Far East Fleet (United Kingdom)

The Far East Fleet (also called the Far East Station) was a fleet of the Royal Navy which existed between 1952 and 1971.

Far East Fleet
Taranaki and Victorious underway during exercises in May 1964
Active1952–1971
Country UK
Branch Royal Navy
TypeFleet
Garrison/HQSingapore Naval Base
EngagementsMalayan Emergency
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation

During the Second World War, the Eastern Fleet included many ships and personnel from other navies, including those of the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, and the United States. On 22 November 1944 the Eastern Fleet was re-designated East Indies fleet and continued to be based in Trincomalee. Following its re-designation its remaining ships formed the British Pacific Fleet.[1] In December 1945 the British Pacific Fleet was disbanded and its forces were absorbed into the East Indies Fleet. In 1952 The East Indies Fleet was renamed the Far East Fleet. After the Second World War the East Indies Station continued as a separate command to the Far East until 1958. In 1971 the Far East Fleet was abolished and its remaining forces returned home, coming under the command of the new, unified, Commander-in-Chief Fleet.

Post-war

After the war, the East Indies Fleet was once again based at the Singapore Naval Base. The 1st Aircraft Carrier Squadron HMS Glory and HMS Theseus) arrived from the British Pacific Fleet in October 1945, and operated from Trincomalee, then Singapore, from October 1945 to October 1947. In 1952, the East Indies Fleet was redesignated the Far East Fleet. The Fleet then took part in the Malayan Emergency and the Confrontation with Indonesia in the 1960s. By 1964, the fleet on station included Victorious, Centaur, Bulwark, Kent, Hampshire, 17 destroyers and frigates, about ten minesweepers and five submarines.[2]

The Flag Officer Second-in-Command Far East Fleet, for most of the postwar period a rear admiral, was based afloat, and tasked with keeping the fleet "up to the mark operationally". Some also held the appointment of Flag Officer Commanding 5th Cruiser Squadron, probably including Rear Admiral E.G.A. Clifford CB, who was flying his flag in HMS Newcastle on 12 November 1953. Meanwhile, the fleet commander, a vice admiral, ran the fleet programme and major items of administration 'including all provision for docking and maintenance' from his base in Singapore.[3]

The fleet was disbanded in 1971, and on 31 October 1971, the last day of the validity of the Anglo-Malayan Defence Agreement, the last Commander, Far East Fleet, Rear Admiral Anthony Troup, hauled down his flag.[4]

Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet

Post holders included:[5][6]

RankFlagNameTerm
Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet
1Vice-AdmiralSir Guy RussellJanuary 1952 – March 1953
2Vice-AdmiralSir Charles LambeMarch 1953 – April 1955
3Vice-AdmiralSir Alan Scott-MoncrieffApril 1955 – October 1957
4Vice-AdmiralSir Gerald GladstoneOctober 1957 – April 1960
5Vice-AdmiralSir David LuceApril 1960 – November 1962
6Vice-AdmiralSir Desmond DreyerNovember 1962 – January 1965
7Vice-AdmiralSir Frank TwissJanuary 1965 – June 1967
8Vice-AdmiralSir William O'BrienJune 1967 -September 1969
9Vice-AdmiralSir Derek EmpsonSeptember 1969 – April 1971
10Vice-AdmiralSir Anthony TroupApril – November 1971

Flag Officer Second-in-Command Far East Fleet

Included:

RankFlagNameTerm
Flag Officer Second-in-Command Far East Fleet
1Rear-AdmiralLaurence Durlacher1957–1958
2Rear-AdmiralVaryl Begg1958–1960[7]
3Rear-AdmiralMichael Le Fanu1960–1961
4Rear-AdmiralJohn Frewen1961–1962
5Rear-AdmiralJack Scatchard1962–1964
6Rear-AdmiralPeter Hill-Norton1964–1966
7Rear-AdmiralCharles Mills1966–1967
8Rear-AdmiralEdward Ashmore1967–1968
9Rear-AdmiralAnthony Griffin1968–1969
10Rear-AdmiralTerence Lewin1969–1970
11Rear-AdmiralDavid Williams1970–1971

Chief of Staff, Far East Fleet

Included:[8]

RankFlagNameTerm
Chief of Staff, Far East Fleet
1CaptainRalph L. FisherJanuary – October 1952
2CommodoreLaurence G. DurlacherOctober 1952 – September 1954
3CommodoreGeorge A. F. NorfolkSeptember 1954 – October 1956
5CommodoreChristopher H. HutchinsonOctober 1956 – March 1959
6Rear-AdmiralRonald E. PortlockMarch 1959 – April 1961
7Rear-AdmiralBryan C. DurantApril 1961 – July 1963
8Rear-AdmiralFrancis B. P. Brayne-NichollsJuly 1963 – July 1965
9Rear-AdmiralDennis H. MasonJuly 1965 – December 1967
10Rear-AdmiralIan D. McLaughlanDecember 1967 – February 1970
9Rear-AdmiralJohn A. Templeton-CotillFebruary 1970 – March 1971

Flag Officer, Malayan Area
Main article: Flag Officer, Malayan Area

As the Malayan Emergency developed, the Flag Officer, Malayan Area's title changed as his areas of responsibility increased.[9]

Commodore, Amphibious Forces, Far East Fleet

Commodore, Amphibious Forces, Far East (COMAFFEF)[10] was based at HMNB Singapore from May 1965 to March 1971.

The Navy established the Amphibious Warfare Squadron in March 1961, which was responsible to the Senior Naval Officer, Persian Gulf until August 1962. It then was reassigned to Flag Officer, Middle East, until April 1965. The squadron was then transferred to the Far East where it was renamed Amphibious Forces under the new Commodore, Amphibious Forces, Far East Fleet in May 1965.[11] The post was discontinued in March 1971.

Incumbents included:[12]

RankFlagNameTerm
Commodore, Amphibious Forces, Far East Fleet
1CommodoreHardress L. LloydMay 1965 - May 1966
2CommodoreDavid A. Dunbar-NasmithMay 1966 - July 1967
3CommodoreE. Gerard N. MansfieldJuly 1967 - November 1968
4CommodoreThomas W. StockerNovember 1968 - September 1970
5CommodoreDerek W. NapperSeptember 1970 - March 1971

Escorts in the Far East Fleet

From February 1963 the remaining destroyer and frigate squadrons in the Far East Fleet were gradually amalgamated into Escort Squadrons. All were disbanded by the end of December 1966. Those in the Far East Fleet became the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Far East Destroyer Squadrons.

Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong
Main article: Commodore-in-Charge, Hong Kong

This officer was based at HMS Tamar. He was responsible for administrating all naval establishments in Hong Kong including HMNB Hong Kong and, at times, exercised operational control over Royal Navy ships in that area.[13]

Subordinate naval formations

Units that served in the fleet included:[14][15]

Naval UnitsBased atDateNotes
4th Cruiser SquadronTrincomalee then Singapore Naval BaseDecember 1947 to July 1954
5th Cruiser SquadronTrincomalee then Singapore Naval BaseJanuary 1942 – May 1960
8th Destroyer FlotillaSingapore1947 to July 1951re-designated 8th DSQ
1st Destroyer SquadronSingapore1950 to April 1960
8th Destroyer SquadronSingaporeJuly 1951 – May 1963renamed 24th ESQ
1st Far East Destroyer SquadronSingaporeDecember 1966 to 1 November 1971
2nd Far East Destroyer SquadronSingaporeDecember 1966 to 1 November 1971
3rd Far East Destroyer SquadronSingaporeDecember 1966 to December 1970
1st Escort FlotillaSingapore1946 to 1954
21st Escort SquadronSingaporeMay 1964 to December 1966
22nd Escort SquadronSingaporeMay 1963 to June 1964became 29th Escort Squadron
24th Escort SquadronSingaporeMay 1963 to December 1966renamed from 8th DSQ
25th Escort SquadronSingaporeJanuary 1963 to May 1964renamed from 6th FSQ
26th Escort SquadronSingaporeMay 1963 to December 1966renamed from 3FSQ
29th Escort SquadronSingaporeJune 1964 to December 1966
30th Escort SquadronSingaporeSeptember 1964 to December 1965
3rd Frigate SquadronSingaporeMay 1949– 1954, January 1958 to May 1963renamed 26th ESQ
4th Frigate SquadronSingaporeJanuary 1949 to August 1954
4th Frigate SquadronSingaporeJanuary 1956 – December 1960
4th Frigate SquadronSingaporeSeptember 1961 to September 1962
5th Frigate SquadronSingaporeDecember 1959 to December 1962
6th Frigate SquadronSingaporeDecember 1960 to September 1961; September 1962 to January 1963Renamed 25th Escort Squadron
6th Mine Counter-Measures SquadronSingapore1962 to 1971
8th Mine Counter-Measures SquadronHong Kong1962 to 1967
6th Minesweeper FlotillaSingaporeAugust 1947 to 1951placed in reserve
6th Minesweeper SquadronSingapore1951 to June 1954new formation
104th Minesweeper SquadronSingapore1960 to 1962
120th Minesweeper SquadronHong Kong Naval Base1952 to 1962
7th Submarine DivisionSingapore1959
7th Submarine SquadronSingapore1966 to 1971
Persian Gulf DivisionJuffair Naval BaseJanuary 1942 to January 1954
Red Sea DivisionAden Naval BaseFebruary 1942 to January 1954

See also

Notes
  1. Hobbs, David. "THE BRITISH PACIFIC FLEET IN 1945 A Commonwealth effort and a remarkable achievement" (PDF). navy.gov.au. Royal Australian Navy. Retrieved 18 July 2018.
  2. Grove, p. 266
  3. Hill, p. 219
  4. Grove, p. 307
  5. Whitaker's Almanacks 1941 – 1971
  6. Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, July 2018. pp. 151–152. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  7. Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. p. 27. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
  8. Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, July 2018. p. 153. Retrieved 11 July 2018.
  9. Benbow, Tim; Thornton, Rod (2013). Dimensions of Counter-insurgency: Applying Experience to Practice. Cambridge, England: Routledge. p. 88. ISBN 9781136790034.
  10. Mackie, Colin (August 2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin. C. Mackie. p. 222. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  11. Watson, Dr Graham (12 July 2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  12. Mackie, Colin (August 2018). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin. C. Mackie. p. 222. Retrieved 8 August 2018.
  13. Office, The Colonial (1970). Hong Kong: Report. Hong Kong: Government Press. p. 187.
  14. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939–1945: 3.3 INDIAN and PACIFIC OCEANS". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2018.
  15. Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947–2013:1. ROYAL NAVY ORGANISATION AND DEPLOYMENT FROM 1947". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 12 July 2015. Retrieved 10 July 2018.

References
  • Grove, Eric (1987). Vanguard to Trident: British Naval Policy Since World War II. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0870215520.
  • Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
  • Hill, Richard (2000). Lewin of Greenwich. Weidenfeld Military. ISBN 978-0-304-35329-3.
  • Jackson, Ashley (2006). The British Empire and the Second World War. London: Hambledon Continuum. ISBN 1-85285-417-0.
  • Mackie, Colin. (2018) "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Scotland, UK.
  • Muggenthaler, August Karl (1980). German Raiders of World War II. London Pan. ISBN 0-330-26204-1.
  • O'Hara, Vincent (2009). Struggle for the Middle Sea: the great navies at war in the Mediterranean theater, 1940–1945. Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1591146483.
  • Shores, Christopher; Cull, Brian; Izawa, Yasuho (1992). Bloody Shambles: The Drift to War to the Fall of Singapore. I. London: Grub Street. ISBN 0-948817-50-X.
  • Watson, Dr Graham (2015). "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployment 1947-2013". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith.
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