Guy Grantham
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Guy Grantham GCB
CBE
DSO
(9 January 1900 – 8 September 1992) was a senior Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
.
, Grantham joined the Royal Navy in 1918.
He served in World War II
initially as Commander of the cruiser
HMS Phoebe
and was involved in the evacuation from Greece
for which he was awarded the DSO
. After a period as a liaison officer in the Western Desert
, he became Commander of the cruiser HMS Naiad
which was sunk by a torpedo
in March 1942. He then became Commander of the cruiser HMS Cleopatra
in which he was involved in the defeat of the Italian
Fleet at the second Battle of Birte. His last war-time command was of the aircraft carrier
HMS Indomitable which was involved in the landings in Sicily
. He went on to be Director of Plans at the Admiralty
.
After the War he became Chief of Staff
to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
in 1946. He was appointed Flag Officer, Submarines in 1948, Flag Officer, Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in 1950 and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in 1951. He became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
and Allied Forces, Mediterranean in 1954 and Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
and Allied Commander-in-Chief, Channel and southern North Sea in 1957. He retired in 1959.
He was also First and Principal Naval Aide-de-camp to the Queen from 1958 to 1959.
In retirement he became Governor and Commander-in-Chief Malta.
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...
CBE
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...
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...
(9 January 1900 – 8 September 1992) was a senior 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, 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:...
.
Naval career
Educated at Rugby SchoolRugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
, Grantham joined the Royal Navy in 1918.
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 as Commander of the cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
HMS Phoebe
HMS Phoebe (43)
HMS Phoebe was a Dido class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company , with the keel being laid down on 2 September 1937...
and was involved in the evacuation from Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
for which he was awarded the 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...
. After a period as a liaison officer in the Western Desert
Western Desert
Western Desert may refer to:* Libyan Desert, located in the northern and eastern part of the Sahara Desert. It occupies Egypt west of the Nile , eastern Libya and northwestern Sudan alongside the Nubian Desert.* Western Desert cultural bloc or just Western Desert is a cultural region in...
, he became Commander of the cruiser HMS Naiad
HMS Naiad (93)
HMS Naiad was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by Hawthorn Leslie and Company , with the keel being laid down on 26 August 1937. She was launched on 3 February 1939, and commissioned 24 July 1940....
which was sunk by a torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
in March 1942. He then became Commander of the cruiser HMS Cleopatra
HMS Cleopatra (33)
HMS Cleopatra was a Dido-class cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was built by R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company, Limited , with the keel being laid down on 5 January 1939...
in which he was involved in the defeat of the Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Fleet at the second Battle of Birte. His last war-time command was of the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
HMS Indomitable which was involved in the landings in Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
. He went on to be Director of Plans 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...
.
After the War he became Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
in 1946. He was appointed Flag Officer, Submarines in 1948, Flag Officer, Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in 1950 and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in 1951. He became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
and Allied Forces, Mediterranean in 1954 and 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:...
and Allied Commander-in-Chief, Channel and southern North Sea in 1957. He retired in 1959.
He was also First and Principal Naval Aide-de-camp to the Queen from 1958 to 1959.
In retirement he became Governor and Commander-in-Chief Malta.