Charles Norris (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Sir Charles (Fred Wivell) Norris KBE
CB
DSO
(1900–1989) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet.
in 1913. He served in World War I
and took part in the Battle of Jutland
in 1916. After the War he became a student at Cambridge University.
He also served in World War II
as Second in Command of HMS Sheffield
and then as Commander on HMS Bellona
from 1943. He took part in the Normandy landings on Omaha Beach
in 1944 and in the Murmansk Convoys
in the Winter 1944 to 1945.
In 1948 he became Captain of the Fleet for the Home Fleet and in 1950 he was appointed Director of Naval Training and Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel at the Admiralty
. He was made Flag Officer, Flotillas at Malta
in 1953 and Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet in 1954; he retired in 1956.
In retirement he became a Director of the British Productivity Council.
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
Sir Charles (Fred Wivell) Norris KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(1900–1989) was a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet.
Naval career
Norris joined the Royal NavyRoyal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1913. He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and took part in the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
in 1916. After the War he became a student at Cambridge University.
He also served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
as Second in Command of HMS Sheffield
HMS Sheffield (C24)
HMS Sheffield was one of the Southampton sub class of the Town-class cruisers of the Royal Navy during the Second World War. She took part in actions against several major German warships. Unlike most Royal Navy ships of her time, her fittings were constructed from stainless steel instead of the...
and then as Commander on HMS Bellona
HMS Bellona (63)
HMS Bellona was the name ship of her subgroup of light cruisers for the Royal Navy. She was a modified Dido-class design with only four turrets but improved anti-aircraft armament...
from 1943. He took part in the Normandy landings on Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach
Omaha Beach is the code name for one of the five sectors of the Allied invasion of German-occupied France in the Normandy landings on 6 June 1944, during World War II...
in 1944 and in the Murmansk Convoys
Arctic convoys of World War II
The Arctic convoys of World War II travelled from the United Kingdom and North America to the northern ports of the Soviet Union—Arkhangelsk and Murmansk. There were 78 convoys between August 1941 and May 1945...
in the Winter 1944 to 1945.
In 1948 he became Captain of the Fleet for the Home Fleet and in 1950 he was appointed Director of Naval Training and Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
. He was made Flag Officer, Flotillas at Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
in 1953 and Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet in 1954; he retired in 1956.
In retirement he became a Director of the British Productivity Council.