Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands

The Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands[1] was an operational commander of the Royal Navy. He was charged with the administration of the Orkney and Shetland Islands and operating and defending the fleet base at Scapa Flow that was the main anchorage for both the Home Fleet and Grand Fleet at various times.

Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
Active(1914-1920), (1939-1945)
Country United Kingdom
Branch Royal Navy
TypeNaval formation
Garrison/HQLyness

History

An Admiral Commanding for the Orkneys and Shetlands was appointed twice, on the outbreak of war, to provide for the defence and administration of the main base for the Home Fleet. The Admiral Commanding was responsible, under the orders of the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, for administration of naval defences, naval establishments, and shore duties generally in Orkney and Shetland.

During the First World War and the Second World War the Rear-Admiral, Scapa Flow served under him, with a position similar to that of an Admiral Superintendent of a dockyard port. Directly under his orders were the Northern Patrol, Shetlands Patrols, the Officer Commanding Troops Orkney, the Officer Commanding Troops Shetlands, the Admiralty Port Officer Kirkwall, the Rear-Admiral commanding the local minefields and the officers responsible for the extended defences, the local defence flotilla and the Orkney Trawler Patrols.[2] He was responsible for the patrolling of the area from Wick to Cape Wrath.[3]

Shore establishments included HMS Pyramus (shore establishment) at Kirkwall; HMS Proserpine (shore establishment) at Lyness; and HMS Fox (shore establishment) at Lerwick.[4]

During the Second World War the Rear-Admiral, Scapa Flow continued to serve under him.

First World War

Included:[5]

RankFlagNameTerm
Admiral Commanding Orkneys and Shetland
1AdmiralSir Stanley Cecil James Colville7 September 1914 – 19 January 1916
2AdmiralSir Frederic Edward Errington Brock20 January 1916 – 11 March 1918
3AdmiralSir Herbert E. King-Hall28 January 1918 – 1 March 1919
4Vice-AdmiralSir Robert John Prendergast1 March 1919 – 9 January 1920

Subordinate commanders First World War

Source:[5]

Flag Officer Scapa Flow/Rear Admiral Scapa

This officer's role was similar to that of Admiral Superintendent of a dockyard port.

RankFlagNameTerm
Flag Officer Scapa Flow/Rear Admiral Scapa
1Rear-AdmiralFrancis MillerSeptember 1914 – April, 1916 January 1916
2Rear-AdmiralRobert PrendergastMay 1916 – September 1917 1918

Flag Officer Shetlands

RankFlagNameTerm
Flag Officer Shetlands
1Rear-AdmiralRear Admiral Clement GreatorexOctober 1917

Included:[6]

UnitDateNotes
21st Minesweeper Flotilla1918
Northern Patrol1914–1918, 1939–1945Operating within the Orkneys & Shetland Command under VAdm Comm NP
Scapa Local Defence Flotilla1914-1918

Second World War

Watson lists the 6th M/S Flotilla 7.41-12.42, which may have been under direct command of the Home Fleet, and the 15th M/S Flotilla 4.42-2.44 [Bangors] operated under the orders of the Admiral Commanding. The Admiral's flag was flown aboard HMS Iron Duke in Scapa Flow.

The Northern Patrol was based within the Orkney and Shetlands area, but was not responsible to the Admiral Commanding Orkneys and Shetlands.[7] Its ships were dispersed by 1941.

Admirals Commanding:

RankFlagNameTerm
Admiral Commanding Orkneys and Shetland
1Vice-AdmiralSir Wilfred Franklin FrenchJuly 1939 – 20 December 1939[8]
2Vice-AdmiralSir Hugh Binney20 December 1939 – 7 January 1942
3Vice-AdmiralSir Lionel Wells7 January - October 1943
4Vice-AdmiralSir Henry HarwoodApril 1944 - March 1945

Flag Officer, Scapa Flow/Rear-Admiral Scapa

RankFlagNameTerm
Flag Officer Scapa Flow/Rear Admiral Scapa
1Rear-AdmiralPatrick Macnamara (rtd.)1 September 1940 - March 1945[9]

Admiral-superintendent Lyness

RankFlagNameTerm
Admiral Superintendent Lyness[10]
1Rear-AdmiralPatrick Macnamara (rtd.)3 October 1940 - March 1945

Admiral-superintendent Orkney

RankFlagNameTerm
Admiral Superintendent Orkney
1Rear-AdmiralPatrick Macnamara (rtd.)1 May 1942 - March 1945

Notes

  1. Haarr 2013, p. 160.
  2. Grand Fleet Order 107.
  3. Grand Fleet Order 136.
  4. Watson. 2015
  5. Watson 2015.
  6. Watson. 2015
  7. Watson 2015
  8. Haarr 2013, pp. 2–16.
  9. "Patrick Macnamara Life and Career Post War". dreadnoughtproject.org. The Dreadnought Project.Org, 13 June 2016. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
  10. "Admiral Superintendent's Office, Lyness". nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives. Retrieved 31 October 2016.

References

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