Admiralty War Staff
- Admiralty Naval Staff
Whitehall
London
- Chief of the War Staff
- Assistant Chief of the War Staff
- Special Services War Staff
The Admiralty War Staff[1] was the former senior naval staff operational planning organisation within the British Admiralty that existed from 1912 to 1917. It was instituted on 8 January 1912 by Winston Churchill in his capacity as First Lord of the Admiralty[2] and was in effect a war council whose head reported directly to the First Sea Lord. After the First World War ended, the War Staff was replaced by the Admiralty Naval Staff department.[3][4]
History and development
The department's development can be traced back to 1887. It evolved out of some of the functions within the Naval Intelligence Department (NID), which originally administered two divisions: Foreign Intelligence Division and Mobilisation Division.
In 1900 a Defence Division was created, later called the War Division, to deal with issues of strategy and defence. In 1902 a fourth function was added, the Trade Division, which was created for matters relating to the protection of merchant shipping.
The Trade Division was abolished in October 1909 in the wake of the Committee of Imperial Defence inquiry into the feud between the First Sea Lord, Admiral Sir John Fisher and former Commander-in-Chief Channel Fleet, Admiral Lord Charles Beresford, when it was discovered that the captain heading the Trade Division had been supplying the latter with confidential information during the inquiry.[5]
Following restructuring the NID was relieved of its responsibility for war planning and strategy when the outgoing Fisher created an Admiralty Navy War Council[6] as a stop-gap remedy to criticisms emanating from the Beresford Inquiry that the Navy needed a naval staff, a role the NID had been in fact fulfilling since at least 1900, if not earlier. After this re-organisation, war planning and strategic matters were transferred to the newly created Naval Mobilisation Department (NMD), and the NID reverted to the position it held prior to 1887, an intelligence collection and collation organisation,[7] but its director remained one of the First Sea Lord's principal advisors.
Sir John Fisher had made known his support for the need of a Naval Staff as early as 1902. In creating a staff the Admiralty was certainly lagging behind, particularly when the War Office had a General Staff department as early as 1904, to deal with the aftermath of the Boer War and an assessment of the problems they faced the Admiralty. However, at this point it had no Senior Staff department.
In May 1909, the Director of Naval Intelligence, Rear-Admiral The Honourable Alexander E. Bethell, submitted a proposal for a Navy War Council composed of the First Sea Lord as President, the Director of Naval Intelligence as Vice-President, an Assistant Director for War, the President and the Captain of the Royal Naval War College, and the Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord. The head of the Naval Intelligence Department's War Division and the Commander of the Royal Naval War College were to act as Joint Secretaries.[8]
Establishment
In 1911, Winston Churchill, the First Lord of the Admiralty, communicated to the Prime Minister that the Admiral of the Fleet was opposed to any formation of a new naval staff, and because of this he insisted that he be relieved of his duties by January 1912. Churchill would continue to brief the Prime Minister as the project developed and advised him as to what the composition of the new staff department might initially entail:
- War Education Division
- War Information Division
- War Planning Division
- War Mobilisation Division
These divisions would be headed by a new Chief of the War Staff answerable to the Board of Admiralty and supported by an Assistant Chief of the War Staff. In January 1912, the First Lord released his communique detailing the administrative function of the new department and listed the following new appointments.
- Chief of the War Staff
- Director of the Operations Division
- Director of the Intelligence Division
- Director of the Mobilization Division
From 1912, onward additional divisions were established headed by directors responsible for their particular function.
At its founding, 12 officers were selected to undergo the new course of training for staff officer. Reginald Plunkett was the first officer selected.[2]
Duties
As stated in the Churchill Memorandum on a War Staff for the Royal Navy[9] Point 10: The functions of the War Staff will be advisory. The Chief of the Staff, when decision has been taken upon any proposal, will be jointly responsible with the secretary for the precise form in which the necessary orders to the Fleet are issued, but the Staff will possess no executive authority. It will discharge no administrative duties. Its responsibilities will end with the tendering of advice and with the accuracy of the facts on which that advice is based.
Disestablishment
In early spring 1917 the name "War Staff" was abolished and a replaced by an Admiralty Naval Staff. The First Sea Lord also assumed title of Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) and staff functions were grouped under two new heads, the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (DCNS) and the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (ACNS).
Chiefs of the War Staff
Chiefs of the War Staff included:[10]
Rank | Name | Image | In office | Notes | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rear Admiral | Ernest Troubridge | January 1912 – January 1913 | [11] | ||
Admiral | Sir Henry Jackson | January 1913 – July 1914 | [11] | ||
Vice Admiral | Sir Doveton Sturdee | July 1914 – November 1914 | [11] | ||
Admiral | Henry Oliver | November 1914 – May 1917 | [11] |
Assistants to the Chief of the War Staff
Assistants to the Chiefs of the War Staff included:[11]
Rank | Name | Image | In office | Notes | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Commander | Tufton Beamish | January 1912 – April 1913 | [12] | ||
Captain | Arthur Vyvyan | January 1913 – October 1914 | |||
Lieutenant colonel | John Rose, RMLI | September 1914 – October 1914 | |||
Captain | Sydney Fremantle | September 1914 – July 1915 | |||
Lieutenant colonel | Harry Farquharson, RM | October 1914 – March 1915 | |||
Captain | Arthur May | May 1915 – January 1918 | |||
Captain | Henry W. Grant | May 1915 – January 1918 |
Special Service, War Staff
Special Service, War Staff included:[11]
Rank | Name | Image | In office | Notes | Reference |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vice Admiral | Sir Edmond Slade. | April 1915 – November 1918 | retired flag officer | ||
Vice Admiral | Sir Douglas Gamble. | July 1915 – May 1917 | retired flag officer | ||
Vice Admiral | Sir Robert Ommanney. | August 1915 - – November 1918 | retired flag officer | ||
Captain | the Hon. Charles Dormer | July 1915 – November 1918 | |||
Captain | Egerton Scrivener | July 1915 – November 1918 |
Operational divisions
As of December 1916, operational divisions included:[10]
- Anti-Submarine Division, formed in 1916
- Naval Intelligence Division, formed in 1912
- Operations Division, formed in 1912
- Mobilisation Division, formed in 1912
- Signals Section (Combined Operations), formed in 1916
- Trade Division, formed in 1914
References
- ^ Black, Nicholas (2011). British naval staff in the First World War. Woodbridge: Boydell Press. pp. 15–52. ISBN 978-1843836551.
- ^ a b "Obituary: Sir Reginald Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax – First Director of the Naval Staff College". The Times. 18 October 1967. p. 12.
- ^ Moretz, Joseph (6 December 2012). The Royal Navy and the Capital Ship in the Interwar Period: An Operational Perspective. Routledge. p. 247. ISBN 9781136340369.
- ^ Archives, The National. "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
- ^ Hurd, Archibald (1921). "The Merchant Navy". John Murray. Retrieved 7 November 2015.
- ^ Kennedy, Paul (24 April 2014). The War Plans of the Great Powers (RLE The First World War): 1880-1914. Routledge. p. 128. ISBN 9781317702528.
- ^ Strachan, Hew (2003). The First World War: Volume I: To Arms. Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0199261918.
- ^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony. "Navy War Council - The Dreadnought Project". dreadnoughtproject.org. Lovell and Harley, 2007.
- ^ Churchill, Randolph S. (1969). Winston S. Churchill (Repr. ed.). London: Heinemann. pp. 1486–1490. ISBN 0434130087.
- ^ a b Black, Nicholas Duncan. "The Admiralty War Staff and its influence on the conduct of the naval war between 1914 and 1918" (PDF). discovery.ucl.ac.uk. University College London, 2005. Retrieved 18 January 2017.
- ^ a b c d e f Black, Nicholas Duncan (2005). "The Admiralty War Staff and its influence on the conduct of the naval war between 1914 and 1918" (PDF). discovery.ucl.ac.uk. University College London. pp. 236–237. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
- ^ Great Britain, Admiralty (1912). The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 100.
Attribution
Primary source for this article is by Harley Simon, Lovell Tony, (2017), Admiralty War Staff (Royal Navy), dreadnoughtproject.org, http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org.
Sources
- Black, Nicholas (2009). The British Naval Staff in the First World War. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843834427.
- Harley, Simon and Lovell, Tony (2007).The Admiralty War Staff, dreadnoughtproject.org, Harley and Lovell.
- Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division (1929). The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. Its Work and Development. B.R. 1845 (late C.B. 3013). Copy at The National Archives. ADM 234/434.
- "Proposals by Director of Naval Intelligence for carrying out the Duties of a General Staff and Re-organisation of the Naval Intelligence Department." 15 May 1909. The National Archives. ADM 1/8047.
- Rodger. N.A.M., (1979) The Admiralty (offices of state), T. Dalton, Lavenham, ISBN 978-0900963940.
External links
- v
- t
- e
of Admiralty and Naval affairs
the First Lord
- Board of Admiralty
- Navy Board
- Navy Office
- Navy Pay Office
- Office of the Naval Secretary
- Office of the First Naval Lord
- Office of the First Sea Lord
- Office of the Senior Naval Lord
- Office of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty
- Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty
- Office of the Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty
Admirals
Naval/Sea Lords
War and Naval Staff
the First Sea Lord
strategy, tactical doctrine
requirements
- Admiralty Navy War Council
- Admiralty War Staff
- Admiralty Naval Staff
under the War and
Naval Staff
- Administrative Planning Department
- Administrative Planning Division
- Air Division
- Anti-Submarine Division
- Anti-Submarine and Warfare Division
- Anti-U-boat Division
- Air Warfare Division
- Air Warfare and Fly Training Division
- Air Warfare and Training Division
- Combined Operations Division
- Communications Division
- Convoy Section
- Directorate of Defence Plans (Navy)
- Economic Warfare Division
- Gunnery and Anti-Aircraft Warfare Division
- Gunnery Division
- Gunnery and Torpedo Division
- Historical Section
- Local Defence Division Division
- Mercantile Movements Division
- Naval Air Division
- Naval Air Organisation and Training Division
- Naval Artillery and Torpedoes Division
- Navigation and Direction Division
- Navigation Division
- Minesweeping Division
- Mobilisation Division
- Naval Intelligence Division
- Operations Division
- Operations Division (Home)
- Operations Division (Foreign)
- Operations Division (Mining)
- Plans Division
- Plans Division (Q)
- Press Division
- Signal Division
- Signal Section
- Standardisation Division
- Tactical Division
- Tactical and Weapons Policy Division
- Torpedo Division
- Torpedo, Anti-Submarine and Minewarfare Division
- Trade Division
- Trade and Operations Division
- Training and Staff Duties Division
- Tactical and Staff Duties Division
- Undersurface Warfare Division
and organisations
under the Sea Lords
- Admiralty Area Cash Offices
- Admiralty Central Dockyard Laboratory
- Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory
- Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service
- Admiralty Compass Observatory
- Admiralty Constabulary
- Admiralty Constabulary Headquarters
- Admiralty Engineering Laboratory
- Admiralty Experimental Station
- Admiralty Experiment Works
- Admiralty Gunnery Establishment
- Admiralty Interview Board
- Admiralty Labour Department
- Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment
- Admiralty Materials Laboratory
- Admiralty Mine Design Department
- Admiralty Mining Establishment
- Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory
- Admiralty Record Office
- Admiralty Regional Offices
- Admiralty Research Laboratory
- Admiralty Signal Establishment
- Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment
- Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment
- Admiralty Surveying Service
- Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment
- Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment
- Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment
- Architectural and Engineering Works Department
- Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department
- Air Department
- Air Materiel Department
- Air Personnel Department
- Amphibious Warfare Headquarters
- Armament Supply Department
- Board of Invention and Research
- Board of Longitude
- Boom Defence Department
- Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department
- Britannia Royal Naval College
- Chemical Board
- Chemical Department
- Civil Catering Department
- Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department
- Coastguard and Reserves Branch
- Combined Operations Headquarters
- Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department
- Compass Department
- Contract and Purchase Department
- Council of Naval Education
- Dental Examining Board
- Department of Radio Equipment
- Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy
- Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research
- Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development
- Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord
- Department of Naval Education
- Operational Research
- Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments
- Department of Physical Research
- Department of Physical Training & Sports
- Department of Radio Equipment
- Department of Research Programmes and Planning
- Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation
- Department of the Admiral of the Training Service
- Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance
- Department of the Chief of Naval Information
- Department of the Chief Scientist
- Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief
- Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery
- Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services
- Department of the Controller of the Navy
- Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding
- Department of the Controller for Navy Pay
- Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding
- Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding
- Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships
- Department of the Director-General Aircraft
- Department of the Director-General of Manpower
- Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch
- Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair
- Department of the Director of Contract Labour
- Department of the Director of Dockyards
- Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering
- Department of the Director of Manning
- Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding
- Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
- Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs
- Department of the Director of Naval Construction
- Department of the Director of Naval Equipment
- Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting
- Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service
- Department of the Director of Personal Services
- Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports
- Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining
- Department of the Director of Transports
- Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons
- Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials
- Department of the Director of Unexploded Bombs
- Department of the Director of Warship Production
- Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions
- Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal
- Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training
- Department of the Engineer in Chief
- Department of the Paymaster Director-General
- Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons
- Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts
- Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets
- Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy
- Department of the Physician of the Navy
- Department of the Physician General of the Navy
- Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy
- Department of the Surveyor of Buildings
- Department of the Surveyor of Dockyards
- Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training)
- Directorate General Training
- Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department
- Dockyards Branch
- Dockyard Expense Accounts Department
- Dockyard Schools
- Electrical Engineering Department
- Engineer Branch
- Engineering Department
- Experimental Department
- Fire Control Group
- Greenwich Hospital Department
- Inspector of Telegraphs
- Inspector of Repairs
- Joint Warfare Establishment
- Medical Consultative Board
- Medical Examining Board
- Historical Section
- Hydrographic Department
- Marine Department
- Marine Pay Department
- Materials and Priority Department
- Medical Consultative Board
- Medical Department
- Medical Examining Board
- Movements Department
- Nautical Almanac Office
- Naval Artillery and Torpedo Department
- Naval Engineering College
- Naval Equipment Department
- Naval Historical Branch
- Naval Construction Department
- Naval Intelligence Department
- Naval Medical Service
- Naval Law Division
- Naval Manpower Department
- Naval Mobilisation Department
- Naval Ordnance Department
- Naval Ordnance Inspection Department
- Naval Ordnance Stores Department
- Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department
- Naval Publicity Department
- Naval Regional Offices
- Naval Reserve Department
- Naval Security Department
- Naval Stores Department
- Naval Training Department
- Naval Works Department
- Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
- Navy and Army Canteen Board
- Navy Works Department
- Navigation Department
- Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope
- Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves
- Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves
- Office of the Admiralty Chemist
- Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty
- Office of the Assistant Controller
- Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development
- Office of the Clerk of the Journals
- Office of the Chief Polaris Executive
- Office of the Deputy Controller of Navy
- Office of the Deputy Controller Production
- Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord
- Office of the Inspector Gun Mountings
- Office of the Keeper of Records
- Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval)
- Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy
- Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages
- Office of the Vice Controller Air
- Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy
- Organisation and Methods Department
- Packet Service
- Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
- Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
- Royal Flying Corps
- Royal Marine Police
- Royal Marines Office
- Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet
- Royal Naval Academy
- Royal Naval Aircraft Workshops
- Royal Naval Air Service
- Royal Naval Air Stations
- Royal Naval Armaments Depot
- Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
- Royal Naval Cordite Factories
- Royal Naval Propellant Factory
- Royal Naval College
- Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture
- Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
- Royal Naval College, Greenwich
- Royal Naval College, Keyham
- Royal Naval College, Osborne
- Royal Naval Engineering College
- Royal Naval Film Corporation
- Royal Naval Hospital
- Royal Naval Medical Depot
- Royal Naval Minewatching Service
- Royal Naval Mine Depot
- Royal Naval Patrol Service
- Royal Naval Scientific Service
- Royal Naval Sick Quarters
- Royal Naval Torpedo Depot
- Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
- Royal Naval War College
- Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth
- Royal Navy Dockyard
- Royal Navy Medical Service
- Royal Navy Shore Signal Service
- Royal Observatory, Greenwich
- Royal School of Naval Architecture
- Salvage Department
- School of Mathematics and Naval Construction
- Scientific Research and Experiment Department
- Sea Transport Branch
- Sea Transport Department
- Sea Transport Division
- Ship Department
- Ship Design Department
- Signal Department
- Signal School
- Sixpenny Office
- Statistics Department
- Steam Department
- Superintendent of De-magnetisation
- Torpedo Experimental Establishment
- Transport Department
- Undersurface Warfare Department
- Victualling Department
- Volunteer Boys and Cadet Corps
- Weapons Department
- Weapons Department (Naval)
- Women's Royal Naval Service
- Wireless Telegraphy Board
- 1st Fleet
- 2nd Fleet
- 3rd Fleet
- Commander-in-Chief, Africa
- Atlantic Fleet
- Commodore, Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf
- Australia Station
- Cape of Good Hope Station
- Cape and West Africa Station
- Battle Cruiser Fleet
- Battle Cruiser Force
- Caspian Flotilla
- Channel Fleet
- Channel Squadron
- Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland
- Cork Station
- Coast of Scotland
- Commander-in-Chief, China
- Commander-in-Chief, Dover
- Flag Officer, East Africa
- East Indies Station
- East Indies and China Station
- Eastern Fleet
- Far East Fleet
- English Channel
- Grand Fleet
- Flag Officer Gibraltar
- Harwich Force
- Home Fleet
- Jamaica Station
- Leith Station
- Commander-in-Chief, Levant
- Levant and East Mediterranean
- Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands
- Mediterranean Fleet
- Medway
- Newfoundland Station
- New Zealand Division
- New Zealand Naval Forces
- Nore
- North America and West Indies Station
- Commander-in-Chief, North Sea
- Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
- Pacific Fleet
- Pacific Station
- Admiral of Patrols
- Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
- Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
- Queenstown Station
- Royal East African Navy
- Royal Indian Navy
- Flag Officer Submarines
- Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth
- Reserve Fleet
- Scotland and Northern Ireland
- Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic
- South East Coast of America Station
- Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway
- West Africa Squadron
- Flag Officer, West Africa
- Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary
- Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty
- Accountant-General's Department
- Comptroller of the Navy
- Department of the Surveyor of the Navy
and the Admiralty Secretariat
- Department of the Permanent Secretary
Permanent Secretary
- Admiralty Central Copying Branch
- Admiralty Central Registry Branch
- Admiralty Record Office
- Admiralty Library
- Admiralty Secretariat
- Air Branch
- Civil Branch
- Legal Branch
- Military Branch
- Naval Branch
- Ship Branch
- Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Department of the Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty
Civil Lords
- Accountant-General's Department
- Contract and Purchase Department
- Department of the Director of Contract Labour
- Department of the Surveyor of Buildings
- Department of the Director of Works
- Greenwich Hospital Department
- Works Loan Department
- Admiralty Judicial Department
- Admiralty court
- High Court of Admiralty
- Office of the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty
- High Court of Justice
- Office of the Judge Advocate of the Fleet
- Office of the Marshall High Court of the Admiralty
- Office of the Admiralty Advocate
- Office of the Admiralty Proctor
- Office of the Chief Naval Judge Advocate
- Office of the Counsel for the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy
- Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty
- Office of the Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet
- Office of the Receiver of Droits High Court of Admiralty
- Office of the Registrar High Court of the Admiralty
- Office of the Solicitor for the Affairs of the Admiralty
- Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty and Navy
- Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty
- Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty
- Court of Admiralty for the Cinque Ports
- King's Bench Division (Admiralty)
- Queens's Bench Division (Admiralty)
- Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division
- Vice Admiralty courts
- Colonial Courts of Admiralty