Rear-Admiral, Alexandria

Rear-Admiral, Alexandria
Active	1939–1944
Country	United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Part of	Mediterranean Fleet (1939–1943) Commander-in-Chief, Levant (1943–1944)
Garrison/HQ	HMS Nile, Alexandria, Egypt
Commanders
Notable commanders	Rear-Admiral Allan Poland

The Rear-Admiral, Alexandria was an administrative shore based appointment of the British Royal Navy. The post was established during the Second World War, subordinate to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet then later the Commander-in-Chief, Levant. ^[1]

The Navy List for 1940, 1941, and 1943 locates the admiral at Alexandra. ^{[2] [3] [4]}

The post of Rear-Admiral, Alexandria was created during the Second World War, responsible for administering the shore establishment of HMS Nile (borne in Maidstone II) at Ras el-Tin Point, Alexandria. ^[5] The post existed from 1939 to 1945. ^[1] From November 1939 until February 1943 it was part of the Mediterranean Fleet until the Fleet was divided. After February 1943 the Rear-Admiral Alexandria came under the command of the new Commander-in-Chief, Levant, until January 1944 when the Mediterranean Fleet was reunified once more. ^[6]

Incumbent admirals

Rear Admiral Poland at a parade in Alexandria

The Rear-Admiral, Alexandria reported to the C-in-C, Mediterranean Fleet from November 1939 to February 1943, and then was resubordinated to the C-in-C, Levant until December 1943. Post holders included:

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Rear-Admiral, Alexandria
1	Rear Admiral		F. Elliott	November, 1939 – February, 1941	[7] [1] Also Playfair, Vol. I., Annex 9, p. 478.
2	Rear Admiral		George H. Creswell	February, 1941 – August, 1942	[1] [8]
3	Rear Admiral		Allan Poland	November, 1942 – October, 1944	elevated to Acting Vice-Admiral and Knighted [9] [1] [10]

Headquarters staff

Base HQ was HMS Nile, borne in HMS Maidstone II.

Chief Staff Officer and Flag Captain, Alexandria

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Chief Staff Officer and Flag Captain, Alexandria
1	Acting-Captain		R.D. Binney	25 January 1940 – 12 January 1941	(retd) [1]
2	Captain		B.C.B. Brooke	12 January 1941 – August 1942	[1]
3	Flag Captain		C.H. Rolleston	16 November 1942 – October 1943	(retd) [1]
4	Captain		D. Young-Jameson	October – December 1943	[1]

Captain-Superintendent, Alexandria

Post holders included:

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Captain-Superintendent, Alexandria
1	Captain		W.Y. La R. Beverley	14 August 1940 – April, 1942	[1]
2	Captain		C. Coppinger	April, 1942 – December, 1943	[1] [11]

Levant Area

The Senior Naval Officer, later Commander, Levant Area, was originally styled as Naval Officer-in-Charge, Haifa. His title was later changed to SNO Levant Area and his headquarters transferred to Beirut. ^[12]

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Commander, Levant Area
1	Captain		J.A.V. Morse	October 1941 – 1 April 1942	as SNO Levant Area [13]
2	Commodore		D. Young-Jameson	June – December 1943	as COMM, Levant Area [1]

Cyprus Area

Naval Officer-in-Charge, Cyprian Ports

Post holders included:

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Naval Officer-in-Charge, Cyprian Ports
1	Captain		M.H.S. Macdonald	18 November 1941 – December, 1943	[1]

Notes

1. Houterman, Jerome N..; Koppes, Jeroen (2004–2006). "Royal Navy, Mediterranean Fleet 1939–1945". www.unithistories.com. Houterman and Koppes. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
2. Admiralty, Great Britain (December 1940). "Flag Officers in Commission, Officers Commanding Squadrons, Senior Naval Officers". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 936.
3. Admiralty, Great Britain (December 1941). "Flag Officers in Commission, Officers Commanding Squadrons, Senior Naval Officers". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 936.
4. Admiralty, Great Britain (February 1943). "Flag Officers in Commission, Officers Commanding Squadrons, Senior Naval Officers". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 1421.
5. Navy List October 1944 p.2262
6. Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939–1945". naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
7. The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. December 1940. p. 873.
8. Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2018). "A/Rear-Admiral George Hector Creswell, DSO, DSC of the Royal Navy (RN) - Allied Warship Commanders of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
9. "FIFTH SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette Of FRIDAY, the 17th of DECEMBER, 1943" (PDF). The London Gazette. 17 December 1943. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
10. "Flag Officers in Commission". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. October 1944. p. 2262.
11. The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. December 1942. p. 1276.
12. Brown, David (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.I: September 1939 – October 1940. Cambridge, England: Routledge. p. 7. ISBN   9781135281540.
13. Kindell, Don (16 January 2012). "Mediterranean Fleet, Admiralty War Diary 1942". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. Retrieved 28 September 2018.

References

• Bertke, Donald A.; Kindell, Don; Smith, Gordon (2012). World War II Sea War, Volume 3 Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith. ISBN   9781937470012.
• Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2018). "Allied Warship Commanders of WWII – uboat.net". uboat.net.
• Houterman, Jerome N..; Koppes, Jeroen (2004–2006). "Royal Navy, Mediterranean Fleet 1939–1945". www.unithistories.com. Houterman and Koppes, Netherlands.
• Playfair, Major-General I.S.O.; Stitt, Commander G.M.S.; Molony, Brigadier C.J.C.; Toomer, Air Vice-Marshal S.E. (2004) [1954 HMSO]. Butler, J.R.M (ed.). Mediterranean and Middle East Volume I: The Early Successes Against Italy (to May 1941). History of the Second World War, United Kingdom Military Series. Uckfield, East Sussex: Naval & Military Press. ISBN   1-84574-065-3.
• Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939–1945". naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.