Difference between revisions of "Henry Francis Oliver"

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<blockquote>Towards the end of 1923 I got the usual formal letter from the First Lord, Amery, offering me the Atlantic Fleet but the duration of the appointment was not mentioned.  There had been a tendency to cut down the duration of appointments and I was on very good terms with Amery so I took the letter to Amery and told him I had been a Naval Secretary and his Naval Secretary had left something out.  he asked what it was and I told him that "the duration of the appointment would be for 3 years".  This was added to the letter and I took it back and wrote my formal acceptance.  This was of great use to me later on as it enabled me to hold the command for 3 years when other C's-in-C were relieved in 2 years.<ref>Oliver.  '''II'''.  p. 247.</ref></blockquote>  
 
<blockquote>Towards the end of 1923 I got the usual formal letter from the First Lord, Amery, offering me the Atlantic Fleet but the duration of the appointment was not mentioned.  There had been a tendency to cut down the duration of appointments and I was on very good terms with Amery so I took the letter to Amery and told him I had been a Naval Secretary and his Naval Secretary had left something out.  he asked what it was and I told him that "the duration of the appointment would be for 3 years".  This was added to the letter and I took it back and wrote my formal acceptance.  This was of great use to me later on as it enabled me to hold the command for 3 years when other C's-in-C were relieved in 2 years.<ref>Oliver.  '''II'''.  p. 247.</ref></blockquote>  
  
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He was promoted to {{FleetRN}} and G.C.B. in 1928 and retired in 1933.  He was restored to the Active List in 1940 but was denied wartime employment.
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On 21 January, 1928, Oliver was promoted to the rank of {{FleetRN}.<ref>''London Gazette'': [http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/33354/pages/856 no. 33354.  p. 856.]  7 February, 1928.</ref>
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He was restored to the Active List in 1940 but was denied wartime employment.
  
 
==Footnotes==
 
==Footnotes==

Revision as of 13:41, 30 March 2011

Admiral of the Fleet SIR Henry Francis Oliver, G.C.B., K.C.M.G., M.V.O., HON. L.L.D., Royal Navy (22 January, 1865 – 15 October, 1965) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War. Joining the Navy in 1878, he qualified as a Navigator. After a long period of service in the Surveying Service, he became a Navigating Officer of distinction - his exploits as navigator to Admiral Sir Arthur K. Wilson in the Channel Squadron became legendary. He was chosen to organise and take charge of the Navy's first Navigation school at Portsmouth, and thereafter was given a series of more important appointments. Just before promotion to Flag Rank in 1913 he was appointed to the Admiralty War Staff as Director of the Intelligence Division.

Upon the outbreak of the First World War he was appointed first Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty, and then Chief of the Admiralty War Staff, which post he held from 1914 to 1917. That year the position was renamed Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, and in 1918 he left Whitehall to take command of the Second Battle Cruiser Squadron in the Grand Fleet, where he remained till the conclusion of peace in 1919. For a large period of the war, through his untiring efforts, Oliver was instrumental in the prosecution of the war effort. His alleged "centralisation" has come in for much criticism from supporters of the Naval Staff system.

After the war Oliver took command of the Home (later Reserve Fleet), and was appointed Second Sea Lord at the Admiralty. His final service was as Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet from 1924 to 1927. In 1928 he attained the pinnacle of a seaman's career, the rank of Admiral of the Fleet. He was placed on the Retired List on 21 January, 1933, after fifty-four years on the Active List of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Oliver was appointed to the Training Ship Britannia at Dartmouth on 15 July, 1878. He left on 22 July, 1880, and gained six months' time towards the rank of Midshipman. On 23 July he was appointed to the Agincourt,[1] flagship of the Rear-Admiral Second-in-Command of the Channel Squadron. He joined her at Plymouth on 6 September, having collected his sea chest and changed into uniform at Rosekelly's, the Shipping Agents in Cornwall Street. Mrs. Rosekelly, wife of the proprietor, arranged for her two sons to row Oliver out to the Agincourt for free - the two sons then refused to let him off the boat unless he paid them ten shillings. Mrs. Rosekelly found out and sent him the money.[2] Of the ship's Naval Instructor Oliver recalled, "He never tried to teach us."[3] He was rated Midshipman on 31 January, 1881.

On 21 March, 1882, he was appointed to the Amethyst in the Brazils.[4]

On 21 January, 1885, he was appointed Acting Sub-Lieutenant.[5]

He was appointed to H.M.S. Excellent for Examinations on 8 September, 1885.[6]

On 1 November, 1886, he was appointed to the Triumph on the Pacific Station.[7]

Lieutenant

He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 30 June, 1888.[8] He was reappointed to Triumph on promotion.[9] On 4 December Triumph paid off.

On 8 January, 1889 he was appointed to the Training Ship Lion.[10]

He was accordingly appointed to the Stork on 27 April, 1889.[11]

He was reappointed to her for Navigating Duties on 1 December, 1891.[12]

Stork paid off on 24 February, 1894. On 14 May he was appointed to President for a Compass Course.[13]

On 11 June he was appointed to the Pembroke as Navigator of the Thetis. On 29 November he was appointed Navigator of the Wallaroo on the Australian Station.[14]

On 26 July, 1897, Oliver was appointed to Pembroke as Navigator of the new cruiser Endymion.[15]

On 20 January, 1898, he joined Blake as Navigating Officer.[16]

He was appointed to the cruiser Niobe as Navigating Officer on 6 December, 1898.[17]

Commander

Oliver was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1899,[18] and was reappointed as Commander (N) of Niobe on the same day.[19]

On 12 September, 1900, he was appointed Navigating Officer of the battleship Majestic, flagship of the Channel Squadron.[20]

On 18 June, 1903, he was given command of H.M.S. Mercury.[21]

Captain

He was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1903,[22] and reappointed in command of Mercury the same day.[23]

On 22 February, 1906, he took command of the Dryad, Portsmouth Navigation School.[24]

On 12 February, 1907 he was appointed to Pembroke for command of the new armoured cruiser Achilles.[25]

He was superseded in command of Achilles on 23 November, 1908, and the same day was appointed to the Admiralty on Committee Work. On 1 December he was appointed Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord.[26]

On 25 January, 1912, he was appointed to Vivid for command of the new battleship Thunderer.[27]

He was appointed to the Admiralty on 12 September, 1913 for special service, and became Director of the Intelligence Division on 1 November.[28]

He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 8 December, 1913, vice Gamble.[29] He was forty-eight years and ten months old on promotion to Flag Rank.

Great War

On 1 January, 1916, he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (K.C.B.).[30]

When Rear-Admiral Phillimore was promoted to command the Grand Fleet's aircraft carriers, Beatty asked for Halsey to command the the First Battle Cruiser Squadron. Jellicoe suggested Oliver instead, writing "I would be delighted to have him commanding a small squadron … I don't want to lose him here but on the other hand I don't want to keep him here to ruin his career."[31] Oliver was relieved as Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff in January, 1918, whereupon he was appointed K.C.M.G. In March he became Rear-Admiral commanding the First Battle Cruiser Squadron, Grand Fleet, in the Repulse, and saw the German fleet surrender off the Firth of Forth in November. When the Grand Fleet dispersed in 1919 he became Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, as a Vice-Admiral in the King George V. The Reserve Fleet was later merged with his force.

Second Sea Lord

He was promoted to the rank of Admiral on 1 November, 1923.[32]

Atlantic Fleet

By his own account, Oliver was offered the Nore command, but he declined it on the grounds that, formerly, retiring Second Sea Lords had been given sea-going commands (Sir Montague Browning being an exception).[33]

Towards the end of 1923 I got the usual formal letter from the First Lord, Amery, offering me the Atlantic Fleet but the duration of the appointment was not mentioned. There had been a tendency to cut down the duration of appointments and I was on very good terms with Amery so I took the letter to Amery and told him I had been a Naval Secretary and his Naval Secretary had left something out. he asked what it was and I told him that "the duration of the appointment would be for 3 years". This was added to the letter and I took it back and wrote my formal acceptance. This was of great use to me later on as it enabled me to hold the command for 3 years when other C's-in-C were relieved in 2 years.[34]

On 21 January, 1928, Oliver was promoted to the rank of {{FleetRN}.[35]

He was restored to the Active List in 1940 but was denied wartime employment.

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Oliver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. [Oliver Service Record.]p. 319.
  2. ↑ Oliver. I. f. 2.
  3. ↑ Oliver. I. f. 6.
  4. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  5. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  6. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  7. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  8. ↑ London Gazette: no. 25837. p. 3826. 13 July, 1888.
  9. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  10. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  11. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  12. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  13. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  14. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  15. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  16. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  17. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  18. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27150. p. 3. 2 January, 1900.
  19. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  20. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  21. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  22. ↑ London Gazette: no. 27572. p. 4187. 3 July, 1903.
  23. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  24. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  25. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  26. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  27. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  28. ↑ Oliver Service Record. p. 319.
  29. ↑ London Gazette: no. 28780. p. 9083. 9 December, 1913.
  30. ↑ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29423. p. 80. 31 December, 1915.
  31. ↑ Jellicoe Papers. II. p. 240.
  32. ↑ London Gazette: no. 32878. p. 7658. 9 November, 1923.
  33. ↑ Oliver. II. p. 246.
  34. ↑ Oliver. II. p. 247.
  35. ↑ London Gazette: no. 33354. p. 856. 7 February, 1928.

Bibliography

  • "Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry Oliver" (Obituaries). The Times. Monday, 18 October, 1965. Issue 56455, col A, pg. 20.
  • James, Admiral Sir William (1956). A Great Seaman: The Life of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Henry F. Oliver. London: H. F. & G. Witherby Ltd..

Papers

Service Record


Naval Offices
Preceded by
Thomas Jackson 		Director of the Intelligence Division
1913 – 1914 		Succeeded by
W. Reginald Hall
Preceded by
The Hon. Horace L. A. Hood 		Naval Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty
1914 		Succeeded by
Charles Bartolomé
Preceded by
Sir F. C. Doveton Sturdee 		Chief of the Admiralty War Staff
1914 – 1917 		Succeeded by
Title Changed
Preceded by
New Position 		Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff
1918 – 1918 		Succeeded by
Sydney R. Fremantle
Preceded by
Sir Richard F. Phillimore 		Rear-Admiral Commanding,
First Battle Cruiser Squadron
1918 – 1919 		Succeeded by
Command Dispersed
Preceded by
Sir William C. Pakenham 		Vice-Admiral Commanding,
Battle Cruiser Force
1919 		Succeeded by
Command Dispersed
Preceded by
Sir John M. de Robeck 		Vice-Admiral Commanding,
Second Battle Squadron
1919 		Succeeded by
Sir Arthur C. Leveson
Preceded by
New Command 		Vice-Admiral Commanding,
Home Fleet
1919 		Succeeded by
Command Abolished
Preceded by
New Command 		Vice-Admiral Commanding,
Reserve Fleet
1919 – 1920 		Succeeded by
Sir Richard F. Phillimore
Preceded by
Sir Montague E. Browning 		Second Sea Lord
1920 – 1924 		Succeeded by
Sir Michael Culme-Seymour
Preceded by
Sir John M. de Robeck 		Commander-in-Chief,
Atlantic Fleeet
1924 – 1927 		Succeeded by
The Hon. Sir Hubert G. Brand
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