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 Simon Alastair Cassillis Cassels, (5 March 1928 – 6 March 2019) was a senior

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

officer who served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel from 1982 to 1986.

Naval career

Cassels joined the

in 1947. He was Navigation Staff Officer to Chief of the

Polaris Polaris is a star in the northern circumpolar constellation of Ursa Minor. It is designated α Ursae Minoris (Latinisation of names, Latinized to ''Alpha Ursae Minoris'') and is commonly called the North Star or Pole Star. With an ...

Executive from 1963 to 1966, and went on to command in 1972. Cassels became Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1978, and was promoted to

vice-admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of vic ...

on 18 November 1980. He was appointed

Flag Officer, Plymouth The Flag Officer Plymouth was a senior Royal Navy appointment first established in July 1969. The office holder was responsible for the administration of the facilities of the two major Royal Navy at Plymouth and Portsmouth. The appointment conti ...

and Admiral Superintendent at Devonport in 1981, and Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel as well as President of the

Royal Naval College, Greenwich The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. The equi ...

in 1982.Birthdays
The Times, 5 March 2008 Promoted full

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 ...

in November 1984, he retired in 1986.

Later life

In retirement Cassels's activities included serving as Chairman of the Modern Apprentices Advisory Committee. He lived at Exton in

Hampshire Hampshire (, ; abbreviated to Hants.) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Berkshire to the north, Surrey and West Sussex to the east, the Isle of Wight across the Solent to the south, ...

. Cassels died on 6 March 2019, aged 91.

Family

Cassels was married to Jill.Hundreds line streets for returning heroes
Portsmouth News, 29 January 2008

References

, - {{DEFAULTSORT:Cassels, Simon 1928 births 2019 deaths Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich Lords of the Admiralty Royal Navy admirals Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Commanders of the Order of the British Empire