Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth


The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post. The commanders-in-chief were based at premises in High Street, Portsmouth from the 1790s until the end of Sir Thomas Williams's tenure, his successor, Sir Philip Durham, being the first to move into Admiralty House at the Royal Navy Dockyard, where subsequent holders of the office were based until 1969. Prior to World War One the officer holder was sometimes referred to in official dispatches as the Commander-in-Chief, Spithead.

History

The Command extended along the south coast from Newhaven in East Sussex to Portland in Dorset. In 1889 the Commander-in-Chief took as his Flagship.
In the late 18th century port admirals began to reside ashore, rather than on board their flagships; the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was provided with a large house at 111 High Street, which was renamed Admiralty House. In the 1830s Admiralty House was sold to the War Office. The Commander-in-Chief moved in turn into the former Dockyard Commissioner's house, which still stands within HMNB Portsmouth.
During the Second World War the Command Headquarters was at Fort Southwick. Operation Aerial, the evacuation from western French ports in 1940, was commanded by Admiral William Milbourne James, the Commander-in-Chief. James lacked the vessels necessary for convoys and organised a flow of troopships, storeships and motor vehicle vessels from Southampton, coasters to ply from Poole and the Dutch schuyts to work from Weymouth, while such warships as were available patrolled the shipping routes. Demolition parties sailed in the ships but it was hoped that supplies and equipment could be embarked as well as troops.
In 1952 the Commander-in-Chief took up the NATO post of Commander-in-Chief, Channel. This move added Allied Command Channel to the NATO Military Command Structure. The admiral commanding at Portsmouth had control naval operations in the area since 1949 under WUDO auspices.
The post of Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was merged with that of Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in 1969 to form the post of Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command. The posts of Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command were amalgamated in 1994 following the rationalisation of the British Armed Forces following the end of the Cold War. In 2012, however, all distinct Commander-in-Chief appointments were discontinued, with full operational command being vested instead in the First Sea Lord; he now flies his flag from HMS Victory.

Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth

Post holder have included:
Considered as the most prestigious of the home commands, Portsmouth Command was responsible for the central part of the English Channel between Newhaven and Isle of Portland. Below is a list of units that served under this command.

Main units

Included:
Main UnitsCommanded byDateNotes
HM Yachts CommandVice-Admiral Commanding HM Yachts
Newhaven Sub-CommandNaval Officer-in-Charge Newhavenheld by a Flag Officer usually retired
Poole Naval AreaNaval Officer-in-Charge Pooleheld by a Flag Officer usually retired
Portsmouth DockyardAdmiral-superintendent, Portsmouth1832–1969renamed Flag Officer, Portsmouth and Admiral Superintendent
Portsmouth Command HQChief of Staff to CinC, Portsmouth1832–1969Flag Officer, in Charge of Headquarters Staff
Portland Naval BaseSenior Naval Officer, Portland1908–1914held by a Captain up-to the rank of RAdm.
Portland Sub-CommandFlag Officer-in-Charge Portland1914–1958
Royal Naval Barracks, PortsmouthCommodore RN Barracks,Portsmouth1898–1969renamed Commander, Naval Base Portsmouth
Southampton Sub-CommandFlag Officer-in-Charge Southampton
Weymouth Naval AreaNaval Officer-in-Charge Weymouthheld by a Flag Officer usually retired

Naval units

Included:
Naval UnitsCommanded byDateNotes
1st Anti-Submarine Flotilla1939–1945
3rd Battle SquadronRear-Admiral, Commanding 3rd Battle Squadron1939–1942Component of Channel Force, 1939
1st Destroyer FlotillaCaptain, 1st Destroyer Flotilla01/1918-01/1919
1st Destroyer FlotillaCaptain, 1st Destroyer Flotilla07/1940-05/1945
4th Destroyer FlotillaCaptain, 4th Destroyer Flotilla12/1916-03/1917
12th Destroyer FlotillaCaptain, 12th Destroyer Flotilla1939-08/1940
16th Destroyer FlotillaCaptain, 16th Destroyer Flotilla1939-08/1940
18th Destroyer FlotillaCaptain, 18th Destroyer Flotilla09-10/1939
4th Minesweeper FlotillaOfficer Commanding, 4th Minesweeper Flotilla04/1944-12/1944
9th Minesweeper FlotillaOfficer Commanding, 9th Minesweeper Flotilla11/1940-05/1945
14th Minesweeper FlotillaOfficer Commanding, 13th Minesweeper Flotilla09/1941-12/1944
2nd Submarine FlotillaOfficer Commanding, 2nd Submarine Flotilla08/1914-08/1916
3rd Submarine FlotillaOfficer Commanding, 3rd Submarine Flotilla1919–1922based at Gosport
5th Submarine FlotillaOfficer Commanding, 5th Submarine Flotilla1919–1939based at Gosport – training & reserve flotilla
6th Submarine FlotillaOfficer Commanding, 6th Submarine Flotilla1919–1939based at Portland – ASW training & reserve flotilla
Channel ForceRear-Admiral Commanding, Channel ForceSeptember–October, 1939based at Portland
Fishery Protection FlotillaOfficer Commanding, Fishery Protection Flotilla1919–1927
Fishery Protection and Minesweeping FlotillaCaptain of Fishery Protection and Minesweeping Flotilla1923–1945
Fishery Protection SquadronCaptain, Fishery Protection Squadron1945–1969
Newhaven Local Defence FlotillaOfficer Commanding, Newhaven Local Defence Flotilla1914–1918
Portsmouth Escort FlotillaOfficer Commanding, Portsmouth Escort Flotilla01/1916-01/1918renamed 1st Destroyer Flotilla
Portland Local Defence FlotillaOfficer Commanding, Portland Local Defence Flotilla1914–1918
Portsmouth Local Defence FlotillaOfficer Commanding, Portsmouth Local Defence Flotilla1914–1927
Reserve FleetFlag Officer Commanding, Reserve Fleet1700–1960
Royal Navy Coastal ForcesRear-Admiral, Coastal Forces1914–1918, 1939–1968
Royal Navy Submarine ServiceChief of the Submarine Service1919–1929
Royal Navy Submarine ServiceRear Admiral Submarines1929–1944
Royal Navy Submarine ServiceFlag Officer, Submarines1944–1969

Shore units

Included:
Other UnitsCommanded byDateNotes
HMS Dolphin 1904–1969Royal Navy Submarine School
HMS Dryad 1939–1969Royal Navy's Maritime Warfare School
HMS Grasshopper 1939–1946Coastal forces base, Weymouth
HMS Hornet 1941–1956HQ Coastal Force
HMS Marlborough 1939–1945Torpedo school, Eastbourne
HMS Mercury Captain of Royal Navy Signals School1941–1969Royal Navy Signals School and Combined Signals School
HMS King Alfred 1939–1946RNVR officers training establishment- Sussex Division – Hove
Portsmouth Signal SchoolCaptain of Portsmouth Signal School1916–1941
Signal SchoolSuperintendent of Signal Schools1901–1920
HMS St Vincent 1927–1969Boys Training School, Gosport
HMS Sultan 1914–1969Mechanical engineering school
HMS Turtle 1946–?Combined operations training establishment, based at Poole
HMS Vernon 1876–1969Torpedo and mining school