The Admiralty Naval Staff was the former senior command, operational planning, policy and strategy department within the

British Admiralty The Admiralty was a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of the Government of the United Kingdom that was responsible for the command of the Royal Navy. Historically, its titular head was the Lord High Admiral of the ...

. It was established in 1917 and existed until 1964 when the department of the Admiralty was abolished. It was replaced by the Ministry of Defence (Naval Staff) as part of the Ministry of Defence Navy Department.

History and development

In December 1916,

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

Sir John Jellicoe was appointed

Admiral of the Fleet An admiral of the fleet or shortened to fleet admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to field marshal and marshal of the air force. An admiral of the fleet is typically senior to an admiral. It is also a generic ter ...

and

First Sea Lord First Sea Lord, officially known as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS), is the title of a statutory position in the British Armed Forces, held by an Admiral (Royal Navy), admiral or a General (United Kingdom), general of the ...

he would oversee the expansion of the Naval Staff at the Admiralty and the introduction of convoys, In April 1917, the Admiralty War Staff function was abolished and replaced by a new Admiralty Naval Staff department and Jellicoe was also given the additional title of Chief of the Naval Staff he was assisted initially by two deputies, the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, these would be joined later by the Deputy First Sea Lord and Vice Chief of the Naval Staff, Jellicoe was relieved at the end of 1917. Changes in the structure of the Staff were implemented from 1918 onward during the

interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

some of the divisions were wound down in peace time but would be re-established with the advent of the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. After the war the divisions were once again downsized.

Duties

The term 'Naval Staff' does not mean all Naval Officers serving in the former Admiralty Department, it means the divisions that are responsible under the ''Office of the Chief of Naval Staff'' and including his deputy, vice and assistant chiefs of the staff for the formulation of naval strategy including strategic planning, conduct of operations, implementation of naval policy, application of tactical doctrines, the collection and dissemination of intelligence and for stating the broad naval requirements, including the quantities and specification of ships, naval aircraft, armament and equipment the Naval Staff also included some civilian members.

Admiralty departments

The admiralty divisions should be not confused with its departments which were distinct and separate from the function of the naval staff in that they were superintended by the offices of the various Sea Lords responsible for them and were primarily administrative and logistical support bodies.

Members of the naval staff

''Board of Admiralty member (*)'' *

First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff First Sea Lord, officially known as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS), is the title of a statutory position in the British Armed Forces, held by an admiral or a general of the Royal Marines. As the highest-ranking officer to ...

Structure of the naval staff

May 1917

The Naval Staff was organised by Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Jellicoe as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff *** Intelligence Division *** Mobilisation Division *** Operations Division *** Signal Division ** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff *** Anti-Submarine Division *** Convoy Section *** Minesweeping Division *** Trade Division

June 1917

The Naval Staff was organised as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff *** Intelligence Division *** Mobilisation Division *** Operations Division *** Signal Division ** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff *** Anti-Submarine Division *** Minesweeping Division *** Trade Division

December 1917

The Naval Staff was organised as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff *** Operations Division *** Plans Division *** Signal Division ** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff *** Anti-Submarine Division *** Mercantile Movements Division *** Minesweeping Division *** Mobilisation Division *** Trade Division ** Deputy First Sea Lord ***

Training Division Training is teaching, or developing in oneself or others, any skills and knowledge or fitness that relate to specific useful competencies. Training has specific goals of improving one's capability, capacity, productivity and performance. It ...

1918 to 1919

The Naval Staff was re-organised under Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rosslyn Wemyss as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff *** Intelligence Division *** Gunnery and Torpedo Division *** Training and Staff Duties Division ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Home Waters Operations) *** Air Division *** Operations Division (Home) *** Plans Division *** Signal Division ** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Trade Protection Operations) *** Anti-Submarine Division *** Mercantile Movements Division *** Minesweeping Division *** Trade Division ** Deputy First Sea Lord (Policy and Overseas Operations) *** Operations Division (Foreign)

1920

The Naval Staff was re-organised under Admiral of the Fleet Sir David Beatty, as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Intelligence Division ** Gunnery and Torpedo Division ** Training and Staff Duties Division ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Home Waters) *** Air Division *** Operations Division (Home) *** Plans Division *** Local Defence Division ** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Trade Protection) *** Anti-Submarine Division *** Mercantile Movements Division *** Minesweeping Division *** Trade Division ** Deputy First Sea Lord (Policy and Overseas) *** Operations Division (Foreign)

1921 to 1926

The Naval Staff was re-organised during the early

inter-war years In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period, also known as the interbellum (), lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days) – from the end of World War I (WWI) to the beginning of World War II ( ...

, and the post ''Deputy First Sea Lord'' is abolished: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Intelligence Division ** Gunnery Division ** Torpedo Division ** Training and Staff Duties Division ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff *** Communications Division *** Operations Division *** Plans Division ** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff *** Air Division *** Trade Division *** Local Defence Division

1927 to 1929

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Madden re-structured the Naval Staff as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff *** Intelligence Division *** Operations Division *** Plans Division (including local defence) *** Trade Division ** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff *** Air Division *** Gunnery Division *** Tactical Division *** Torpedo Division *** Training and Staff Duties Division

1932

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Frederick Field organised the Naval Staff as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy) *** Air Division *** Intelligence Division *** Operations Division *** Plans Division *** Tactical Division *** Trade Division *** Training and Staff Duties Division

1935

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Ernle Chatfield kept the Naval Staff as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (Policy) *** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff **** Air Division **** Intelligence Division **** Operations Division **** Plans Division **** Tactical Division **** Trade Division **** Training and Staff Duties Division

1941

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound re-organised, the Naval Staff as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Vice Chief of the Naval Staff *** Intelligence Division *** Plans Division *** Signals Division *** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Home) **** Anti-Submarine and Warfare Division **** Local Defence Division **** Operations Division (Home) **** Operations Division (Mining) **** Training and Staff Duties Division *** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Foreign) **** Gunnery Division (Foreign) **** Operations Division (Foreign) **** Economic Warfare Division *** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (U boat and Trade) **** Minesweeping Division **** Trade Division

1945

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunninghamre-organised the Naval Staff, as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy First Sea Lord (Policy) *** Vice Chief of the Naval Staff **** Intelligence Division **** Plans Division **** Plans Division (Q) **** Signals Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Home) ***** Anti-U Boat Division ***** Local Defence Division ***** Operations Division (Home) ***** Operations Division (Mining) ***** Training and Staff Duties Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Foreign) ***** Operations Division (Foreign) ***** Economic Warfare Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Weapons) ***** Gunnery Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (U Boat and Trade) ***** Minesweeping Division ***** Trade Division

1951

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Bruce Fraser re-organised the Naval Staff, as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Vice Chief of the Naval Staff *** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff ***** Naval Air Organisation and Training Division ***** Intelligence Division ***** Operations Division ***** Plans Division ***** Plans Division (Q) ***** Standardisation Division ***** Tactical and Staff Duties Division ***** Trade Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, Warfare ***** Gunnery and Anti-Aircraft Warfare Division ***** Naval Air Warfare Division ***** Torpedo, Anti-Submarine and Minewarfare Division

1956

Admiral of the Fleet Earl, Louis Mountbatten, re-organised the Naval Staff, as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Vice Chief of the Naval Staff *** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff ***** Administrative Planning Department ***** Naval Air Organisation and Training Division ***** Naval Intelligence Division ***** Operations Division ***** Plans Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, Warfare ***** Gunnery Division ***** Naval Air Warfare Division ***** Signal Division ***** Tactical Ship Requirements and Staff Duties Division ***** Trade Division ***** Under-surface Warfare Division

1958

Admiral of the Fleet Earl, Louis Mountbatten, re-organised the Naval Staff, as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Vice Chief of the Naval Staff *** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff ***** Administrative Planning Department ***** Naval Air Organisation and Training Division ***** Naval Intelligence Division ***** Operations Division ***** Plans Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, Warfare ***** Navigation and Direction Division ***** Signal Division ***** Tactical Ship Requirements and Staff Duties Division ***** Trade Division ***** Under-surface Warfare Division

1962

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Caspar John, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff re-organised the Naval Staff, as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Vice Chief of the Naval Staff *** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff ***** Administrative Planning Division ***** Naval Intelligence Division ***** Plans Division ***** Tactical and Weapons Policy Division **** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff, Warfare ***** Gunnery Division ***** Naval Air Division ***** Navigation and Direction Division ***** Signal Division ***** Trade and Operations Division ***** Under-surface Warfare Division

1964

Admiral Sir David Luce as ''First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff'' organised the Naval Staff in July 1964 as follows: * First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff ** Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff *** Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff ***** Gunnery Division ***** Naval Air Division ***** Navigation and Direction Division ***** Plans Division ***** Signal Division ***** Tactical and Weapons Policy Division ***** Trade and Operations Division ***** Under-surface Warfare Division

Post 1964

Following the merger within the Ministry of Defence until 1971 former naval staff divisions were renamed as directorates as well as new ones being established for specific purposes some other notable changes during this period included the commandant general, and the hydrographer of the navy now as part of the naval staff as follows: #

Defence Intelligence Defence Intelligence (DI) is an organisation within the United Kingdom intelligence community which focuses on gathering and analysing military intelligence. It differs from the UK's intelligence agencies (MI6, GCHQ and MI5) in that it is an ...

– (former naval intelligence division) # Directorate of Naval Plans – (former plans division) # Directorate of Defence Plans (Navy) – (new directorate as part of MOD) # Directorate of Naval Administrative Planning – (former administrative planning division) # Directorate of Naval Air Warfare – (former naval air division) # Directorate of Naval Operations and Trade – (former operations and trade division) # Directorate of Naval Signals – (former signals division) #

Directorate of Naval Tactical and Weapons Policy The Directorate Naval Tactical and Weapons Policy originally called the Tactical Section was a directorate of the British Admiralty, and later of the Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom), Naval Staff, Ministry of Defence, (Navy Department). Dati ...

– (former tactical and weapons policy division) # Directorate of Operational Analysis (RN) – (new directorate) # Directorate of Surface Warfare (Naval) – (new directorate) # Directorate of Under Sea Warfare (Naval) – (former under sea warfare division) # Directorate of Navigation and Tactical Control (Naval) – (former navigation and direction division)

References

Attribution

Primary source for this article is by Harley Simon, Lovell Tony, (2014), Naval Staff (Royal Navy), dreadnoughtproject.org, http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org.

Sources

*Black, Nicholas (2009). ''The British Naval Staff in the First World War''. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. . *"''Proposals by Director of Naval Intelligence for carrying out the Duties of a General Staff and Re-organisation of the Naval Intelligence Department''." 15 May 1909. The National Archives. ADM 1/8047. *''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 at The National Archives. ADM 234/434 * Rodger. N.A.M., (1979) ''The Admiralty (offices of state)'', T. Dalton, Lavenham, . * Smith, Gordon (2014), ''British Admiralty, Part 2 - Changes in Admiralty Departments 1913-1920'', Naval-History.Net. * Stationery Office, H.M. (1935). The Navy List. Sprink and Sons Ltd, London, England. pp. 414–415. * Stationery Office, H.M. (1951). The Navy List. Spink and Son Ltd, London, England. pp. 326–327. * Stationery Office, H.M. (1956). The Navy List. Spink and Son Ltd, London, England. pp. 1239–1241. * Stationery Office, H.M. (1958). The Navy List. Spink and Son Ltd, London, England. pp. 1227–1229. * Stationery Office, H.M. (1962). The Navy List. Spink and Son Ltd, London, England. pp. 906–908.

External links

{{Naval Service (British), state=collapsed Admiralty during World War II Admiralty departments A 1917 establishments in the United Kingdom 1964 disestablishments in the United Kingdom Staff (military)