David Brown (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Sir David Worthington Brown KCB
(28 November 1927 – 13 July 2005) was a Royal Navy
officer who became Flag Officer, Plymouth
.
, Brown joined the Royal Navy in June 1945. After commanding four minesweepers, he took over the destroyer
HMS Cavendish, then successively the frigate
s HMS Falmouth
and HMS Hermione
and finally the destroyer
HMS Bristol
. He became Director of Naval Operations and Trade in 1971, Director of Officer Appointments (Executive) in 1976 and Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) in 1980. In this capacity he was responsible for briefing senior naval officers and Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
on the planning for the Falklands War
. He went on to be Flag Officer, Plymouth
and Admiral Superintendent at Devonport
in 1982 before retiring in 1985.
In retirement he became a consultant to the insurance brokers, Hogg Group and Chairman of the Governors of Broadmoor Hospital
.
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 David Worthington Brown KCB
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...
(28 November 1927 – 13 July 2005) 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 became Flag Officer, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
.
Naval career
Educated in HMS ConwayHMS Conway (school ship)
HMS Conway was a naval training school or "school ship", founded in 1859 and housed for most of its life aboard a 19th-century wooden battleship. The ship was originally stationed on the Mersey near Liverpool, then moved to the Menai Strait during World War II. While being towed back to Birkenhead...
, Brown joined the Royal Navy in June 1945. After commanding four minesweepers, he took over the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
HMS Cavendish, then successively the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
s HMS Falmouth
HMS Falmouth (F113)
HMS Falmouth was a Rothesay or Type 12I class anti-submarine frigate of the British Royal Navy.-External links:* -See also:* Cod War#The last ramming...
and HMS Hermione
HMS Hermione (F58)
HMS Hermione was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy . She was, like the rest of her class, named after a figure of mythology. Hermione was built by Alexander Stephen and Sons, though she was completed by Yarrow Shipbuilders...
and finally the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
HMS Bristol
HMS Bristol (D23)
HMS Bristol is a Type 82 destroyer, the only vessel of her class to be built for the Royal Navy. Originally intended as the first of a class of new large destroyers to escort the CVA-01 aircraft carriers projected to come into service in the early 1970s, Bristol turned out to be a unique ship...
. He became Director of Naval Operations and Trade in 1971, Director of Officer Appointments (Executive) in 1976 and Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) in 1980. In this capacity he was responsible for briefing senior naval officers and Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
on the planning for the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. He went on to be Flag Officer, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
and Admiral Superintendent at Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
in 1982 before retiring in 1985.
In retirement he became a consultant to the insurance brokers, Hogg Group and Chairman of the Governors of Broadmoor Hospital
Broadmoor Hospital
Broadmoor Hospital is a high-security psychiatric hospital at Crowthorne in the Borough of Bracknell Forest in Berkshire, England. It is the best known of the three high-security psychiatric hospitals in England, the other two being Ashworth and Rampton...
.