Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet

The Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet was a senior command appointment of the British Royal Navy from January 1947 to 1958 who also administered the 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron from 1947 to 1951. The appointment was a continuation of the Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station first established in 1861 that underwent a series of name changes due to an expansion of additional duties given to the post holder.

Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet
Active	1861-1958
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	British Empire
Branch	Royal Navy
Part of	Mediterranean Fleet
Commanders
Notable commanders	Vice-Admiral Ralph A. B. Edwards

History

The office holder was originally established as Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station in December 1861 then later Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet. On 18 July 1941 as part of an expansion of duties the post holder was renamed Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet until April 1942. The appointment of the Flag Officer, Air, and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet was created in January 1947 who was additionally responsible for administering the 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron ^[1] of the Mediterranean Fleet until February 1951 when it was disbanded. The Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet, then became responsible for commanding shore based aviation based at Malta until 1958.^[2] HMS Ocean, Theasus and Glory continued to serve in the Mediterranean Fleet until October 1954.^[2]

Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet

Included:^[3]

Note:The office holder was sometimes styled as "Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Station"

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet/Station
1	Rear-Admiral		Sydney C. Dacres	December 1861-April 1863	[3]
2	Rear-Admiral		Hastings R.H. Yelverton	April 1863-April 1865	[3]
3	Rear-Admiral		Astley Cooper-Key	May 1870-August 1872	[3]
4	Vice-Admiral		Edward A. Inglefield	2 August 1872-December 1876	[3]
5	Rear-Admiral		Edward B. Rice	May 1876-July 1877	[3]
6	Rear-Admiral		Sir John E. Commerell	July 1877-1878	[3]
7	Rear-Admiral		Lord Walter Kerr	April 1890-April 1892	[3]
8	Rear-Admiral		Albert Hastings Markham	April 1892-April 1894	[3]
9	Rear-Admiral		Compton E. Domvile	April 1894-May 1896	[3]
10	Rear-Admiral		Robert H. Harris	May 1896-February 1898	[3]
11	Rear-Admiral		Sir Gerard H. U. Noel	1 February 1898-February 1900	[3]
12	Rear-Admiral		Lord Charles W. De la P. Beresford	February 1900-January 1902	[3]
13	Rear-Admiral		Burges Watson	January-September 1902	[3]
14	Rear-Admiral		Sir Reginald N. Custance	November 1902-November 1904	[3]
15	Vice-Admiral		Sir Harry T. Grenfell	November 1904-February 1906	[3]
16	Rear-Admiral		Francis C. B. Bridgeman	March 1906-February 1907	[3]
17	Vice-Admiral		Prince Louis of Battenberg	February 1907-November 1908	[3]
18	Rear-Admiral		Sir George A. Callaghan	November 1908-October 1910	[3]
19	Rear-Admiral		T. Martyn Jerram	October 1910-May 1912	[3]
20	Vice-Admiral		Sir Cecil Burney	June-October 1913	[3]
21	Vice-Admiral		Sir Michael Culme-Seymour	January 1919-September 1920	[3]
22	Rear-Admiral		Richard Webb	September 1920-September 1922	[3]
23	Rear-Admiral		John D.Kelly	September 1922-August 1923	[3]
24	Rear-Admiral		Hugh D. R. Watson	August 1923-April 1925	[3]
25	Vice-Admiral		Sir Michael H. Hodges	April 1925-May 1927	[3]
26	Vice-Admiral		Sir John D.Kelly	May 1927-April 1929	[3]
27	Vice-Admiral		W. A. Howard Kelly	April 1929-October 1930	[3]
28	Vice-Admiral		Sir William W. Fisher	October 1930-April 1932	[3]
29	Vice-Admiral		Sir Roger R.C. Backhouse	April 1932-May 1934	[3]
30	Vice-Admiral		Sir Charles M. Forbes	May 1934-August 1936	[3]
31	Vice-Admiral		Sir Geoffrey Blake	August 1936-July 1937	[3]
32	Vice-Admiral		Sir Andrew B. Cunningham	July 1937-August 1938	[3]
33	Vice-Admiral		Geoffrey Layton	August 1938-November 1939	[3]

Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet

Included:^[4]

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Vice-Admiral Commanding, Light Forces and Second-in-Command Mediterranean Fleet
1	Vice-Admiral		John C. Tovey	18 July, 1940 – 23 October, 1940	[3]
2	Vice-Admiral		Henry D. Pridham-Wippell	24 October, 1940 – 1 April, 1942	as acting V Adm. [3]

Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet

Included:^[5][2]

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Flag Officer, Air and Second-in-Command, Mediterranean Fleet and Vice-Admiral, Commanding 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron
1	Vice-Admiral		Sir Cecil H.J. Harcourt	January 1947 to January 1948	also VADMCOMM, 2ACSQ [2]
2	Vice-Admiral		Sir Thomas H. Troubridge:	January to December 1948	ditto[2]
3	Vice-Admiral		the Hon. Sir Cyril E. Douglas-Pennant	December 1948 to April 1950	ditto[2]
4	Vice-Admiral		Guy Grantham	April 1950 to November 1951	ditto[2]
5	Vice-Admiral		Ralph A. B. Edwards	November 1951 to December 1951	ditto[2]
6	Vice-Admiral		Ralph A. B. Edwards	December 1951 to December 1952	2nd AC Squadron is disbanded [2]
7	Vice-Admiral		William W. Davis	December 1952 to February 1954
8	Vice-Admiral		J. Peter L. Reid	February 1954 to August 1955
9	Vice-Admiral		Maxwell Richmond	August 1955 to October 1956	[6]
10	Vice-Admiral		Sir Robin L.F. Durnford-Slater	October 1956 to 1958

Composition 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron

Included:^[2]

: 2nd Aircraft Carrier Squadron; Mediterranean Fleet 1947 to 1951

Ship	Dates	Notes/Ref
HMS Ocean	February 1947 to December 1950	[2]
HMS Triumph	February 1947 to August 1948	[2]
HMS Theseus	June 1947 to August 1948	[2]
HMS Glory	December 1949 to December 1950	[2]