Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet
Military unit
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The Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet was a senior command appointment of the British Royal Navy from January 1947 to 1958 who also administered the 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron from 1947 to 1951. The appointment was a continuation of the Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station first established in 1861 that underwent a series of name changes due to an expansion of additional duties given to the post holder.
| Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet | |
|---|---|
| |
| Active | 1861-1958 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | British Empire |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Part of | |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Vice-Admiral Ralph A. B. Edwards |
History
The office holder was originally established as Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station in December 1861 then later Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet. On 18 July 1941 as part of an expansion of duties the post holder was renamed Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet until April 1942. The appointment of the Flag Officer, Air, and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet was created in January 1947 who was additionally responsible for administering the 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron[1] of the Mediterranean Fleet until February 1951 when it was disbanded. The Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet, then became responsible for commanding shore based aviation based at Malta until 1958.[2] HMS Ocean, Theasus and Glory continued to serve in the Mediterranean Fleet until October 1954.[2]
Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet
Included:[3]
Note:The office holder was sometimes styled as "Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station"
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet/Station | |||||
| 1 | Rear-Admiral |  | Sydney C. Dacres | December 1861-April 1863 | [3] |
| 2 | Rear-Admiral | | Hastings R.H. Yelverton | April 1863-April 1865 | [3] |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | | Astley Cooper-Key | May 1870-August 1872 | [3] |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral |  | Edward A. Inglefield | 2 August 1872-December 1876 | [3] |
| 5 | Rear-Admiral | | Edward B. Rice | May 1876-July 1877 | [3] |
| 6 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir John E. Commerell | July 1877-1878 | [3] |
| 7 | Rear-Admiral | | Lord Walter Kerr | April 1890-April 1892 | [3] |
| 8 | Rear-Admiral | | Albert Hastings Markham | April 1892-April 1894 | [3] |
| 9 | Rear-Admiral | | Compton E. Domvile | April 1894-May 1896 | [3] |
| 10 | Rear-Admiral | | Robert H. Harris | May 1896-February 1898 | [3] |
| 11 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Gerard H. U. Noel | 1 February 1898-February 1900 | [3] |
| 12 | Rear-Admiral | | Lord Charles W. De la P. Beresford | February 1900-January 1902 | [3] |
| 13 | Rear-Admiral | | Burges Watson | January-September 1902 | [3] |
| 14 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir Reginald N. Custance | November 1902-November 1904 | [3] |
| 15 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Harry T. Grenfell | November 1904-February 1906 | [3] |
| 16 | Rear-Admiral | | Francis C. B. Bridgeman | March 1906-February 1907 | [3] |
| 17 | Vice-Admiral | | Prince Louis of Battenberg | February 1907-November 1908 | [3] |
| 18 | Rear-Admiral | | Sir George A. Callaghan | November 1908-October 1910 | [3] |
| 19 | Rear-Admiral | | T. Martyn Jerram | October 1910-May 1912 | [3] |
| 20 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Cecil Burney | June-October 1913 | [3] |
| 21 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Michael Culme-Seymour | January 1919-September 1920 | [3] |
| 22 | Rear-Admiral | | Richard Webb | September 1920-September 1922 | [3] |
| 23 | Rear-Admiral | | John D.Kelly | September 1922-August 1923 | [3] |
| 24 | Rear-Admiral | | Hugh D. R. Watson | August 1923-April 1925 | [3] |
| 25 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Michael H. Hodges | April 1925-May 1927 | [3] |
| 26 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir John D.Kelly | May 1927-April 1929 | [3] |
| 27 | Vice-Admiral | | W. A. Howard Kelly | April 1929-October 1930 | [3] |
| 28 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir William W. Fisher | October 1930-April 1932 | [3] |
| 29 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Roger R.C. Backhouse | April 1932-May 1934 | [3] |
| 30 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Charles M. Forbes | May 1934-August 1936 | [3] |
| 31 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Geoffrey Blake | August 1936-July 1937 | [3] |
| 32 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Andrew B. Cunningham | July 1937-August 1938 | [3] |
| 33 | Vice-Admiral | | Geoffrey Layton | August 1938-November 1939 | [3] |
Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet
Included:[4]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet | |||||
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | | John C. Tovey | 18 July, 1940 – 23 October, 1940 | [3] |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | | Henry D. Pridham-Wippell | 24 October, 1940 – 1 April, 1942 | as acting V Adm. [3] |
Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet and Vice-Admiral, Commanding 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron | |||||
| 1 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Cecil H.J. Harcourt | January 1947 to January 1948 | also VADMCOMM, 2ACSQ [2] |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Thomas H. Troubridge: | January to December 1948 | ditto[2] |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | | the Hon. Sir Cyril E. Douglas-Pennant | December 1948 to April 1950 | ditto[2] |
| 4 | Vice-Admiral | | Guy Grantham | April 1950 to November 1951 | ditto[2] |
| 5 | Vice-Admiral | | Ralph A. B. Edwards | November 1951 to December 1951 | ditto[2] |
| 6 | Vice-Admiral | | Ralph A. B. Edwards | December 1951 to December 1952 | 2nd AC Squadron is disbanded [2] |
| 7 | Vice-Admiral | | William W. Davis | December 1952 to February 1954 | |
| 8 | Vice-Admiral | | J. Peter L. Reid | February 1954 to August 1955 | |
| 9 | Vice-Admiral | | Maxwell Richmond | August 1955 to October 1956 | [6] |
| 10 | Vice-Admiral | | Sir Robin L.F. Durnford-Slater | October 1956 to 1958 | |
Composition 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron
Included:[2]
: 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron; Mediterranean Fleet 1947 to 1951
| Ship | Dates | Notes/Ref |
|---|---|---|
| HMS Ocean | February 1947 to December 1950 | [2] |
| HMS Triumph | February 1947 to August 1948 | [2] |
| HMS Theseus | June 1947 to August 1948 | [2] |
| HMS Glory | December 1949 to December 1950 | [2] |