Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet

Last updated
Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet
Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg
Active1861-1958
Country United Kingdom
Allegiance British Empire
Branch Royal Navy
Part of
Commanders
Notable
commanders
Vice-Admiral Ralph A. B. Edwards

The Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet was a senior command appointment of the British Royal Navy from January 1947 to 1958 who also administered the 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron from 1947 to 1951. The appointment was a continuation of the Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station first established in 1861 that underwent a series of name changes due to an expansion of additional duties given to the post holder.

Contents

History

The office holder was originally established as Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station in December 1861 then later Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet. On 18 July 1941 as part of an expansion of duties the post holder was renamed Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet until April 1942. The appointment of the Flag Officer, Air, and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet was created in January 1947 who was additionally responsible for administering the 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron [1] of the Mediterranean Fleet until February 1951 when it was disbanded. The Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet, then became responsible for commanding shore based aviation based at Malta until 1958. [2] HMS Ocean, Theasus and Glory continued to serve in the Mediterranean Fleet until October 1954. [2]

Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet

Included: [3]

Note:The office holder was sometimes styled as "Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station"

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet/Station
1Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sydney C. Dacres December 1861-April 1863 [3]
2Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Hastings R.H. Yelverton April 1863-April 1865 [3]
3Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Astley Cooper-Key May 1870-August 1872 [3]
4Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Edward A. Inglefield 2 August 1872-December 1876 [3]
5Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Edward B. Rice May 1876-July 1877 [3]
6Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir John E. Commerell July 1877-1878 [3]
7Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Lord Walter Kerr April 1890-April 1892 [3]
8Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Albert Hastings Markham April 1892-April 1894 [3]
9Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Compton E. Domvile April 1894-May 1896 [3]
10Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Robert H. Harris May 1896-February 1898 [3]
11Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Gerard H. U. Noel 1 February 1898-February 1900 [3]
12Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Lord Charles W. De la P. Beresford February 1900-January 1902 [3]
13Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Burges Watson January-September 1902 [3]
14Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Reginald N. Custance November 1902-November 1904 [3]
15Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Harry T. Grenfell November 1904-February 1906 [3]
16Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Francis C. B. Bridgeman March 1906-February 1907 [3]
17Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Prince Louis of Battenberg February 1907-November 1908 [3]
18Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir George A. Callaghan November 1908-October 1910 [3]
19Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg T. Martyn Jerram October 1910-May 1912 [3]
20Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Cecil Burney June-October 1913 [3]
21Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Michael Culme-Seymour January 1919-September 1920 [3]
22Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Richard Webb September 1920-September 1922 [3]
23Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg John D.Kelly September 1922-August 1923 [3]
24Rear-Admiral Flag of Rear-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Hugh D. R. Watson August 1923-April 1925 [3]
25Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Michael H. Hodges April 1925-May 1927 [3]
26Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir John D.Kelly May 1927-April 1929 [3]
27Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg W. A. Howard Kelly April 1929-October 1930 [3]
28Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir William W. Fisher October 1930-April 1932 [3]
29Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Roger R.C. Backhouse April 1932-May 1934 [3]
30Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Charles M. Forbes May 1934-August 1936 [3]
31Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Geoffrey Blake August 1936-July 1937 [3]
32Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Andrew B. Cunningham July 1937-August 1938 [3]
33Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Geoffrey Layton August 1938-November 1939 [3]

Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet

Included: [4]

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet
1Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg John C. Tovey 18 July, 1940 – 23 October, 1940 [3]
2Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Henry D. Pridham-Wippell 24 October, 1940 – 1 April, 1942as acting V Adm. [3]

Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet

Included: [5] [2]

RankFlagNameTermNotes/Ref
Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet and Vice-Admiral, Commanding 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron
1Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Cecil H.J. Harcourt January 1947 to January 1948also VADMCOMM, 2ACSQ [2]
2Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Thomas H. Troubridge:January to December 1948ditto [2]
3Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg the Hon. Sir Cyril E. Douglas-Pennant December 1948 to April 1950ditto [2]
4Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Guy Grantham April 1950 to November 1951ditto [2]
5Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Ralph A. B. EdwardsNovember 1951 to December 1951ditto [2]
6Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Ralph A. B. Edwards December 1951 to December 19522nd AC Squadron is disbanded [2]
7Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg William W. Davis December 1952 to February 1954
8Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg J. Peter L. Reid February 1954 to August 1955
9Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Maxwell Richmond August 1955 to October 1956 [6]
10Vice-Admiral Flag of Vice-Admiral - Royal Navy.svg Sir Robin L.F. Durnford-Slater October 1956 to 1958

Composition 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron

Included: [2]

Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg : 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron; Mediterranean Fleet 1947 to 1951

ShipDatesNotes/Ref
HMS Ocean February 1947 to December 1950 [2]
HMS Triumph February 1947 to August 1948 [2]
HMS Theseus June 1947 to August 1948 [2]
HMS Glory December 1949 to December 1950 [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Far East Fleet (United Kingdom)</span> Military unit

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Home Fleet</span> Former naval fleet of the Royal Navy

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.

<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 Flag Officer, West Africa (FOWA) was a military command of the British Royal Navy during the Second World War. It existed from 1942 to 1945.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">1st Light Cruiser Squadron</span> Military unit

The 1st Light Cruiser Squadron was a naval unit of the Royal Navy from 1913 to 1924.

The 3rd Destroyer Squadron was a naval unit of the Royal Navy from 1952 to 2001.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">7th Battle Squadron</span> Pre-dreadnought battleship formation of the Royal Navy

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2nd Cruiser Squadron</span> Military unit

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">9th Cruiser Squadron</span> Military unit

The 9th Cruiser Squadron was a formation of cruisers of the Royal Navy from 1912 to 1919 and again from 1939 to 1940. Cruiser squadrons consisted of five to six ships in wartime and in peacetime as low as two to three ships. From 1914 until 1924/25 they were designated as Light Cruiser Squadrons then after 1925 redesignated as Cruiser Squadrons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">12th Cruiser Squadron</span> Military unit

The 12th Cruiser Squadron also known as Cruiser Force G was a formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1914 to 1915 and then again from 1939 to 1943.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commander-in-Chief, Levant</span> Former British Royal Navy Station

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 1st Destroyer Flotilla, also styled as the First Destroyer Flotilla, was a naval formation of the British Royal Navy from 1909 to 1940 and again from 1947 to 1951.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron</span> Aircraft carrier formation of the Royal Navy

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 3rd Frigate Squadron also known as the Third Frigate Squadron was a naval formation of the Royal Navy from February 1949 to 1963 and again from 1972 to May 1980.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag Officer, Second Flotilla</span> Military unit

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Flag Officer, Third Flotilla</span> Military unit

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

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

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group</span> Royal Navy unit

The Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group, (COMUKCSG) is a senior British Royal Navy appointment which commands the UK Carrier Strike Group. COMUKCSG, a Commodore, commands a total of 65 personnel, and is headquartered at HMNB Portsmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chief of Staff Fleet</span>

The Chief of Staff, Fleet (COSFLEET) also formally known as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet was a senior British Royal Navy appointment. The office holder was the Commander-in-Chief, Fleet's principal staff officer responsible for coordinating the supporting staff of Fleet Headquarters, Northwood, from November 1971 to February 2012.

References

  1. Grove, Eric J. (1987). Vanguard to Trident : British naval policy since World War II: Second Aircraft Carrier Squadron visits Mediterranean ports February 1948. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. p. 470. ISBN   9780870215520.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Gordon Mackie, July 2018. p. 147. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  4. Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Gordon Mackie, July 2018. p. 147. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
  5. Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Gordon Mackie, July 2018. p. 205. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  6. Cook, Chris (2012). The Routledge Guide to British Political Archives: Sources since 1945. Cambridge, England: Routledge. p. 167. ISBN   9781136509629.

Sources