The Admiralty was the British government department responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of its history, from the early 18th century until its abolition, the role of the Lord High Admiral was almost invariably put "in commission" and exercised by the Lords Commissioner of the Admiralty, who sat on the governing Board of Admiralty, rather than by a single person. The Admiralty was replaced by the Admiralty Board in 1964, as part of the reforms that created the Ministry of Defence and its Navy Department.
The Naval Intelligence Division (NID) was created as a component part of the Admiralty War Staff in 1912. It was the intelligence arm of the British Admiralty before the establishment of a unified Defence Intelligence Staff in 1964. It dealt with matters concerning British naval plans, with the collection of naval intelligence. It was also known as "Room 39", after its room number at the Admiralty.
Navy Command is the current headquarters body of the Royal Navy, and its major organisational grouping. It is a hybrid, neither a command, nor simply an installation. Royal Navy official writings describe Navy Command Headquarters both as a physical site, on Whale Island, a collective formed of the most senior RN officers, and as a budgetary grouping.
The Admiralty Naval Staff was the former senior command, operational planning, policy and strategy department within the British Admiralty. It was established in 1917 and existed until 1964 when the department of the Admiralty was abolished. It was replaced Ministry of Defence as part of the Ministry of Defence Navy Department.
The Operations Division was a former Directorate of the Admiralty Naval Staff responsible for the creation and implementation of long-term policy in regards to the composition of all Royal Navy fleets, squadrons and commands and including operational planning and monitoring from 1912 to 1961.
The Anti-Submarine Division its original name, was the former anti-submarine warfare, planning and prevention Directorate of the Admiralty Department from 1912-1963.
The Air Division originally known as the Air Section and later known as the Naval Air Division was first established in 1924 and it was a Directorate of the Admiralty Naval Staff, that was initially responsible for operational control of aircraft supplied to the Royal Navy by the Air Ministry. In 1939 it was gained full control for the all matters relating to administration, control, policy and organisation of the Fleet Air Arm, it underwent various name changes until it was absorbed as part of the merger of the Admiralty into the new Ministry of Defence in April 1964 as part of the Navy Department where it continued until May 1966 when its remit was changed and when became the Directorate of Naval Warfare.
The Trade Division was a Directorate of the British Admiralty, Naval Staff responsible for all matters in relation to U.K. Trade Defence from 1914 until 1928 and then again from 1939 to 1961.
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 Admiral Commanding, Reserves, (ACOMRES) was a senior Royal Navy post that existed from 1875 to 1976.
The Plans Division (Q) was a division of the Admiralty Naval Staff established in 1943 it existed until 1952 when its responsibilities were changed and it was renamed the Administrative Planning Department the new department initially came under control of the Fourth Sea Lord. In 1959 its name was changed again to the Administrative Planning Division. Plans (Q) division was administered by the Director of Plans, (Q)., The department and subsequently division was administered by the Director, Administrative Planning.
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 re designated 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 Economic Warfare Division (E.W.D.) was a division of the Admiralty Naval Staff established during world war two it was in operation from September 1939 to July 1945. The staff division was administered by the Director of Economic Warfare Division.
The Naval Air Organisation and Training Division was a staff division of the Admiralty Naval Staff established in July 1944 It continued to operate until 1961 when it was deactivated. The staff division was administered by the Director Air Organisation and Training who reported both to the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff and the Fifth Sea Lord as Chief of Naval Aviation.
British Naval Forces Germany was a command of the Royal Navy that was active from 1944 to 1961 under three titles.
The Directorate Naval Tactical and Weapons Policy originally called the Tactical Division was a directorate of the British Admiralty, and later of the Naval Staff, Ministry of Defence,. Formed in 1925 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 Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials originally known as the Torpedo Department was a former department of the British Department of Admiralty from 1917 to 1958 when it became the Underwater Weapons Division of the Weapons Department.
The Sea Transport Branch of the British Board of Trade, originally established as the Transport Department or Naval Transport Department, was a logistical branch of the Department of Admiralty responsible for the provision of naval transportation services. It underwent numerous name changes throughout its complicated history with responsibility for sea transportation, known as the Department of the Director of Transports from 1890.
The Directorate of Naval Operations and Trade was a staff directorate created in 1967 it replaced the Trade and Operations Division. The directorate under the Ministry of Defence as part of the Ministry of Defence. It was administered by the Director of Naval Operations and Trade. It existed until 2003.
The Naval Staff Directorate is a military staff directorate created in 1985 as the Directorate of Naval Staff Duties. The directorate was originally part of the British Ministry of Defence and is now under the Ministry of Defence as part of Navy Command. It is currently administered by the Commodore Naval Staff now based at MOD HQ.
