Frederick Laurence Field

Admiral of the Fleet SIR Frederick Laurence Field, G.C.B., G.C.M.G., Royal Navy (19 April, 1871 – 24 October, 1945) served as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 1930 to 1933.

Life & Career

Field was the second son of Colonel Spencer Field, 6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment, by his wife, Catherine, daughter of Colonel Charles Darrall, 97th Regiment. He was born in Killarney 19 April 1871, the fifth child of a family of ten. Educated privately, he joined the Britannia in 1884, and went to sea in 1886. In the Boxer rising (1900) Field, who was then torpedo lieutenant of the Barfleur, had his first experience of active service. Landing at Tientsin he was given the task of repairing damaged armoured trains and earned a special mention in dispatches for carrying out very strenuous work under continuous heavy fire. Later during the capture of Tientsin native city he was wounded in the head by a bullet which, although it left a permanent scar, fortunately did no serious damage.

Field was promoted to the rank of commander in 1902 and served in the Albion until 1904, when he was appointed to the Vernon, the principal torpedo school, at Portsmouth. Here he soon made his mark in a sphere in which he had already shown a particular aptitude, and was commended by the Admiralty for his ingenuity in designing a submersible target. In 1907 he left the Vernon and was given command of the Defiance, the branch torpedo school at Devonport, and promoted to the rank of captain. He went to the Mediterranean in 1910 as flag captain to (Sir) Martyn Jerram [q.v.] in the Duncan, returning home two years later. Field relinquished the command of Duncan on 30 July, 1912 and took command of Portsmouth Signal School on 31 July, in succession to Captain Phillpotts. He held this appointment until September 1914, when he returned to the Vernon, this time in command, and earned further commendation from the Admiralty for the design and production of special wireless signalling apparatus for torpedo craft.

As flag captain to Jerram, Field commanded the King George V, in the Grand Fleet, at the battle of Jutland 31 May 1916, and was mentioned in dispatches for ‘the great skill with which he handled the King George V, as leader of the line, under very difficult conditions’. He was also appointed C.B. From November 1916 to April 1918 he was chief of staff to Sir Charles Madden [q.v.] , commanding first battle squadron, first in the Marlborough and later in the Revenge, and for his ‘valuable services’ he was appointed C.M.G. in 1919. He had established his reputation as a torpedo and mining expert while in the Vernon and Defiance, and this was followed in June 1918 by his appointment as director of torpedoes and mines at the Admiralty. He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 11 February, 1919,, vice Ballard. He joined the Board of Admiralty as third sea lord and controller in March 1920, and, during the three years in which he served in this exacting appointment, his great administrative ability and sound judgement undoubtedly marked him for the highest command. He was advanced to K.C.B. in January 1923, and went to sea again, in the same year, in command of the battle cruiser squadron with the Hood as his flagship.

In 1923 it was decided to send a special service squadron round the world to ‘show the flag’, and Field, with the acting rank of vice-admiral, was given command of the squadron, which consisted of the battle cruisers Hood—the largest warship then afloat—and Repulse, together with the light cruisers, Delhi (wearing the flag of Rear-Admiral the Hon. Sir Hubert George Brand), Dauntless, Danae, Dragon, and Dunedin. Later the Australian light cruiser Adelaide replaced the Dunedin.

The cruise, which lasted from November 1923 to September 1924, did much to enhance the navy's prestige, and the ships received a great welcome at every port of call. The success of the tour was largely due to Field's striking personality and leadership. On his return he was appointed K.C.M.G. At each of the many places visited Field was called upon to make a long and very carefully prepared speech. Fortunately he was a most gifted speaker and this, added to his great natural charm, made him extremely popular wherever he went, and he received many personal tributes from all parts of the Empire. Perhaps one incident during the cruise best exemplified his amazing thoroughness and retentive memory. At each port visited it was the custom for all the principal officials to be presented to him when he first landed. At one place, where the introductions were being made by the A.D.C. to the governor, on the chief of police coming forward the A.D.C. said: ‘I am sorry sir, but this officer only arrived last week, and his name has escaped my memory.’ Without a moment's hesitation Field said with his charming smile: ‘I am delighted to meet you, Colonel … [mentioning the correct name]. I hope you had an enjoyable passage out.’ The names and appointments of all officials to be introduced—sometimes as many as forty or fifty—were sent to the flagship on arrival, and Field apparently just glanced through them; not even his own staff knew, until this incident occurred, that he invariably memorized the list.

After giving up command of the battle cruiser squadron in 1924, Field became in 1925 deputy chief of the naval staff and a lord commissioner of the Admiralty, a post which he held until June 1928, when he was appointed commander-in-chief in the Mediterranean. There he earned the appreciation of the lords of the Admiralty for the great success of the visit of the fleet to Turkish waters, which was mainly due to his personal participation. While on this visit he was entertained by Kemal Ataturk, who impressed him very much by his forceful character and progressive outlook. Field was promoted admiral in April 1928. After two years in the Mediterranean he returned to the Admiralty as first sea lord and chief of the naval staff, thus achieving the zenith of a naval officer's career.

His last term of office was a particularly trying one. The restrictions imposed by the London naval conference of 1930 were followed by the financial crisis of 1931. An internal complaint from which Field had suffered for many years was beginning to take its toll and he was on leave and seriously unwell when he learnt that naval economies were envisaged. He returned at once to the Admiralty and caused the Government to be warned in writing that the Board would not be held responsible for the consequences if restorations were made in the proposed cuts for other Services which would result in those which the Board had accepted for naval personnel becoming proportionately greater. The gravity of the financial crisis and the immediate steps the Government considered essential were the direct causes of the trouble which ensued at Invergordon. The lower scales of pay were notified to the British Broadcasting Corporation and appeared in the Sunday newspapers before the Admiralty had an opportunity of explaining to the fleet the reason for the severe hardships imposed. The Board took the risk of ordering the Atlantic Fleet to proceed to home ports so that cases of hardship might be investigated; but, before inquiries could take place, the Government decided that in no case should reductions in pay exceed 10 per cent.

Field relinquished his appointment 20 January 1933, and was promoted admiral of the fleet. In June 1933 he was appointed G.C.B. Among his foreign decorations he held the American D.S.M. (gold) and was an officer of the Legion of Honour.

Field had great moral and physical courage and was supremely calm in an emergency. Known to his contemporaries as ‘Tam Field’, this highly gifted officer was a leader who was very popular with officers and men. He was chairman of the committee of the Royal Navy Club (1765 and 1785) for the years 1935–7. Possessed of the highest principles Field allowed nothing to come before his duty to the navy, of which he was intensely proud. A man of simple tastes, he hated ostentation and was modest to a degree, but he had a keen sense of humour. He was always ready to give a helping hand to a shipmate in trouble. His favourite relaxation was golf and he was seldom happier than when on the links. He was also an expert conjurer and a member of the Magic Circle.

Field married in 1902 Annie Norrington, daughter of John Harris, civil servant, and widow of Roundell Palmer Jackson, barrister, of Plymouth. There were no children. He died 24 October 1945 and was buried in Escrick, Yorkshire. A drawing by Francis Dodd is in the Imperial War Museum.

Bibliography

• "Admiral of the Fleet Sir F. Field" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 25 October, 1945. Issue 50282, col E, pg. 7.

Service Record

• ADM 196/43

Naval Office
Preceded by Sir Charles Madden	First Sea Lord 1930 – 1933	Succeeded by The Lord Chatfield