Frederick Edward-Collins

Admiral Sir George Frederick Basset Edward-Collins KCB KCVO ADC DL (26 December 1883 – 17 February 1958) was a British senior officer in the Royal Navy during the first half of the twentieth century.[1][2]

Sir Frederick Edward-Collins
Edward-Collins as Flag Officer Commanding Gibraltar and Mediterranean Approaches
Birth nameGeorge Frederick Basset Edward-Collins
Born(1883-12-26)26 December 1883
Bodmin, Cornwall
Died17 February 1958(1958-02-17) (aged 74)
Lostwithiel, Cornwall
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service1898–1944
RankAdmiral
Commands held18th Cruiser Squadron
2nd Cruiser Squadron
HMS Renown
HMS Comus
HMS Carysfort
Battles/warsBoxer Rebellion
First World War
Second World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Mentioned in Despatches
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)
Order of Polonia Restituta, fourth Class (Poland)
RelationsMajor General Charles Edward-Collins (brother)

Early life

Edward-Collins was born in Bodmin, Cornwall,[3] the son of Edward Charles Edward-Collins, of Trewardale, Blisland, a local landowner. He was the younger brother of Charles Edward-Collins.[4][5]

Edward-Collins enrolled in the navy on 15 January 1898.[6] As a midshipman he was appointed to HMS Goliath on 27 March 1900,[7][8] on her first commission, to the China station. During the First World War Edward-Collins served on both HMS Superb and HMS Tiger.[9]

Edward-Collins commanded the light cruisers HMS Carysfort from April till September 1925, and HMS Comus from September 1925 till April 1927. He was also captain of the battlecruiser HMS Renown from December 1930 till March 1932,[10] and was appointed Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet on 13 September 1935.[11] From 1938 until 1940 he commanded the 2nd Cruiser Squadron, and later in 1940 he became second in command of the Home Fleet.[8] From June to November 1940 he commanded the 18th Cruiser Squadron. In December 1940 Edward-Collins became Flag Officer Commanding Gibraltar and Mediterranean Approaches.[12][13] He was promoted to admiral on 21 January 1943,[3] and retired on 7 February 1944.[3]

Awards and recognition

Edward-Collins became Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on 17 June 1939.[14] He was mentioned in dispatches in 1940,[15] and became Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 1 January 1941.[16] He was awarded the Order Odrodzenia Polski (4th class) in recognition of services to the Polish Navy[17][18] on 22 December 1942.[19]

References
  1. Gregory-Smith, Frank (2008). Red Tobruk. Pen and Sword. p. 8. ISBN 978-1-84415-862-1.
  2. "Edward-Collins, Admiral Sir (George) Frederick (Basset)". Who Was Who (online ed.). Oxford University Press. April 2014. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  3. "Admiral Sir George Frederick Basset Edward-Collins K.C.B., K.C.V.O." admirals.org.uk. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  4. "Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945". unithistories.com. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  5. "Indian Army Officers 1939-1945". unithistories.com. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  6. "Name Edward-Collins, George Frederick Basset Date of Birth: 26 December 1883 ..." The National Archives. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  7. "Naval & Military intelligence". The Times (36083). London. 7 March 1900. p. 10.
  8. Gilbert, Martin (2000). The Churchill War Papers: The Ever-Widening War 1941. Ebury Publishing. p. 452. ISBN 9780434007394. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  9. "The Ottawa Journal from Ottawa, · Page 12". The Ottawa Journal. 16 May 1939. p. 12. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  10. "Royal Navy Warship" (PDF). Gulabin. Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 July 2015. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  11. Svonavec, Stephen. "Royal Navy Flag Officers, December 1, 1937". Fleet Organization Web Site. Stephen Svonavec. Retrieved 6 July 2014.
  12. "ANDES, General (C-in-C Polish Forces in Russia). Visits Gibraltar, inspects rock's defences with acting Governor Sir F.E. Collins and other officials". ITN Source. Retrieved 20 January 2015.
  13. Smith, Donald A. Bertke ; Don Kindell ; Gordon (2009). World War II sea war (1. ed.). Dayton, Ohio: Bertke Publ. p. 202. ISBN 9781937470012.
  14. Christopher McCreery (2008). On Her Majesty's Service: Royal Honours and Recognition in Canada. Dundurn. p. 110. ISBN 978-1-77070-282-0.
  15. "Supplement to the London Gazette, 11 July 1940" (PDF). The Gazette. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  16. "Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 January 1941" (PDF). The Gazette. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  17. Andrzej S. Bartelski. Polish decorations for British Royal Navy personnel. Warsaw.
  18. "Admiralty Fleet Orders" (PDF). Australian Navy. Retrieved 22 August 2014.
  19. "Supplement to the London Gazette". The London Gazette. 22 December 1942. Retrieved 20 January 2014.
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Dudley North		 Flag Officer Commanding Gibraltar and Mediterranean Approaches
1940–1943		 Succeeded by
Sir Harold Burrough

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