | 1875-1976 |
The Admiral Commanding, Reserves, was a senior Royal Navy post that existed from 1875 to 1976.
Before 1857 the HM Coast Guard was attached to the Customs Service for revenue duties, and was a Controller-General of the Coastguard. [1] In January, 1869, Captain Willes was called to the Admiralty to assist the First Naval Lord in conducting the duties of the Coastguard and the Royal Naval Reserve, as well as to give general assistance in other matters, and, in October, 1870, was confirmed in office with the title of Chief of the Staff, Naval Reserves. The office of Chief of the Staff [2] was continued but for a brief term, and, following an Order in Council of December 12, 1874, an Admiral Superintendent of Naval Reserves was appointed to take charge of the Naval Reserve afloat. [3] He was also given charge of Coastguard stations ashore, the Royal Naval Reserve, the Royal Naval Artillery Volunteers, and the Seamen Pensioners' Reserve.
In 1903 responsibility for the HM Coast Guard passed to the Admiralty. On 21 May 1903 the office of Admiral Commanding Coastguard and Reserves was established, the first incumbent being Admiral Sir Ernest Rice.
After 1903 the Admiral's duties included: [4]
In March 1923 responsibility for the majority of the functions of the Coast Guard was passed to the Board of Customs and Excise and the Board of Trade. [5] In July 1923 the office was then re-styled Admiral Commanding, Reserves, which remained the title until the post was abolished in 1976. Successive Admirals Commanding were supported in their duties by an assistant until 1902 and then a chief of staff until 1976.
Responsibility for administering reserves then came under the Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command, as a dual role until 1994. From 1994-1996 the Second Sea Lord became responsible for managing reserves.
Post holders included: [6]
From 1968 until 1976 this post holder co-held the title, Director-General Naval Recruiting.
Post holders included: [8]
Included: [9]
The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy that operated from the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967. In 1967, it was merged with the Mediterranean Fleet creating the new Western Fleet.
The Atlantic Fleet was a naval fleet of the Royal Navy. It existed for two separate periods; 1909 until 1914, and then 1919 until 1932.
The Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies originally known as the Fourth Naval Lord was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom the post is currently known as Chief of Materiel (Fleet). As of 2017, it is also known as Chief of Fleet Support, Chief of Materiel (Ships) then as of 2020, Director General Ships.
The Channel Fleet and originally known as the Channel Squadron was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1854 to 1909 and 1914 to 1915.
The First Cruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of cruisers that saw service as part of the Grand Fleet during World War I, then later as part of the Mediterranean during the Interwar period and World War II. It was first established in 1904 and existed until 1952.
The Reserve Fleet was a Royal Navy formation of decommissioned vessels which could be brought to a state of readiness at time of war.
The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (A.C.N.S.) is a senior appointment in the Royal Navy usually a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7.
The Signal Division was a Directorate of the Admiralty Naval Staff responsible for policy, control and management of all naval communications from 1914 to 1964.
The Admiral-superintendent, Portsmouth was the Royal Navy officer in command of the Naval Dockyard. Portsmouth from 1832 to 1971; prior to this date a resident Commissioner of the Navy Board had had oversight of the yard, since 1649. In May 1971 command responsibility for naval staff in the dockyard was merged into the wider local command structure, initially under the dual designation of Flag Officer, Portsmouth and Admiral Superintendent, Portsmouth but in July 1971 was again renamed Flag Officer Spithead and Port Admiral Portsmouth after a couple of months. These joint titles was used until 1975, and despite the name change the command still covered the same geographic area and operational responsibilities until 1996 when its ceased to exist as a separate command appointment and its responsibilities were assumed by the staff of Flag Officer First Flotilla.
The Naval Ordnance Department, also known as the Department of the Director of Naval Ordnance, was a former department of the Admiralty responsible for the procurement of naval ordnance of the Royal Navy. The department was managed by a Director, supported by various assistants and deputies; it existed from 1891 to 1958.
The Department of the Director of Naval Equipment also known as the Directorate of Naval Equipment was the former British Admiralty department responsible for managing the progress of all naval construction at royal naval dockyards, and annually planning programmes of works for additions, alterations, repairs and modernisation established in 1912 until 1960 when it was replaced by the Naval Equipment Division of the Ship Department.
The Gunnery Division was a Directorate of the Admiralty Naval Staff of the Royal Navy responsible for the tactical use of naval weapons and the training of naval personnel in relation to operational requirements. It was established in 1920 when the Gunnery and Torpedo Division was separated into an independent Gunnery Division and Torpedo Division. It existed until 1964 when the Department of Admiralty was abolished and replaced by a new Ministry of Defence.
The 7th Battle Squadron was a squadron of the British Royal Navy assembled prior to World War I it was assigned to the Third Fleet and consisted of pre-dreadnought type battleships the oldest ships in fleet it existed from 1912 to 1914.
The Training and Staff Duties Division and later known as the Tactical and Staff Duties Division was a directorate of the Admiralty Naval Staff of the Royal Navy responsible for the tactical use of naval weapons and the training of naval personnel in relation to operational requirements from 1917 to 1958.
The Flag Officer, Royal Yachts, (FORY) also styled Flag Officer Commanding Royal Yachts was a senior Royal Navy post that existed from 1884 to 1997.
The 2nd Cruiser Squadron was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1904 to 1919 and from 1921 to 1941 and again from 1946 to 1952.
The Directorate of Navigation and Tactical Control (Naval) was a directorate of the Navy Department, Naval Staff first established in 1912, as the Navigation Department of Hydrographic Department of the Admiralty. In 1945, it was renamed the Navigation Division and assigned to the Admiralty Naval Staff. In 1946, it was redesignated Navigation and Direction Division until 1966, and now part of the Navy Department Naval Staff it was renamed the Directorate of Navigation and Tactical Control (Naval). The staff directorate was administered by the Director Navigation Tactical Control (Naval) who reported to the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Warfare) it existed until 1968.
The Directorate Naval Tactical and Weapons Policy originally called the Tactical Section was a directorate of the British Admiralty, and later of the Naval Staff, Ministry of Defence,. Dating from 1920 it operated until 1939 before being abolished. It was revived in 1958 and existed until 1968. The naval staff directorate was administered by the Director, Directorate Naval Tactical and Weapons Policy.
The Torpedo Division originally called the Gunnery and Torpedo Division was a naval staff organisation of the British Admiralty Naval Staff established in 1920 when the functions of the Gunnery and Torpedo Division was divided up into separate functions. It existed until 1928 when it was absorbed into the Tactical Division.
The Chief of Staff, Mediterranean Fleet also formally known as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Fleet and originally called Flag Captain, Mediterranean Fleet. was a senior British Royal Navy appointment. He was the commander-in-chiefs primary aide-de-camp providing administrative support from October 1893 to 1967.
