List of senior officers of the Royal Navy
Encyclopedia
Lord High Admirals, 1413–1628
See List of Lord High Admirals and First Lords of the AdmiraltyLord High Admiral and First Lords of the Admiralty, 1628–1709
See List of Lord High Admirals and First Lords of the AdmiraltyLord High Admirals And First Lords of the Admiralty, 1709– present
See List of Lord High Admirals and First Lords of the AdmiraltyAdmirals of the Fleet, 1690–1827
See List of Admirals of the FleetAdmiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
Deputy First Sea Lords
Deputy First Sea Lords included:- Vice Admiral Sir Rosslyn WemyssRosslyn Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester WemyssAdmiral of the Fleet Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss GCB, CMG, MVO , known as Sir Rosslyn Wemyss between 1916 and 1919, was a British naval commander...
(October 1917–December 1917) - Vice Admiral Sir George HopeGeorge Hope (Royal Navy officer)Admiral Sir George Price Webley Hope KCB KCMG was a Royal Navy officer who went on to become Deputy First Sea Lord during World War I.-Naval career:Promoted to Captain in 1905, Hope served in the First World War...
(January 1918–August 1919) - Admiral Sir Charles Kennedy-PurvisCharles Kennedy-PurvisAdmiral Sir Charles Edward Kennedy-Purvis GBE KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Deputy First Sea Lord.-Naval career:Kennedy-Purvis joined the Royal Navy in 1899...
(29 July 1942–1946)
Vice Chiefs of the Naval Staff
Vice Chiefs of the Naval Staff included:- Vice-Admiral Sir Henry Moore (21 October 1941–7 June 1943)
- Rear-Admiral Sir Edward SyfretEdward Neville SyfretAdmiral Sir Edward Neville Syfret GCB, KBE was a British naval officer who served with the Royal Navy in World War I and World War II. He was knighted for his part in Operation Pedestal, the critical Malta convoy...
(7 June 1943–1945) - Vice-Admiral Sir Rhoderick McGrigorRhoderick McGrigorAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick Robert McGrigor GCB was a Royal Navy officer and the British First Sea Lord from 1951 to 1955. During his years as professional head of the Royal Navy, he is most remembered as a leading proponent of carrier-based air power.-Early life:Rhoderick Robert McGrigor...
(1945–1947) - Vice-Admiral Sir John EdelstenJohn EdelstenAdmiral Sir John Hereward Edelsten GCB GCVO CBE was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.-Naval career:Edelsten joined the Royal Navy in 1908...
(1947–1949) - Vice-Admiral Sir George CreasyGeorge CreasyAdmiral of the Fleet Sir George Elvey Creasy GCB CBE DSO MVO was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.-Naval career:...
(1949–1951) - Vice-Admiral Sir Guy GranthamGuy GranthamAdmiral Sir Guy Grantham GCB CBE DSO was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.-Naval career:Educated at Rugby School, Grantham joined the Royal Navy in 1918....
(1951–1954) - Vice-Admiral Sir William DavisWilliam Davis (Royal Navy officer)Admiral Sir William Wellclose Davis GCB DSO was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.-Naval career:...
(1954–1957) - Vice-Admiral Sir Caspar JohnCaspar JohnAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Caspar John GCB was the British First Sea Lord from 1960 to 1963. He was pioneer in the Fleet Air Arm, and rose to become Vice-Chief of Naval Staff to Sea Lord Louis Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma in 1957 and subsequently First Sea Lord from 1960 to 1963.-Early...
(1957–1960) - Vice-Admiral Sir Walter CouchmanWalter CouchmanAdmiral Sir Walter Thomas Couchman KCB CVO DSO OBE was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.-Naval career:...
(1960–1961) - Vice-Admiral Sir Varyl BeggVaryl BeggAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Varyl Cargill Begg GCB, DSO, DSC was First Sea Lord, the professional head of the Royal Navy, from 1966 to 1968.-Early life:...
(1961–1963) - Vice-Admiral Sir John FrewenJohn FrewenAdmiral Sir John Byng Frewen GCB was Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command.-Naval career:Frewen joined the Royal Navy in 1924. He served in World War II in the Russian Convoys and as Squadron Navigating Officer for Aircraft Carriers in the Pacific...
(1963–1965) - Vice-Admiral Sir John Bush (1965–1967)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Hill-Norton (1967–1969)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Edward AshmoreEdward AshmoreAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Beckwith Ashmore GCB, DSC is a former senior Royal Navy officer. He served as the Chief of the Defence Staff of the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces....
(1969–1971) - Vice-Admiral Sir Terence LewinTerence Lewin, Baron LewinAdmiral of the Fleet Terence Thornton Lewin, Baron Lewin, KG, GCB, LVO, DSC was a former First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, and Chief of the Defence Staff.-Naval career:...
(1971–1973) - Vice-Admiral Sir John Treacher (1973–1975)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Raymond LygoRaymond LygoAdmiral Sir Raymond Lygo KCB is a former Royal Navy officer who went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.-Naval career:...
(1975–1978) - Vice-Admiral Sir Anthony MortonAnthony MortonAdmiral Sir Anthony Storrs Morton GBE KCB was Vice-Chief of Defence Staff.-Naval career:Educated at Loretto School, Morton was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1941 during World War II....
(1978–1980) - Vice-Admiral Sir William Staveley (1980–1982)
- Vice-Admiral Sir Peter StanfordPeter Stanford (Royal Navy officer)Admiral Sir Peter Maxwell Stanford GCB LVO was Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command.-Naval career:Stanford was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1948. He was appointed Commanding Officer of HMY Britannia in 1969 and of HMS Hermione in 1974...
(1982–1984)
Deputy Chiefs of the Naval Staff
Deputy Chiefs of the Naval Staff included:- Vice-Admiral Sir Henry OliverHenry OliverAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Francis Oliver, GCB, KCMG, MVO was a British naval officer.-Naval career:...
(1917–1918) - Rear Admiral Sir Sydney FremantleSydney FremantleAdmiral Sir Sydney Robert Fremantle GCB, MVO was an officer of the Royal Navy, who served during the Victorian era and had risen to the rank of rear-admiral by the outbreak of the First World War...
(1918–1919) - Rear Admiral Sir James FergussonJames Fergusson (Royal Navy officer)Admiral Sir James Andrew Fergusson KCB KCMG was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station.-Naval career:...
(1919) - Vice Admiral Sir Osmond BrockOsmond BrockAdmiral of the Fleet Sir Osmond de Beauvoir Brock KCB, KCMG, KCVO was a Royal Navy officer.-Naval career:Brock was the eldest son of Commander Osmond de Beauvoir Brock of Guernsey and he joined the Navy in 1882. Appointed midshipman in 1886, he passed for Lieutenant with first classes in every...
(1919–1921) - Vice Admiral Sir Roger Keyes (1921–1925)
- Vice Admiral Sir Frederick FieldFrederick Field (Royal Navy officer)Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Laurence Field GCB KCMG was a British Royal Navy Admiral of the Fleet who served as First Sea Lord from 1930 to 1933...
(1925–1928) - Vice Admiral Sir William FisherWilliam Wordsworth FisherAdmiral Sir William Wordsworth Fisher, GCB, GCVO was a Royal Navy officer who captained a battleship at the Battle of Jutland and became Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet...
(1928–1930) - Admiral Sir Frederic DreyerFrederic Charles DreyerAdmiral Sir Frederic Charles Dreyer, GBE, KCB was an officer of the Royal Navy who developed a fire control system for British warships...
(1930–1933) - Vice Admiral Sir Charles LittleCharles LittleAdmiral Sir Charles James Colebrooke Little GCB GBE was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel.-Naval career:...
(1933–1935) - Vice Admiral Sir William JamesWilliam Milbourne JamesAdmiral Sir William Milbourne James GCB was a British Naval commander, politician and author, perhaps most notable for his activities in the Naval Intelligence Division in the First World War.-Family:...
(1935–1938) - Vice Admiral Sir Andrew CunninghamAndrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of HyndhopeAdmiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope KT, GCB, OM, DSO and two Bars , was a British admiral of the Second World War. Cunningham was widely known by his nickname, "ABC"....
(1938–1939) - Vice Admiral Sir Tom Phillips (1939–1941)
- Rear Admiral Sir Robert Oliver (1946–1947)
- Vice Admiral Sir Edward Evans-LombeEdward Evans-LombeVice Admiral Sir Edward Malcolm Evans-Lombe KCB was a Royal Navy officer who became Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.-Naval career:...
(1950–1953) - Rear Admiral Sir Geoffrey BarnardGeoffrey BarnardVice Admiral Sir Geoffrey Barnard KCB DSO & Bar was a Royal Navy officer who became Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.-Naval career:...
(1953–1954) - Vice Admiral Sir Eric CliffordEric CliffordVice Admiral Sir Eric George Anderson Clifford KCB CBE was a Royal Navy officer who became Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.-Naval career:...
(1954–1957)
- Note: From 1957 to 1966 the post was held by the Fifth Sea LordFifth Sea LordThe 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...
- Vice Admiral Sir Richard JanvrinRichard JanvrinVice Admiral Sir Richard Janvrin KCB DSC was a Royal Navy officer who became Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.-Naval career:...
(1966–1968)
- Vice Admiral Sir Richard Janvrin