Admiralty War Staff
Inception
On 8 January, 1912 Churchill released his Memorandum on a War Staff for the Royal Navy which detailed the administration of the War Staff. On the same day, Rear-Admiral Ernest C. T. Troubridge was appointed Chief of the War Staff at the Admiralty,[1] and Captains George A. Ballard, Thomas Jackson and Alexander L. Duff were appointed Directors of the Operations,[2] Intelligence,[3] and Molilisation[4] Divisions, respectively.
Rear-Admiral Sir Edmond J. W. Slade recounted to Captain Herbert W. Richmond Battenberg's opinion, "He says he could not lower the position of his office by becoming the Chief of Staff to a civilian First Lord." And that, "he was the Executive head of the Navy, and he could not mix up Staff duties with executive work."[5]
Opening Months of the War
In 1919 Admiral Sir Rosslyn Wemyss wrote that:
- The Admiralty needs a large and efficient staff organisation. At the commencement of the war this was lamentably inadequate."[6]
Captain Richmond, the Assistant Director of the Operations Division, wrote:
- The War Staff was deficient in all the characteristics needed for staff work. The whole of the work passes through the Chief of Staff. There is no decentralisation, and his mind has to grapple with every problem that arises, even in its details. The result is that the First Sea Lord and Chief of Staff are so overworked that they cannot foresee and provide in advance.[7]
Assessment
Historian Richard Hough described the Staff at the time of Coronel: "… craven, inexperienced and not sufficiently brainy."[8]
Chiefs of the Staff
- Rear-Admiral E. C. T. Troubridge, January, 1912 - January, 1913.
- Admiral Sir Henry B. Jackson, January, 1913 - July, 1914.
- Vice-Admiral Sir F. C. Doveton Sturdee, July, 1914 - November, 1914.
- Vice-Admiral (Acting) Sir Henry F. Oliver, November, 1914 - May, 1917.[9]
Assistants to the Chief of the Staff
- Commander Tufton P. H. Beamish, January, 1912 - April, 1913.
- Captain Arthur V. Vyvyan, January, 1913 - October, 1914.
- Lieutenant-Colonel John M. Rose, R.M.A., September, 1914 - October, 1914.
- Captain Sydney F. Fremantle, September, 1914 - July, 1915.
- Lieutenant-Colonel Harry D. Farquharson, R.M.L.I., October, 1914 - March, 1915.[9]
Footnotes
- ↑ The National Archives. ADM 196/42. p. 78.
- ↑ The National Archives. ADM 196/42. p. 65.
- ↑ Jackson was actually appointed on the 9th. The National Archives. ADM 196/42. p. 496.
- ↑ The National Archives. ADM 196/42. p. 80.
- ↑ Slade to Richmond. Letter of 26 September, 1913. National Maritime Museum. Richmond Papers. RIC/1/8.
- ↑ Quoted in Bennett. Naval Battles of the First World War. p. 84.
- ↑ Quoted in Bennett. Naval Battles of the First World War. p. 85.
- ↑ Hough. Former Naval Person. p. 64.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 Black. The British Naval Staff in the First World War. p. 247.
Bibliography
