Flag Officer, Third Flotilla

Flag Officer, Third Flotilla (FOF3)
Flag Officer, Third Flotilla (FOF3)
	Ensign of the Royal Navy
	Navy Department, Ministry of Defence
Reports to	Commander-in-Chief, Fleet
Nominator	Secretary of State for Defence
Appointer	Prime Minister ; Subject to formal approval by the Queen-in-Council
Term length	Not fixed (typically 1–4 years)
Inaugural holder	Rear-Admiral Peter G.M. Herbert
Formation	1979-1992

Flag Officer, Third Flotilla
Flag Officer, Third Flotilla
Active	1979 – 1992
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Size	Flotilla
Part of	Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Garrison/HQ	HMNB Portsmouth
Commanders
First	Rear-Admiral Peter G.M. Herbert
Last	Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Nicholas J. Hill-Norton

Last updated November 16, 2023

The Flag Officer, Third Flotilla was the senior Royal Navy appointment in command of the Third Flotilla from 1979 to 1992.

The Western Fleet and Far East Fleet were merged into the single Commander-in-Chief Fleet in 1971. He had three new seagoing subordinates: Flag Officer First Flotilla, Second Flotilla and Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships (FOCAS) each commanded by a rear admiral.^[1] In December 1979 the post of FOCAS was re-named Flag Officer, Third Flotilla (FOF3).^[2]

From 1981-1992 the Flag Officer Third Flotilla commanded the aircraft carriers; amphibious Ships; the Fleet Training Ship; and destroyers not allocated to First or Second Flotillas.^[3]

In April 1992, the Third Flotilla was abolished, and the remaining two flotilla commanders became Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla ^[4] - responsible for operational readiness and training and Commander United Kingdom Task Group (COMUKTG), who would command any deployed task group.

Flag Officers commanding

Included:^[5]

Rear-Admiral Peter G.M. Herbert: November 1979-December 1979
Vice-Admiral Sir John M.H. Cox: December 1979 – 1981
Vice-Admiral Sir John M.H. Cox: December 1981-March 1982
Rear-Admiral Derek R. Reffell: March 1982-August 1983
Vice-Admiral Sir Richard G.A. Fitch: August 1983-October 1985
Vice-Admiral Sir J.Julian R. Oswald: October 1985-April 1987
Rear-Admiral Hugo M. White: April 1987-October 1988
Vice-Admiral Sir Alan Grose: October 1988-March 1990
Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Nicholas J. Hill-Norton: March 1990-April 1992

Notes

↑ Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. p. 89. ISBN 9781848320437.
↑ Tailyour, Ewen Southby (1990). Reasons in Writing A Commandos View of the Falklands War. Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword. p. 113. ISBN 9781844150144.
↑ Smith.2015.
↑ Watson, Graham; Smith, Gordon (12 July 2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
↑ Mackie, Colin (August 2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. C. Mackie. p. 217. Retrieved 6 August 2018.
↑ Smith.2015.

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The Far East Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed between 1952 and 1971.

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 British Mediterranean Fleet, also known as the Mediterranean Station, was a formation of the Royal Navy. The Fleet was one of the most prestigious commands in the navy for the majority of its history, defending the vital sea link between the United Kingdom and the majority of the British Empire in the Eastern Hemisphere. The first Commander-in-Chief for the Mediterranean Fleet was the appointment of General at Sea Robert Blake in September 1654. The Fleet was in existence until 1967.

The Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET) was the admiral responsible for the operations of the ships, submarines and aircraft of the British Royal Navy from 1971 until April 2012. The post was subordinate to the First Sea Lord, the professional head of the Naval Service. In its last years, as the Navy shrank, more administrative responsibilities were added.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Atlantic Fleet (United Kingdom)</span> Former naval fleet of the Royal Navy

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 Western Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy from June 1967 to 1971.

Surface ships form one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy.

The Fleet Operational Standards and Training (FOST) is a Royal Navy training organisation. FOST is the training organisation responsible for ensuring that Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels are fit to join the operational fleet.

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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.

Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships (FOCAS) was a senior Royal Navy post that existed from 1970 to 1979. However, its antecedents date to 1931.

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 First Flotilla was a naval formation of the British Royal Navy commanded by the Flag Officer, First Flotilla from 1971 to 1990.

The Commander-in-Chief, Levant was a senior administrative shore commander of the Royal Navy. The post was established in February 1943 when the British Chiefs of Staff Committee ordered the Mediterranean Fleet to be divided into two commands. One was responsible for naval operations involving ships, and the other, administrative and support, was responsible for shore establishments. His subordinate establishments and staff were sometimes informally known as the Levant Command or Levant Station. In December 1943 the title was changed to Flag Officer, Levant and East Mediterranean. In January 1944 the two separate commands were re-unified into a single command merging back into Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean Fleet.

The British 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron also called Third Aircraft Carrier Squadron was a military formation of Aircraft Carriers of the Royal Navy from January 1948 to July 1952.

The Flag Officer, Second Flotilla was a senior British Royal Navy appointment from 1971 to 1992.

The Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla was a senior British Royal Navy appointment from 1990 to 2002.

The Commander United Kingdom Task Group (COMUKTG ) was a senior Royal Navy operational appointment from April 1992 to March 2015. In March 2015 the post was renamed Commander Amphibious Task Group.

References

Mackie, Colin (2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Scotland, UK.
Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781848320437.
Smith, Gordon (2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013: Fleet Oorganisation, 1981-2002".

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[1] Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. p. 89. ISBN 9781848320437.

[2] Tailyour, Ewen Southby (1990). Reasons in Writing A Commandos View of the Falklands War. Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword. p. 113. ISBN 9781844150144.

[3] Smith.2015.

[4] Watson, Graham; Smith, Gordon (12 July 2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. G. Smith. Retrieved 6 August 2018.

[5] Mackie, Colin (August 2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. C. Mackie. p. 217. Retrieved 6 August 2018.

[6] Smith.2015.

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Flotilla structure^[6]
Parent unit	Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Components	Third Flotilla (1979-1980) Units Aircraft Carriers Amphibious Ships Fleet Training Ship Unallocated destroyers

v t e Navy Department (Ministry of Defence)
political head ministers	Office of the Minister of Defence for the Royal Navy (1964-1967) Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence for the Royal Navy (1967-1981) Deputy Under-Secretary of State (Navy) (1967-1981) Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for the Armed Forces (1981-1990) Office of the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Defence (1991-1997)
governance	Defence Council Defence Board Admiralty Board Navy Board
military head	First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
office of the first sea lord	Office of the Vice-Chief of the Naval Staff Office of the Deputy-Chief of the Naval Staff Office of the Naval Secretary-flag officer appointments - Naval Assistant to Naval Secretary-captains appointments Director of Naval Officer Appointments Director of Naval Officer Appointments (Engineer Officers) Director of Naval Officer Appointments (Seaman Officers) Director of Naval Officer Appointments (Supply and Secretariat and WRNS Officers) Director of Naval Security (1988-) Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord Secretary to the First Sea Lord
under Vice & Deputy Chief of Naval Staff	Offices of the Assistant Chiefs of the Naval Staff Commandant General Royal Marines Chief of Staff Colonel General Staff (Assistant Chief of Staff) Military Secretary (Royal Marines) Assistant Adjutant-General (Royal Marines) Assistant Quartermaster- General (Royal Marines) Director Royal Marines Reserves Directorate of Naval Security Director of Naval Security Hydrographer of the Navy Assistant Hydrographer Officers appointments Director of Naval Oceanography and Meteorology Director of Hydrographic Plans and Surveys Director of Hydrographic Charting and Sciences Director of Hydrographic Administration and Supply
Air, Operations, Plans, Policy requirements, warfare	Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy) Assistant of Chief Defence Staff (Pol) Naval Staff Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations) Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations and Air) Assistant Chief of Defence Staff (Ops) Naval Staff Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operational Requirements) Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Warfare)
naval staff directorates offices & branches	Directorate of Communications & Information Systems (Navy) Directorate of Defence Plans (Navy) Directorate of Defence Policy(Naval) Directorate of Fleet Management Services Directorate of Naval Air Warfare Operation Directorate of Naval Management and Organisation Directorate of Operational Analysis (RN) Directorate of Naval Operations and Trade Directorate of Naval Operational Requirements Directorate of Naval Plans Directorate of Naval Tactical and Weapons Policy Directorate of Naval Security Directorate of Naval Signals Directorate of Naval Staff Duties Directorate of Navigation and Tactical Control (Naval) Directorate of Surface Warfare (Naval) Directorate of Under-Sea Warfare (Naval) Hydrographic Department Naval Historical Branch Naval Historical Library Naval Staff Directorate Plans and Resources Division
naval personnel	Office of the Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
naval personnel department	Office of the Chief Naval Supply and Secretariat Officer Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet-became Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service Principal Chaplain Church of Scotland & Free Churches (Naval) Principal Roman Catholic Chaplain (Naval) Directorate General Training Directorate-General Naval Manpower and Training Director of Naval Manpower Planning Director of Naval Manpower Requirements Director of Naval Manning and Training (Seaman) Director of Naval Manning and Training (Engineering) Director of Naval Manning and Training (Supply and Secretariat) Director of Naval Training Support Naval Manpower Statistics Branch Director of Naval Foreign and Commonwealth Training Director of Naval Education Service Joint Warfare Establishment Directorate-General Naval Personal Services Directorate of Naval Officer Appointments Directorate of Naval Physical Training and Sports Head of Naval Social Service Directorate of Naval Service Conditions Director of Naval Service Conditions Directorate of Fleet Supply Duties (1964-1973) General Manager Royal Navy Film Corporation Job Evaluation Judge Naval Recruitment Training Agency Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves Office of the Medical Director-General of the Navy Office of the Medical Director-General (Naval) Deputy Director-General (Naval) Director Naval Dental Services Director of Medical Personnel and Logistics Director of Naval Recruiting Women's Royal Naval Service Headquarters became- Office of the Matron-in-Chief Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service
controller	Controller of the Navy
controllers department navy controllerate	Assistant Controller of the Navy Office of the Chief Executive Polaris Deputy Controller Polaris Department of the Director of Naval Construction Weapons Department (Naval) Director-General Weapons (Naval) Director Weapons Coordination and Acceptance (Naval) Co-Ordination Directorate Compass Directorate Director Naval Ordnance Services Director Naval Weapons Contracts B Director Underwater Weapons Projects (Naval) Director Weapons Surface Projects (Naval) Director Surface Electronic Projects (Naval) Department of the Director-General Aircraft (Naval) Naval Ordnance Inspection Directorate Production Directorate Director Weapons Production (Naval) Surface Weapons Research and Development Directorate Under Water Weapons Research and Development Directorate Weapons Equipment Surface Directorate Ship Department Deputy Director-General Ships- Director of Contracts (Ships) Director Engineering (Ships) Director of Electrical Engineering Director of Naval Construction Director of Naval Equipment Director of Project Team Submarines/Polaris Director of Resources and Programmes (Ships) Director Warship Design Directorate of Naval Construction Marine Engineering Directorate Naval Equipment Division Naval Equipment Directorate Naval Electrical Engineering Directorate Naval Ship Production Directorate Principal Director of Navy Contracts
naval supplies and transport fleet support hq naval support command	Office of the Chief of Naval Supplies and Transport Office of the Chief of Fleet Support
under naval supplies and transport fleet support hq naval support command	Assistant Chief of Fleet Support Director of Naval Administrative Planning Director of Fleet Supply Duties Director of Fleet Maintenance Director of Marine Services Head of Aircraft Department (Naval) HQ Director of Quartering (Navy) Civil Catering Department Contract and Purchase Department (Naval) Department of Fuel Movements and Transport (Naval) Department of Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Dockyard Division Fleet Maintenance Division Marine Services Division Office of the Chief Executive Royal Dockyards- Director of Dockyard Manpower and Productivity Director of Dockyard Production and Support Director of Finance and Administration Directorate-General of Supplies and Transport Director of Supplies and Transport (Management and Administration) Director of Supplies and Transport (General and Victualling) Victualling Division Director of Supplies and Transport (Fuel and Movements) Director of Supplies and Transport (Armament and Specialist) Director of Supplies and Transport (Finance) Naval Stores Department Royal Naval Supply and Transport Service Victualling Department (1832-1971)
chief scientists department	Office of the Chief Scientist (Royal Navy) also Deputy Controller Research and Development Establishments, and Research A Director Research Ships Director Research Underwater
under chief scientists department	Royal Naval Scientific Service Headquarters Deputy Chief Scientist (Navy) Directorate Naval Operational Studies Director of Naval Operational Studies Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval) Admiralty Compass Observatory Department of Naval Physical Research Department of Research and Development Services (Naval) Department of Material Research (Naval) Director-General Establishments, Resources and Programmes A Admiralty Engineering Laboratory Admiralty Experiment Works Admiralty Marine Engineering Establishment Admiralty Oil Laboratory Admiralty Research Laboratory Admiralty Research Establishment Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment Naval Construction Research Establishment Royal Naval Physiological Laboratory Royal Radar Establishment Signals Research and Development Establishment Director-General Research Electronics Services Electronics Research Laboratory
naval home command	Naval Home Command
Shore units under Naval Home Command	Admiral-Superintendent, Devonport Admiral-superintendent, Portsmouth Admiral Commanding, Reserves Commodore, Clyde Submarine Base Chief Executive Officer Marine Services Flag Officer Commanding, Royal Yachts Flag Officer, Medway Flag Officer, Plymouth Port Admiral, Devonport Flag Officer, Portsmouth and Admiral-superintendent, Portsmouth Flag Officer Spithead and Port Admiral Portsmouth Flag Officer, Training and Recruitment Senior Naval Officer, Northern Ireland
Fleets	Home Fleet Far East Fleet Mediterranean Fleet Western Fleet Commander-in-Chief Fleet
under c-in-c, fleet	Chief of Staff Fleet Chief of Staff, (Warfare) Fleet Chief of Staff (Capability) Fleet Chief of Staff (Personnel) Fleet Assistant Chief of Staff, Operations Assistant Chief of Staff, Plans Assistant Chief of Staff, Warfare Command Secretary, Fleet Commandant General Royal Marines Commander British Forces Gibraltar Commander Operations Commander UK Amphibious Forces Commander United Kingdom Maritime Forces Flag Officer, Carriers and Amphibious Ships Flag Officer First Flotilla Flag Officer, Second Flotilla Flag Officer, Third Flotilla Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla Flag Officer Gibraltar and Gibraltar Naval Base Commander Flag Officer Scotland, Northern England, Northern Ireland Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland Flag Officer Plymouth Flag Officer Sea Training Flag Officer Submarines Flag Officer Naval Air Command Flag Officer, Flying Training Flag Officer, Naval Flying Training
under c-in-c home fleet, far east fleet mediterranean fleet, western fleet	Flag Officer Second-in-Command Far East Fleet Chief of Staff, Far East Fleet Commodore, Amphibious Forces, Far East Fleet Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong Mediterranean Fleet Chief of Staff Mediterranean Fleet Flag Officer, Gibraltar Commodore (D) Commanding, Mediterranean Fleet Destroyers Rear-Admiral (D) Commanding, Mediterranean Fleet Destroyers Vice-Admiral (D) Commanding, Mediterranean Fleet Destroyers Western Fleet Chief of Staff, Western Fleet
civil administration navy department	Office of the Second Permanent Under-Secretary of State (Royal Navy) Office of the Second Permanent Under-Secretary of State (Administration)
under civil administration	Department of the Permanent Under-Secretary of State (Royal Navy) Department of the Permanent Under-Secretary of State (Administration) Greenwich Hospital Department
Naval Legal	Office of the Counsel to the Navy Department, Ministry of Defence Office of the Judge Advocate of the Fleet Office of the Chief Naval Judge Advocate

Flag Officer, Third Flotilla

Contents

Flag Officers commanding

Notes

Related Research Articles

References