Rear-Admiral, Alexandria
| Alexandria Station | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Active | 1939-1944 |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Allegiance | British Empire |
| Branch | Royal Navy |
| Part of |
Mediterranean Fleet (1943-1944) |
| Garrison/HQ | HMS Nile, Alexandria, Egypt |
| Commanders | |
| Notable commanders | Rear-Admiral Allan Poland |
The Rear-Admiral, Alexandria was a senior administrative shore based command appointment of British Royal Navy established during World War Two as a sub-command of the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet then later the Commander-in-Chief, Levant.[1]
The Alexandria Station was the name given to the force under the Rear Admiral, Alexandria's command that included establishments, and staff operating from 1939 to 1944.[2][3][4]
History
The post of Rear-Admiral, Alexandria was created during World War Two, with the office holder responsible for administering the HMS Nile (borne in Maidstone II)[5] shore establishment at Ras el-Tin Point, Alexandria, and its facilities and support staff from 1939 to 1945.[1] From November 1939 until February 1943 it was part of the Mediterranean Fleet until the Fleet was divided up into separate commands. Thus after February 1943 Rear-Admiral Alexandria came under the control of the Levant Command, until January 1944 when the Mediterranean Fleet was unified as a single command.[6]
Rear-Admiral, Alexandria
Post holders included:[lower-alpha 1]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear-Admiral, Alexandria | |||||
| 1 | Rear Admiral |  | F. Elliott | November, 1939 - February, 1941 | [7][1] |
| 2 | Rear Admiral | | George H. Creswell | February, 1941 - August, 1942 | [1][8] |
| 3 | Rear Admiral | | Allan Poland | November, 1942 - October, 1944 | elevated to Acting Vice-Admiral and Knighted[9] [1][10] |
Headquarters staff
Base HQ was HMS Nile (borne in HMS Maidstone II.
Chief Staff Officer and Flag Captain, Alexandria
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chief Staff Officer and Flag Captain, Alexandria | |||||
| 1 | Acting-Captain |  | R.D. Binney | 25 January 1940 – 12 January 1941 | (retd)[1] |
| 2 | Captain | | B.C.B. Brooke | 12 January 1941 – August 1942 | [1] |
| 3 | Flag Captain | | C.H. Rolleston | 16 November 1942 – October 1943 | (retd)[1] |
| 4 | Captain | | D. Young-Jameson | October – December 1943 | [1] |
Captain-Superintendent, Alexandria
Post holders included:
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Captain-Superintendent, Alexandria | |||||
| 1 | Captain | | W.Y. La R. Beverley | 14 August, 1940 - April, 1942 | [1] |
| 2 | Captain | | C. Coppinger | April, 1942 - December, 1943 | [1][11] |
Flag Lieutenant-Commander, Alexandria
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag Lieutenant-Commander, Alexandria | |||||
| 1 | Flag Lieutenant-Commander |  | R.D. Binney | 25 January 1940 – 12 January 1941 | (retd)[1] |
| 2 | Flag Lieutenant-Commander | | B.C.B. Brooke | 12 January 1941 – August 1942 | [1] |
| 3 | Flag Lieutenant-Commander | | C.H. Rolleston | 16 November 1942 – October 1943 | (retd)[1] |
Secretary, Alexandria
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary, Alexandria | |||||
| 1 | Paymaster-Commander |  | H.C. Lockyer | 24 April 1939 – August 1942 | [1] |
| 2 | Paymaster-Lieutenant-Commander | | C.H.A. Harper, | November 1942 – December 1943 | [1] |
Levant Area
Senior Naval Officer/Commander, Levant Area
Note:The post holder holder was originally styled as Naval Officer-in-Charge, Haifa his title was changed to SNO Levant Area but transferred his base HQ to Beirut.[12]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Commander, Levant Area | |||||
| 1 | Captain | | J.A.V. Morse | October 1941 - 1 April, 1942 | as SNO Levant Area[13] |
| 2 | Commodore |  | D. Young-Jameson | June – December 1943 | as COMM, Levant Area [1] |
Secretary, Levant Area
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Secretary, Levant Area | |||||
| 1 | Paymaster-Lieutenant |  | T.B. Homan | 26 July - September 1943 | [1] |
| 2 | Paymaster-Lieutenant | | M.J.H. Collins | September 1943 – December 1943 | [1] |
Cyprus Area
Naval Officer-in-Charge, Cyprian Ports
Post holders included:
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes/Ref | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Naval Officer-in-Charge, Cyprian Ports | |||||
| 1 | Captain | | M.H.S. Macdonald | 18 November, 1941 - December, 1943 | [1] |
Notes
- ↑ Rear-Admiral, Alexandria reported to the C-in-C, Med Fleet from November 1939 to February 1943 the officer then reports to C-in-C, Levant until December 1943
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 Houterman, Jerome N..; Koppes, Jeroen (2004–2006). "Royal Navy, Mediterranean Fleet 1939-1945". www.unithistories.com. Houterman and Koppes. Retrieved 27 September 2018.
- ↑ Admiralty, Great Britain (December 1940). "Flag Officers in Commission, Officers Commanding Squadrons, Senior Naval Officers". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 936.
- ↑ Admiralty, Great Britain (December 1941). "Flag Officers in Commission, Officers Commanding Squadrons, Senior Naval Officers". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 936.
- ↑ Admiralty, Great Britain (February 1943). "Flag Officers in Commission, Officers Commanding Squadrons, Senior Naval Officers". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. p. 1421.
- ↑ Navy List October 1944 p.2262
- ↑ Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Orgnisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ↑ The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. December 1940. p. 873.
- ↑ Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2018). "A/Rear-Admiral George Hector Creswell , DSO, DSC of the Royal Navy (RN) - Allied Warship Commanders of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ↑ "FIFTH SUPPLEMENT TO The London Gazette Of FRIDAY, the 17th of DECEMBER, 1943" (PDF). The London Gazette. 17 December 1943. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
- ↑ "Flag Officers in Commission". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. October 1944. p. 2262.
- ↑ The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. December 1942. p. 1276.
- ↑ Brown, David (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.I: September 1939 - October 1940. Cambridge, England: Routledge. p. 7. ISBN 9781135281540.
- ↑ Kindell, Don (16 January 2012). "Mediterranean Fleet, Admiralty War Diary 1942". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. Retrieved 28 September 2018.
Sources
- Bertke, Donald A.; Kindell, Don; Smith, Gordon (2012). World War II Sea War, Volume 3 Donald A Bertke, Gordon Smith. ISBN 9781937470012.
- Helgason, Guðmundur (1995–2018). "Allied Warship Commanders of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net.
- Houterman, Jerome N..; Koppes, Jeroen (2004–2006). "Royal Navy, Mediterranean Fleet 1939-1945". www.unithistories.com. Houterman and Koppes, Netherlands.
- Watson, Dr Graham. (2015) "Royal Navy Orgnisation in World War 2, 1939-1945". naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.