Military unit
British Naval Forces Germany was a command (military formation) of the Royal Navy that was active from 1944 to 1961 under three titles.
It was administered originally by the British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany from 1944 to 1946. In 1946 the commander's title changed to Vice-Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany from 1946 to 1947, before being renamed to Flag Officer, British Naval Forces Germany until 1961.[ 1]
History In 1944, the Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief, Expeditionary Force, was also given the title of British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany. In addition, he became also Head of the Naval Division of the Control Commission for Germany, not always in attendance in Berlin, he was represented by a Deputy Head who attended the BERGOS (Chiefs of Staff) meetings.[ 2]
His headquarters were initially at Hamburg and then transferred later at Minden . His title was altered in 1946 to Vice Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany.[ 3] In 1947 the post holders title was changed to Flag Officer Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany. Apart from his additional role as Chief British Naval Representative in the Allied Control Commission (Germany) , he was responsible for all naval matters in Western Germany, Denmark, Holland and Norway.[ 4]
As British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany, he was supported by a number of flag officers some of whose titles changed, due to an expanding of their particular command areas and duties. Rear-Admiral Harold Tom Baillie-Grohman began his appointment in 1944 as Flag Officer-in-Charge, Kiel but then became Flag Officer, Schleswig-Holstein. Baillie-Grohman's main task was eliminating remnants of the Kriegsmarine . Flag Officer, Wilhelmshaven became Flag Officer, Western Germany.[ 5]
In May 1951 the admiral's title was changed again to Flag Officer, Germany.[ 6] In 1955 the Secretary of State for Defence described the admiral's duties as "The Flag Officer, Germany, in his North Atlantic Treaty Organisation capacity as the Commander, Allied Naval Forces, Northern Area, Central Europe, is responsible to the Supreme Allied
Commander, Europe, for naval planning matters in the British Zone and for the operational control of the Royal Naval forces in Germany. He is the naval member of the Commanders-in-Chief Committee (Germany) which is responsible to the Chiefs of Staff Committee in this country. The entry into force of the Paris Treaties will not affect the foregoing duties of the post until at least the future German navy is capable of performing the tasks required of naval forces in Germany."
In 1961 the post was disestablished.
The command had its headquarters in four successive locations:
Flag Officers
British Naval Commander-in-Chief, GermanyPost holders included:
Rank
Flag
Name
Term
Notes/Ref
British Naval Commander-in-Chief, Germany
1
Admiral
Sir Bertram Ramsay
27 April 1944 – May 1945
2
Admiral
Sir Harold M. Burrough
May 1945 – March 1946
[ 12]
Flag Officer, Holland
Rank
Flag
Name
Term
Notes/Ref
Flag Officer, Holland
1
Rear-Admiral
Gerald C. Dickens
1944–1945
[ 13] ret. Adm recommissioned as Radm.
Flag Officer-in-Charge, Kiel
Flag Officer, Norway
Rank
Flag
Name
Term
Notes/Ref
Flag Officer, Norway
1
Rear-Admiral
James Stewart McClaren Ritchie
1944–1945
[ 17]
Flag Officer, Schleswig-Holstein
Rank
Flag
Name
Term
Notes/Ref
Flag Officer, Schleswig-Holstein
1
Rear-Admiral
Harold Tom Baillie-Grohman
1945–1946
[ 18]
Flag Officer, Western Germany
Flag Officer, Wilhelmshaven
Commodore-in-Charge, Hamburg
Rank
Flag
Name
Term
Notes/Ref
Commodore-in-Charge, Hamburg
1
Commodore
Hugh England
1944–1945
[ 22]
Vice-Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany
Rank
Flag
Name
Term
Notes/Ref
Vice-Admiral Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany
1
Vice-Admiral
Sir Harold T.C. Walker
March 1946-June 1947
[ 23]
Flag Officer Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany
Rank
Flag
Name
Term
Notes/Ref
Flag Officer Commanding, British Naval Forces, Germany
1
Rear-Admiral
Stephen H. T. Arliss
June 1947 – August 1949
[ 24]
2
Rear-Admiral
Archibald Day
August 1949 – April 1950
[ 25]
3
Rear-Admiral
Lachlan D. Mackintosh
April–November 1950
[ 26]
4
Rear-Admiral
George W. G. Simpson
November 1950 – -May 1951
[ 27]
Flag Officer, Germany
Units and shore establishments Shore establishments and units in Germany at various times from 1945 included:[ 34] [ 35]
Location
Unit
In command
Dates
Notes/Ref
Berlin
HQ HMS Royal Prince
Flag Officer, Berlin
March–August 1945
shore establishment
Hamburg
HQ HMS Royal Alfred
Flag Officer-in-Charge, Hamburg
1944
shore establishment
Kiel /Travemünde
HQ HMS Royal Alfred
Flag Officer-in-Charge, Kiel
1945–1946
shore establishment
Ploen
HQ HMS Royal Alfred
Flag Officer, Schleswig Holstein
1945–1946
shore establishment
Wilhelmshaven
HQ HMS Royal Katherine
Flag Officer, Wilhelmshaven
1944–1945
shore establishment
Wilhelmshaven
HQ HMS Royal Katherine
Flag Officer, Western Germany
1945–1946
shore establishment
Kiel /Travemünde
HQ HMS Royal Alfred
Senior Naval Officer Schleswig Holstein
1945–1946
shore establishment
Bad Oeynhausen
HQ British Army on the Rhine
Royal Navy Representative C-in-C Committee, Germany
1958
Berlin
HQ HMS Princess Irene
Senior Naval Officer, Royal Navy Headquarters, Germany
shore establishment
Brunsbüttel
HMS Princess Louise
1945–1946
shore establishment
Cuxhaven
Minesweeping Unit
Control Commission Germany
1948–1951
Cuxhaven
Elbe Squadron
Commanding Officer, Elbe Squadron
Cuxhaven
HMS Augusta
1945–1946
administrative unit ms
Cuxhaven
HQ HMS Royal Albert
Naval Officer-in-Charge, Cuxhaven
1945–1948
accounting base
Eckernförde
HQ HMS Princess Caroline
1945–1946
shore establishment
Flensburg
HQ HMS Royal Alexandra
Naval Officer-in-Charge, Flensburg
1945–1946
shore establishment
Flensburg
HQ HMS Royal Alexandra
Senior Naval Officer-in-Charge, Flensburg
1946–1947
shore establishment
Kiel
British Baltic Fishery Protection Service
1949–1955
covert intelligence unit[ 36]
Kiel
HQ Land Commissioner, Schleswig-Holstein
Naval Liaison Officer to LC, Schleswig-Holstein
Kiel
HMS Royal Charlotte
Senior Officer Intelligence Kiel
1945
intelligence unit
Kiel
HMS Royal Harold
Naval Officer-in-Charge, Kiel
1945–1948
shore establishment
Krefeld
Rhine Flotilla
Commanding Officer, Rhine Flotilla
1950
[ 37]
Krefeld
Rhine Squadron
Commanding Officer, Rhine Squadron
1954
[ 38]
Lübeck
HQ Royal Caroline
Naval Officer in Charge, Lubeck
1945–1946
shore establishment
Lübeck
1 Commando Brigade
Commander 1st Commando Brigade
May–July 1945
Royal Marines
Sylt
HMS Royal Adelaide
Naval Officer-in-Charge, Sylt
May–October 1945
shore establishment
Tonning
HMS Royal Adelaide
1945–1946
shore establishment
Travemünde
HMS Royal Caroline
shore establishment
Wilhelmshaven
HQ HMS Royal Rupert
Naval Officer in Charge, Wilhelmshaven
1945–1950
shore establishment
References
^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty: Office of the British Naval Commander in Chief, Germany: Papers" . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . London, England: The National Archives. Retrieved 22 October 2018 . ADM 228
^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty: Office of the British Naval Commander in Chief, Germany: Papers" . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . London, England: The National Archives. Retrieved 22 October 2018 . ADM 228
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (July 1946). "Flag Officers in Commission". Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 1869.
^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty: Office of the British Naval Commander in Chief, Germany: Papers" . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . London, England: The National Archives. Retrieved 22 October 2018 . ADM 228
^ Madsen, Chris (1998). The Royal Navy and German Naval Disarmament, 1942–1947 . Cambridge, England: Psychology Press. p. 149. ISBN 9780714648231 .
^ Navy List May 1951. p. 386
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (July 1945). "Flag Officers in Commission". Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 2348.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (July 1946). "Flag Officers in Commission". Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 1868.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (October 1948). "Flag Officers in Commission". Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 1038.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (April 1956). "Flag Officers in Commission". Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 303.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (January 1958). "Flag Officers in Commission". Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 303.
^ "HyperWar: London Gazette No. 38171" . www.ibiblio.org . United States: University of South Carolina. 6 January 1948. Retrieved 22 October 2018 .
^ "HyperWar: London Gazette No. 38171" . www.ibiblio.org . United States: University of South Carolina. 6 January 1948. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ "HyperWar: London Gazette No. 38171" . www.ibiblio.org . United States: University of South Carolina. 6 January 1948. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ Grehan, John; Mace, Martin (2014). "Prospects of Opening a North German Port: 30" . Liberating Europe: D-Day to Victory in Europe 1944–1945 . Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword. ISBN 9781473838277 .
^ Grehan and Mace 2014.
^ Houterman, J.N. "Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939–1945 - R" . www.unithistories.com . Houterman and Koppes. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ "HyperWar: London Gazette No. 38171" . www.ibiblio.org . United States: University of South Carolina. 6 January 1948. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ "HyperWar: London Gazette No. 38171" . www.ibiblio.org . United States: University of South Carolina. 6 January 1948. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ "HyperWar: London Gazette No. 38171" . www.ibiblio.org . United States: University of South Carolina. 6 January 1948. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ Grehan and Mace 2014.
^ Madsen, Chris (1998). The Royal Navy and German Naval Disarmament, 1942–1947 . Cambridge, England: Psychology Press. p. 46. ISBN 9780714648231 .
^ House of Commons. "Naval Commands and Flag Officers (Hansard, 10 April 1946)" . api.parliament.uk . London, United Kingdom: Hansard. Retrieved 22 October 2018 . Vol 421 cc1897-9
^ Mackie, Colin (October 2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865: Flag Officer, Germany" (PDF) . gulabin.com . C. Mackie. p. 162. Retrieved 22 October 2018 .
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (May 1951). "Flag Officers in Commission". Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 386.
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Mackie p. 162
^ Kindell, Don; Warlow, Lt Cdr Ben (October 1995). "Naval Party, Royal Navy, 1942–1991 by Ben Warlow" . www.naval-history.net . Gordon Smith. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ "BOAR Locations: Royal Navy Germany" . www.baor-locations.org . The Baor Organisation. 5 October 2009. Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ Hess, Sigurd (2001). "The Clandestine Operations of Hans Helmut Klose and the British Baltic Fishery Protection Service (BBFPS) 1949–1956" . Journal of Intelligence History . 1 (2). LIT Verlag Münster: 169. doi :10.1080/16161262.2001.10555054 . ISBN 9783825806439 . S2CID 162499902 . Retrieved 23 October 2018 .
^ Archives, The National (6 June 1950). "Memorandum Number 192 of 1950. Royal Naval Rhine Flotilla: memorandum by the First Sea Lord" . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . London, England: The National Archives. Retrieved 23 October 2018 . DEFE 5/21/192
^ Archives, The National (1954). "Reports of Proceedings: Royal Navy Rhine Squadron: autumn cruise including visit to Basle" . discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk . London, England: The National Archives. Retrieved 23 October 2018 . ADM 1/25565
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