History in Royal Navy
The rank evolved from sailing days and the admiral distinctions then used by the Royal Navy when the fleet was divided into three divisions - Red, White, or Blue. Each division was assigned an Admiral, who in turn commanded a Vice-Admiral and a Rear Admiral. In the 18th century, the original nine ranks began to be filled by more than one person at any one time. The Admiral of the Red was pre-eminent and became known as the Admiral of the Fleet.
The organisation of the British fleet into coloured squadrons was abandoned in 1864, although the Royal Navy kept the White Ensign. When professional head of the Royal Navy was given the name of First Naval Lord in 1828 (renamed First Sea Lord in 1904), the rank of Admiral of the Fleet became an honorary promotion for retiring First Naval Lords allowing more than one Admiral of the Fleet to exist at one time.
Since 1811 five members of the British Royal family, other than the monarch, and four members of foreign royal families have been appointed Admirals of the Fleet. Of the British royalty granted the rank, only one, HRH The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII) had not seen active service in the Royal Navy.
During the two World Wars a number of serving officers held active commissions as Admirals of the Fleet, as well as the First Naval Lord. Following the creation of the Chief of the Defence Staff in 1959, the five Naval officers appointed to that position became Admirals of the Fleet. Recognizing the reduced post–Cold War size of the British Armed Forces, no further appointments were made to the rank after 1995 when Sir Benjamin Bathurst was appointed Admiral of the Fleet on his retirement as First Sea Lord. However, the rank was not abolished and in 2012 the Prince of Wales became an Admiral of the Fleet (as well as Field Marshal and Marshal of the Royal Air Force), in recognition of his support to Queen Elizabeth II in her role of as Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces.
Read more about this topic: Admiral Of The Fleet (Royal Navy)
Famous quotes containing the words royal navy, history in, history, royal and/or navy:
“The Royal Navy of England hath ever been its greatest defence and ornament; it is its ancient and natural strength; the floating bulwark of the island.”
—William Blackstone (1723–1780)
“To summarize the contentions of this paper then. Firstly, the phrase ‘the meaning of a word’ is a spurious phrase. Secondly and consequently, a re-examination is needed of phrases like the two which I discuss, ‘being a part of the meaning of’ and ‘having the same meaning.’ On these matters, dogmatists require prodding: although history indeed suggests that it may sometimes be better to let sleeping dogmatists lie.”
—J.L. (John Langshaw)
“History is the present. That’s why every generation writes it anew. But what most people think of as history is its end product, myth.”
—E.L. (Edgar Lawrence)
“Oh, I know my family’s not of royal blood, but you needn’t throw it in my face all the time.”
—Robert N. Lee. Rowland V. Lee. Queen Elyzabeth (sic)
“I call to mind the navy great
That the Greeks brought to Troye town,
And how the boistous winds did beat
Their ships, and rent their sails adown;
Till Agamemnon’s daughter’s blood
Appeased the gods that them withstood.”
—Henry Howard, Earl Of Surrey (1517?–1547)