| Aden Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1839–1959 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | British Empire |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Part of |
|
| Garrison/HQ | HMS Sheba Steamer Point, Aden Aden Protectorate (1839-1937) |
The Naval Officer-in-Charge, Aden, was an administrative appointment of British Royal Navy originally established in 1839 as the Senior Naval Officer, Aden. He was responsible for HMS Sheba. [1] It was a sub-command of the Flag Officer, Middle East. [2]
In 1839 the Royal Navy carried out an operation called the Aden Expedition led by Captain Henry Smith under orders from the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, in the south east Arabian Peninsula its occupation of Aden was mainly for strategic reasons as Aden provided control of the entrance to the Red Sea a naval base was first established here at the same time. [3] In 1869 the Suez Canal was opened and the British Empire established a number of protectorates in Southern Arabia mainly as a shield against further expansion by the Ottoman Empire who were occupying the rest of Yemen. [4] In the 19th century and early twentieth century it was a major coaling station that sat on an important trade route from India. [5] During World War Two the main naval formation based in Aden was the Red Sea Force. [6]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Naval Officer, Aden | |||||
| 1 | Captain |  | Henry Smith | 1839 | later Admiral. [7] |
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Naval Officer, Aden Division | |||||
| 1 | Commander |  | E. R. Pears | 1904 | [8] |
| 2 | Captain | | J. B. Eustace | 1905 | [9] |
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naval Transport Officer-in-Charge, Aden | |||||
| 1 | Commander | | Charles A. Scott | 1919 | [10] |
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naval Officer-in-Charge, Aden & Commanding Officer, HMS Sheba (RN Base, Aden) | |||||
| 1 | Captain | | Douglas B. Fisher | 15 September 1935 – 29 June 1936 | [10] |
| 2 | Acting-Captain | | P.L. Gunn | 8 July 1939 – 29 May 1942 | [11] [12] |
| 3 | Commodore |  | C.A.A. Larcom | 29 May 1942 – February, 1943 | retired [13] [14] |
| 4 | Commodore | | Fitzroy.E.P. Hutton | 28 August – December, 1943 | ditto [14] |
| 5 | Commodore | | E. A Aylmer | 25 March 1944 – July, 1945 | [15] |
| 6 | Captain | | Waldemar W. P. Shirley-Rollison | 1945 - 1946 | [16] |
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