Naval Intelligence Division (Royal Navy)
The Naval Intelligence Division (from 1912 to 1918 the Intelligence Division) was the intelligence-gathering body of the Royal Navy's Admiralty War Staff and successor Naval Staff.
History
Commander Gilbert Stephenson, an officer in the Intelligence Division, later commented:
The system in the War Room at the start was very inadequate. None of the Commanders on duty there was able to take action without the approval of a Post-Captain. This was quite ridiculous, and I said so! My suggestion for more delegation of authority was not approved.
But when I worked as a Duty Commander - 24 hours on, 48 hours off - there was no question of referring everything to senior officers. The messages that came in had to be acted upon - and of course that suited me much better.[1]
According to Dr. Nicholas Black, 206 Royal Navy officers served in the division during the war.[2]
At some point between 18 March, 1918,[3] and 18 June, 1918, the division was renamed the Naval Intelligence Division and the director became the Director of Naval Intelligence once more.[4]
Directors
Dates of appointment given:
- Captain Thomas Jackson, 9 January, 1912[5]
- Rear-Admiral Henry F. Oliver, 1 November, 1913[6]
- Rear-Admiral Sir W. Reginald Hall, 14 October, 1914[7]
- Rear-Admiral Hugh F. P. Sinclair, 18 January, 1919[8]
- Rear-Admiral Maurice S. FitzMaurice, 15 August, 1921[9]
- Rear-Admiral Alan G. Hotham, 15 August, 1924[10]
- Rear-Admiral William W. Fisher, 17 August, 1926[11] (temporary)
- Rear-Admiral Barry E. Domvile, 15 August, 1927[12]
Assistant Directors
Dates of appointment given:
- Captain Maurice S. FitzMaurice, 8 January, 1912
- Captain Edward H. F. Heaton-Ellis, 14 February, 1914
Footnotes
- ↑ Baker. The Terror of Tobermory. p. 27.
- ↑ Black. The British Naval Staff. p. 21.
- ↑ The Navy List, for April, 1918, Corrected to the 18th March, 1918. p. 1814.
- ↑ The Navy List, for July, 1918, Corrected to the 18th June, 1918. p. 1814.
- ↑ Jackson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 496.
- ↑ Oliver Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. f. 319.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 122.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 124.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 124.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 124.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 124.
- ↑ The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. p. 124.
Bibliography
- Black, Nicholas (2009). The British Naval Staff in the First World War. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843834427.
- 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 No. 8 at The National Archives. ADM 234/434.