Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet
Active1861-1958
CountryUnited Kingdom
AllegianceBritish Empire
BranchRoyal 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.

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"

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

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

Included:[4]

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

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

Included:[5][2]

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

Composition 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron

Included:[2]

United Kingdom: 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron; Mediterranean Fleet 1947 to 1951

Ship Dates Notes/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]

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. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2018.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj 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

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