Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some 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, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

Sir Alban Thomas Buckley Curteis KCB

CVO CVO may refer to: Science and technology * Cascades Volcano Observatory, Vancouver, Washington, US * Chief veterinary officer, the head of a veterinary authority * Circumventricular organs, positioned around the ventricular system of the brain * Co ...

DSO (13 January 1887 – 27 November 1961) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Senior British Naval Officer, Western Atlantic.

Naval career

Curteis joined the Royal Navy in 1902 and served in World War I.Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
/ref> He was appointed Commanding Officer of HMS ''Verity'' in 1922 and Flag Captain commanding and Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief of the

America and West Indies Station The North America and West Indies Station was a formation or command of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy stationed in North American waters from 1745 to 1956. The North American Station was separate from the Jamaica Station until 1830 when the t ...

in 1928. He was appointed Flag Captain commanding and Captain of the Fleet to the Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet in 1931 before becoming Captain of the

Royal Naval College, Dartmouth Royal may refer to: People * Royal (name), a list of people with either the surname or given name * A member of a royal family Places United States * Royal, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Royal, Illinois, a village * Royal, Iowa, a cit ...

in 1933. He became Captain of the Fleet for the

Home Fleet The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy that operated from the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967. In 1967, it was merged with the Mediterranean Fleet creating the new Western Fleet. Before the First ...

in 1935 and went on to be Commander of the Royal Naval Barracks at Devonport in 1938. He served in World War II as Commander of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron from 1940 and then as Commander of the

2nd Battle Squadron The 2nd Battle Squadron was a naval squadron of the British Royal Navy consisting of battleships. The 2nd Battle Squadron was initially part of the Royal Navy's Grand Fleet. After World War I the Grand Fleet was reverted to its original name, t ...

and Second-in-Command of the

from 1941. In June 1942 he led Operation Harpoon, a mission to re-supply Malta which was becoming very short of food and medical supplies; the plan was to despatch a naval convoy from Alexandria but in the event the convoy came under Italian naval attack and suffered heavy losses.Order of Battle Italian Attack on Operation Harpoon Convoy and Battle of Pantelleria 15 June 1942
/ref> He was made Senior British Naval Officer, Western Atlantic in 1942 and retired in 1944.

Family

In 1915 he married Helen Morrall; they had one son and one daughter. In 1941 he married Freda Morrall.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curteis, Alban 1887 births 1961 deaths Royal Navy officers of World War I Royal Navy admirals of World War II Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Place of birth missing Bermuda in World War II