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.
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 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. HMS Ocean, Theasus and Glory continued to serve in the Mediterranean Fleet until October 1954.
Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet Included:
Note:The office holder was sometimes styled as "Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station"
Rank Flag Name Term Notes/Ref Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet/Station1 Rear-Admiral Sydney C. Dacres December 1861-April 1863 2 Rear-Admiral Hastings R.H. Yelverton April 1863-April 1865 3 Rear-Admiral Astley Cooper-Key May 1870-August 1872 4 Vice-Admiral Edward A. Inglefield 2 August 1872-December 1876 5 Rear-Admiral Edward B. Rice May 1876-July 1877 6 Rear-Admiral Sir John E. Commerell July 1877-1878 7 Rear-Admiral Lord Walter KerrApril 1890-April 1892 8 Rear-Admiral Albert Hastings Markham April 1892-April 1894 9 Rear-Admiral Compton E. Domvile April 1894-May 1896 10 Rear-Admiral Robert H. Harris May 1896-February 1898 11Rear-Admiral Sir Gerard H. U. Noel1 February 1898-February 1900 12 Rear-Admiral Lord Charles W. De la P. Beresford February 1900-January 1902 13 Rear-Admiral Burges Watson January-September 1902 14 Rear-Admiral Sir Reginald N. Custance November 1902-November 1904 15 Vice-Admiral Sir Harry T. Grenfell November 1904-February 1906 16 Rear-Admiral Francis C. B. Bridgeman March 1906-February 1907 17 Vice-Admiral Prince Louis of Battenberg February 1907-November 1908 18 Rear-Admiral Sir George A. Callaghan November 1908-October 1910 19 Rear-Admiral T. Martyn Jerram October 1910-May 1912 20 Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil Burney June-October 1913 21 Vice-Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour January 1919-September 1920 22 Rear-Admiral Richard Webb September 1920-September 1922 23 Rear-Admiral John D.KellySeptember 1922-August 1923 24 Rear-Admiral Hugh D. R. WatsonAugust 1923-April 1925 25 Vice-Admiral Sir Michael H. HodgesApril 1925-May 1927 26 Vice-Admiral Sir John D.Kelly May 1927-April 1929 27 Vice-Admiral W. A. Howard Kelly April 1929-October 1930 28 Vice-Admiral Sir William W. Fisher October 1930-April 1932 29 Vice-Admiral Sir Roger R.C. Backhouse April 1932-May 1934 30 Vice-Admiral Sir Charles M. Forbes May 1934-August 1936 31 Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Blake August 1936-July 1937 32 Vice-Admiral Sir Andrew B. CunninghamJuly 1937-August 1938 33 Vice-Admiral Geoffrey Layton August 1938-November 1939
Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet Included:
Rank Flag Name Term Notes/Ref Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet1 Vice-Admiral John C. Tovey 18 July, 1940 – 23 October, 1940 2 Vice-Admiral Henry D. Pridham-Wippell 24 October, 1940 – 1 April, 1942 as acting V Adm.
Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet Included:
Rank Flag Name Term Notes/Ref Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet and Vice-Admiral, Commanding 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron1 Vice-Admiral Sir Cecil H.J. Harcourt January 1947 to January 1948 also VADMCOMM, 2ACSQ 2 Vice-Admiral Sir Thomas H. Troubridge: January to December 1948 ditto3 Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Cyril E. Douglas-Pennant December 1948 to April 1950 ditto4 Vice-Admiral Guy GranthamApril 1950 to November 1951 ditto5 Vice-Admiral Ralph A. B. Edwards November 1951 to December 1951 ditto6 Vice-Admiral Ralph A. B. Edwards December 1951 to December 1952 2nd AC Squadron is disbanded 7 Vice-Admiral William W. DavisDecember 1952 to February 1954 8 Vice-Admiral J. Peter L. ReidFebruary 1954 to August 1955 9 Vice-Admiral Maxwell RichmondAugust 1955 to October 1956 10 Vice-Admiral Sir Robin L.F. Durnford-SlaterOctober 1956 to 1958
Composition 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron Included:
: 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron; Mediterranean Fleet 1947 to 1951
Ship Dates Notes/Ref HMS Ocean February 1947 to December 1950HMS Triumph February 1947 to August 1948 HMS Theseus June 1947 to August 1948 HMS Glory December 1949 to December 1950
References
Sources Cook, Chris (2012). The Routledge Guide to British Political Archives: Sources since 1945. Cambridge, England: Routledge. . Grove, Eric J. (1987). Vanguard to Trident : British naval policy since World War II: Second Aircraft Carrier Squadron visits Mediterranean ports February 1948. Annapolis, Md.: Naval Institute Press. . Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Gordon Mackie, July-September 2018. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015.