Frank Hopkins (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Frank Henry Edward Hopkins KCB
, DSO
, DSC
, (23 June 1910 – 14 April 1990), was a naval officer with the Royal Navy.
, Hopkins joined the Royal Navy
in 1927.
He served in World War II
, initially on the staff of the naval observer school at Ford
in Sussex
. In 1940 he transferred to 826 Naval Air Squadron and then to RAF Coastal Command. Then in 1941 he took command of 830 Naval Air Squadron
sinking large quantities of German
shipping in the Mediterranean. He went on to join the British Air Commission in Washington D. C. before becoming an observer with the US Pacific Fleet.
He also served in the Korean War
as Air Commander in the aircraft-carrier HMS Theseus
. He was appointed Deputy Director, Naval Air Organization and Training in 1951 and then went on to be Commander of HMS Myngs before being made Director, Naval Air Warfare. He went on to be Captain of HMS Ark Royal
, before becoming Commandant of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth in 1958. In 1960 he became Flag Officer, Flying Training and in 1962 he was made Flag Officer, Aircraft-carriers.
He was appointed Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and Fifth Sea Lord
in 1963. He was one of the admirals who threatened to resign in protest over the decision by the Labour
Secretary of State for Defence
, Denis Healey
, to cancel the CVA-01
aircraft carrier programme. His last role was as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
in 1966; he retired in 1967.
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...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
, (23 June 1910 – 14 April 1990), was a naval officer with the Royal Navy.
Naval career
Educated at the Nautical College at Pangbourne in BerkshireBerkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, Hopkins joined the 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...
in 1927.
He 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...
, initially on the staff of the naval observer school at Ford
Ford, West Sussex
Ford is a village and civil parish in the Arun District of West Sussex, England. It is located 3 km to the south-west of Arundel...
in Sussex
Sussex
Sussex , from the Old English Sūþsēaxe , is an historic county in South East England corresponding roughly in area to the ancient Kingdom of Sussex. It is bounded on the north by Surrey, east by Kent, south by the English Channel, and west by Hampshire, and is divided for local government into West...
. In 1940 he transferred to 826 Naval Air Squadron and then to RAF Coastal Command. Then in 1941 he took command of 830 Naval Air Squadron
830 Naval Air Squadron
830 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron formed in Malta in July 1940 flying Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers. During 1940–41 the squadron carried out attacks against the Axis supply effort in the Mediterranean...
sinking large quantities of German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
shipping in the Mediterranean. He went on to join the British Air Commission in Washington D. C. before becoming an observer with the US Pacific Fleet.
He also served in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
as Air Commander in the aircraft-carrier HMS Theseus
HMS Theseus (R64)
HMS Theseus was a Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. She was laid down in 1943 by Fairfield at Govan, and launched on 6 July 1944.-Workup and initial service:...
. He was appointed Deputy Director, Naval Air Organization and Training in 1951 and then went on to be Commander of HMS Myngs before being made Director, Naval Air Warfare. He went on to be Captain of HMS Ark Royal
HMS Ark Royal (R09)
HMS Ark Royal was an Audacious-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and, when she was decommissioned in 1978, was the Royal Navy's last remaining conventional catapult and arrested-landing aircraft carrier...
, before becoming Commandant of the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth in 1958. In 1960 he became Flag Officer, Flying Training and in 1962 he was made Flag Officer, Aircraft-carriers.
He was appointed Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and Fifth Sea Lord
Fifth Sea Lord
The Fifth Sea Lord was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty that controlled the Royal Navy.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were assigned to each of the 'Naval' Lords, who were described as 'Professional' Lords, leaving to the 'Civil' Lords...
in 1963. He was one of the admirals who threatened to resign in protest over the decision by the Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
, Denis Healey
Denis Healey
Denis Winston Healey, Baron Healey CH, MBE, PC is a British Labour politician, who served as Secretary of State for Defence from 1964 to 1970 and Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1974 to 1979.-Early life:...
, to cancel the CVA-01
CVA-01
The CVA-01 aircraft carrier was to be a class of at least two fleet carriers that would have replaced the Royal Navy's existing aircraft carriers, most of which had been designed prior to or during World War II....
aircraft carrier programme. His last role was as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
in 1966; he retired in 1967.