British Naval Forces Germany

Last updated
Flag Officer, British Naval Forces Germany
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg
Active1944–1961
Country United Kingdom
Allegiance British Empire
Branch Royal Navy
Type Command
Part of
  • Admiralty (1944–1961)
Garrison/HQHMS Royal Charlotte, Minden
North Rhine-Westphalia
West Germany

British Naval Forces Germany was a command (military formation) of the Royal Navy that was active from 1944 to 1961 under three titles.

Contents

It was administered originally by the British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany from 1944 to 1946. In 1946 the commander's title changed to Vice-Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany from 1946 to 1947, before being renamed to Flag Officer, British Naval Forces Germany until 1961. [1]

History

In 1944, the Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief, Expeditionary Force, was also given the title of British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany. In addition, he became also Head of the Naval Division of the Control Commission for Germany, not always in attendance in Berlin, he was represented by a Deputy Head who attended the BERGOS (Chiefs of Staff) meetings. [2]

His headquarters were initially at Hamburg and then transferred later at Minden. His title was altered in 1946 to Vice Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany. [3] In 1947 the post holders title was changed to Flag Officer Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany. Apart from his additional role as Chief British Naval Representative in the Allied Control Commission (Germany), he was responsible for all naval matters in Western Germany, Denmark, Holland and Norway. [4]

As British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany, he was supported by a number of flag officers some of whose titles changed, due to an expanding of their particular command areas and duties. Rear-Admiral Harold Tom Baillie-Grohman began his appointment in 1944 as Flag Officer-in-Charge, Kiel but then became Flag Officer, Schleswig-Holstein. Baillie-Grohman's main task was eliminating remnants of the Kriegsmarine. Flag Officer, Wilhelmshaven became Flag Officer, Western Germany. [5]

In May 1951 the admiral's title was changed again to Flag Officer, Germany. [6] In 1955 the Secretary of State for Defence described the admiral's duties as "The Flag Officer, Germany, in his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation capacity as the Commander, Allied Naval Forces, Northern Area, Central Europe, is responsible to the Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, for naval planning matters in the British Zone and for the operational control of the Royal Naval forces in Germany. He is the naval member of the Commanders-in-Chief Committee (Germany) which is responsible to the Chiefs of Staff Committee in this country. The entry into force of the Paris Treaties will not affect the foregoing duties of the post until at least the future German navy is capable of performing the tasks required of naval forces in Germany."

In 1961 the post was disestablished.

The command had its headquarters in four successive locations:

UnitLocationDatesNotes/Ref
HMS Royal HenryHamburg State, Germany 1944–1945 [7]
HMS Royal AlbertHamburg State, Germany/West Germany 1946–1950 [8] [9]
HMS Royal Prince Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany 1950–1956 [10]
HMS Royal Charlotte Minden, North Rhine-Westphalia, West Germany 1957–1961 [11]

Flag Officers

British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany

Post holders included:

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany
1Admiral Flag of Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Bertram Ramsay 27 April 1944 – May 1945
2Admiral Flag of Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Harold M. Burrough May 1945 – March 1946 [12]

Flag Officer, Holland

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer, Holland
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Gerald C. Dickens 1944–1945 [13] ret. Adm recommissioned as Radm.

Flag Officer-in-Charge, Kiel

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer-in-Charge, Kiel
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Harold Tom Baillie-Grohman 1944–1945 [14] [15] title changed to FOS-H [16]

Flag Officer, Norway

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer, Norway
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg James Stewart McClaren Ritchie1944–1945 [17]

Flag Officer, Schleswig-Holstein

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer, Schleswig-Holstein
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Harold Tom Baillie-Grohman1945–1946 [18]

Flag Officer, Western Germany

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer, Western Germany
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg G. C. Muirhead-Gould 1945–1946 [19]

Flag Officer, Wilhelmshaven

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer, Wilhelmshaven
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg G. C. Muirhead-Gould 1944–1945 [20] title changed to FOWG [21]
Commodore-in-Charge, Hamburg
RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Commodore-in-Charge, Hamburg
1Commodore UK-Navy-OF6-Flag.svg Hugh England1944–1945 [22]

Vice-Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Vice-Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany
1Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Harold T.C. Walker March 1946-June 1947 [23]

Flag Officer Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Stephen H. T. ArlissJune 1947 – August 1949 [24]
2Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Archibald DayAugust 1949 – April 1950 [25]
3Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Lachlan D. MackintoshApril–November 1950 [26]
4Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg George W. G. Simpson November 1950 – -May 1951 [27]

Flag Officer, Germany

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer, Germany
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg George W. G. Simpson May–November 1951 [28] [29]
2Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Robert St. V. Sherbrooke November 1951 – November 1953 [30]
3Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Robert S. WarneNovember 1953 – March 1955 [31]
4Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Keith McN. Campbell-Walter March 1955 – May 1958 [32]
5Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Michael S. TownsendMay 1958 – 1961 [33]

Units and shore establishments

Shore establishments and units in Germany at various times from 1945 included: [34] [35]

LocationUnitIn commandDatesNotes/Ref
Berlin HQ HMS Royal PrinceFlag Officer, BerlinMarch–August 1945shore establishment
Hamburg HQ HMS Royal AlfredFlag Officer-in-Charge, Hamburg1944shore establishment
Kiel/Travemünde HQ HMS Royal AlfredFlag Officer-in-Charge, Kiel1945–1946shore establishment
Ploen HQ HMS Royal AlfredFlag Officer, Schleswig Holstein1945–1946shore establishment
Wilhelmshaven HQ HMS Royal KatherineFlag Officer, Wilhelmshaven1944–1945shore establishment
Wilhelmshaven HQ HMS Royal KatherineFlag Officer, Western Germany1945–1946shore establishment
Kiel/Travemünde HQ HMS Royal AlfredSenior Naval Officer Schleswig Holstein1945–1946shore establishment
Bad Oeynhausen HQ British Army on the RhineRoyal Navy Representative C-in-C Committee, Germany1958
Berlin HQ HMS Princess IreneSenior Naval Officer, Royal Navy Headquarters, Germanyshore establishment
Brunsbüttel HMS Princess Louise1945–1946shore establishment
Cuxhaven Minesweeping UnitControl Commission Germany1948–1951
Cuxhaven Elbe SquadronCommanding Officer, Elbe Squadron
Cuxhaven HMS Augusta1945–1946administrative unit ms
Cuxhaven HQ HMS Royal AlbertNaval Officer-in-Charge, Cuxhaven1945–1948accounting base
Eckernförde HQ HMS Princess Caroline1945–1946shore establishment
Flensburg HQ HMS Royal AlexandraNaval Officer-in-Charge, Flensburg1945–1946shore establishment
Flensburg HQ HMS Royal AlexandraSenior Naval Officer-in-Charge, Flensburg1946–1947shore establishment
Kiel British Baltic Fishery Protection Service 1949–1955covert intelligence unit [36]
Kiel HQ Land Commissioner, Schleswig-HolsteinNaval Liaison Officer to LC, Schleswig-Holstein
Kiel HMS Royal CharlotteSenior Officer Intelligence Kiel1945intelligence unit
Kiel HMS Royal HaroldNaval Officer-in-Charge, Kiel1945–1948shore establishment
Krefeld Rhine FlotillaCommanding Officer, Rhine Flotilla1950 [37]
Krefeld Rhine SquadronCommanding Officer, Rhine Squadron1954 [38]
Lübeck HQ Royal CarolineNaval Officer in Charge, Lubeck1945–1946shore establishment
Lübeck 1 Commando Brigade Commander 1st Commando BrigadeMay–July 1945Royal Marines
Sylt HMS Royal AdelaideNaval Officer-in-Charge, SyltMay–October 1945shore establishment
Tonning HMS Royal Adelaide1945–1946shore establishment
Travemünde HMS Royal Carolineshore establishment
Wilhelmshaven HQ HMS Royal RupertNaval Officer in Charge, Wilhelmshaven1945–1950shore establishment

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References

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Further reading