Admiralty (United Kingdom)

British Government ministry responsible for the Royal Navy until 1964

This article is about the period from 1707–1964. For the preceding period 1546–1707, see Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office. For the succeeding period 1964–1997, see Navy Department (Ministry of Defence).

Department of Admiralty

Royal Arms of HM Government

Department overview
Formed| 1707
Preceding Department|

* Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office

Dissolved| 1964
Superseding Department|

* Navy Department

Jurisdiction| Government of the United Kingdom
Headquarters| War Office building
Whitehall
London
Department executive|

* First Lord of the Admiralty

Parent Department| HM Government

The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom[1][2] responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of its history, from the early 18th century until its abolition, the role of the Lord High Admiral was almost invariably put "in commission" and exercised by the Lords Commissioner of the Admiralty, who sat on the governing Board of Admiralty, rather than by a single person. The Admiralty was replaced by the Admiralty Board in 1964, as part of the reforms that created the Ministry of Defence and its Navy Department (later Navy Command).[3]

Before the Acts of Union 1707, the Office of the Admiralty and Marine Affairs[4] administered the Royal Navy of the Kingdom of England, which merged with the Royal Scots Navy and then absorbed the responsibilities of the Lord High Admiral of the Kingdom of Scotland with the unification of the Kingdom of Great Britain.[5] The Admiralty was among the most important departments of the British Government, because of the Royal Navy's role in the expansion and maintenance of the English overseas possessions in the 17th century, the British Empire in the 18th century, and subsequently.

The modern Admiralty Board, to which the functions of the Admiralty were transferred in 1964, is a committee of the tri-service Defence Council of the United Kingdom. This Admiralty Board meets only twice a year, and the day-to-day running of the Royal Navy is controlled by a Navy Board (not to be confused with the historic Navy Board). It is common for the various authorities now in charge of the Royal Navy to be referred to as simply 'The Admiralty'.

The title of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom was vested in the monarch from 1964 to 2011. The title was awarded to Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh by Queen Elizabeth II on his 90th birthday and since his death in 2021 has reverted to the monarch.[6][7] There also continues to be a Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom and a Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom, both of which are honorary offices.

## History

[edit]

Flag of the Lord High Admiral

The office of Admiral of England (later Lord Admiral, and later Lord High Admiral) was created around 1400; there had previously been Admirals of the northern and western seas.[8] King Henry VIII established the Council of the Marine—later to become the Navy Board—in 1546, to oversee administrative affairs of the naval service. Operational control of the Royal Navy remained the responsibility of the Lord High Admiral, who was one of the nine Great Officers of State. This management approach would continue in force in the Royal Navy until 1832.[9]

King Charles I put the office of Lord High Admiral into commission in 1628, and control of the Royal Navy passed to a committee in the form of the Board of Admiralty. The office of Lord High Admiral passed a number of times in and out of commission until 1709, after which the office was almost permanently in commission (the last Lord High Admiral being the future King William IV in the early 19th century).[9]

In this organization a dual system operated the Lord High Admiral (from 1546) then Commissioners of the Admiralty (from 1628) exercised the function of general control (military administration) of the Navy and they were usually responsible for the conduct of any war, while the actual supply lines, support and services were managed by four principal officers, namely, the Treasurer, Comptroller, Surveyor and Clerk of the Acts, responsible individually for finance, supervision of accounts, Shipbuilding and maintenance of ships, and record of business. These principal officers came to be known as the Navy Board responsible for 'civil administration' of the navy, from 1546 to 1832.[9]

This structure of administering the navy lasted for 285 years, however, the supply system was often inefficient and corrupt its deficiencies were due as much to its limitations of the times they operated in. The various functions within the Admiralty were not coordinated effectively and lacked inter-dependency with each other, with the result that in 1832, Sir James Graham abolished the Navy Board and merged its functions within those of the Board of Admiralty. At the time this had distinct advantages; however, it failed to retain the principle of distinctions between the Admiralty and supply, and a lot of bureaucracy followed with the merger.[9]

In 1860 saw big growth in the development of technical crafts, the expansion of more admiralty branches that really began with age of steam that would have an enormous influence on the navy and naval thought. Between 1860 and 1908, there was no real study of strategy and of staff work conducted within the naval service; it was practically ignored. All the Navy's talent flowed to the great technical universities. This school of thought for the next 50 years was exclusively technically based. The first serious attempt to introduce a sole management body to administer the naval service manifested itself in the creation of the Admiralty Navy War Council in 1909.[10]

Following this, a new advisory body called the Admiralty War Staff was then instituted in 1912,[11] headed by the Chief of the War Staff who was responsible for administering three new sub-divisions responsible for operations, intelligence and mobilisation. The new War Staff had hardly found its feet and it continually struggled with the opposition to its existence by senior officers they were categorically opposed to a staff. The deficiencies of the system within this department of state could be seen in the conduct of the Dardanelles campaign. There were no mechanisms in place to answer the big strategic questions. A Trade Division was created in 1914. Sir John Jellicoe came to the Admiralty in 1916. He re-organized the war staff as following: Chief of War Staff, Operations, Intelligence, Signal Section, Mobilisation, Trade.[12]

It was not until 1917 that the admiralty department was again properly reorganized and began to function as a professional military staff. In May 1917, the term "Admiralty War Staff" was renamed and that department and its functional role were superseded by a new "Admiralty Naval Staff";[13][14] in addition, the newly created office of Chief of the Naval Staff was merged in the office of the First Sea Lord. Also appointed was a new post, that of Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, and an Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff; all were given seats on the Board of Admiralty. This for the first time gave the naval staff direct representation on the board; the presence of three senior naval senior members on the board ensured the necessary authority to carry through any operation of war. The Deputy Chief of Naval Staff would direct all operations and movements of the fleet, while the Assistant Chief of Naval Staff would be responsible for mercantile movements and anti-submarine operations.[12]

The office of Controller would be re-established to deal with all questions relating to supply; on 6 September 1917, a Deputy First Sea Lord, was added to the Board who would administer operations abroad and deal with questions of foreign policy. In October 1917, the development of the staff was carried one step further by the creation of two sub-committees of the Board—the Operations Committee and the Maintenance Committee. The First Lord of the Admiralty was chairman of both committees, and the Operations Committee consisted of the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff, the Deputy First Sea Lord, Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, and Fifth Sea Lord.[12]

Full operational control of the Royal Navy was finally handed over to the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) by an order in Council, effective October 1917, under which he became responsible for the issuing of orders affecting all war operations directly to the fleet. It also empowered the CNS to issue orders in their own name, as opposed to them previously being issued by the Permanent Secretary of the Admiralty in the name of the Board. In 1964, the Admiralty—along with the War Office and the Air Ministry—were abolished as separate departments of state, and placed under one single new Ministry of Defence. Within the expanded Ministry of Defence are the new Admiralty Board which has a separate Navy Board responsible for the day-to-day running of the Royal Navy, the Army Board and the Air Force Board, each headed by the Secretary of State for Defence.[15]

## Organizational structure

[edit]

Board of Admiralty, about 1810

In the 20th century the structure of the Admiralty Headquarters was predominantly organized into four parts:[16]

1. The Board of Admiralty, which directs and controls the whole machine chaired by a civilian government minister the First Lord of the Admiralty. His chief military adviser was the First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff as the Senior Naval Lord to the board.[16]
2. The Admiralty Naval Staff, advised and assisted the Board in chief strategic and operational planning, in the distributing of fleets and the allocating of assets to major naval commands and stations and in formulating official policy on tactical doctrine and requirements in regard to men and material. In order to deliver this the Naval Staff was organised into specialist Divisions and Sections. When the Admiralty unified with the Ministry of Defence in 1964 they were re designated as Directorates of the Naval Staff.[16]
3. The Admiralty Departments, which provides the men, ships, aircraft and supplies to carry out the approved policy. The departments are superintended by the various offices of the Sea Lords.[16]
4. The Department of the Permanent Secretary which was the general co-ordinating agency, regulating naval finance, providing advice on policy, conducing all correspondence on behalf of the Board and maintaining admiralty records. Its primary component to deliver this is the Admiralty Secretariat, sections of the Secretariat (other than those which provide Common Services) were known as Branches.[16]

Board of Admiralty

Main article: Board of Admiralty

When the office of Lord High Admiral was in commission, as it was for most of the 18th, 19th and 20th centuries, until it reverted to the Crown, it was exercised by a Board of Admiralty, officially known as the Commissioners for Exercising the Office of Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, &c. (alternatively of England, Great Britain or the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland depending on the period). The Board of Admiralty consisted of a number of Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty. The Lords Commissioners were always a mixture of admirals, known as Naval Lords or Sea Lords and Civil Lords, normally politicians. The quorum of the Board was two commissioners and a secretary. The president of the Board was known as the First Lord of the Admiralty, who was a member of the Cabinet. After 1806, the First Lord of the Admiralty was always a civilian, while the professional head of the navy came to be (and is still today) known as the First Sea Lord.[16]

Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty (1628–1964)

Main article: Board of Admiralty

The Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty were the members of The Board of Admiralty, which exercised the office of Lord High Admiral when it was not vested in a single person. The commissioners were a mixture of politicians without naval experience and professional naval officers, the proportion of naval officers generally increasing over time.[16]

Key Officials

First Lord of the Admiralty

Main article: First Lord of the Admiralty

The First Lord of the Admiralty or formally the Office of the First Lord of the Admiralty was the British government's senior civilian adviser on all naval affairs and the minister responsible for the direction and control of the Admiralty and Marine Affairs Office later the Department of Admiralty.(+) His office was supported by the Naval Secretariat.[16]

First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff

Main article: First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff

The First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff was the Chief Naval Adviser on the Board of Admiralty to the First Lord and superintended the offices of the sea lords and the admiralty naval staff.[16]

Navy Board

Main article: Navy Board

The Navy Board was an independent board from 1546 until 1628 when it became subordinate to, yet autonomous of the Board of Admiralty until 1832. Its principal commissioners of the Navy advised the board in relation to civil administration of the naval affairs. The Navy Board was based at the Navy Office.

Board of Admiralty civilian members responsible other important civil functions

1. Office of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty.[16]
2. Office of the Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty.[16]
3. Office of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty.[16]

Admiralty Naval Staff

Main article: Admiralty Naval Staff

It evolved from *Admiralty Navy War Council, (1909–1912) which in turn became the Admiralty War Staff, (1912–1917) before finally becoming the Admiralty Naval Staff in 1917. It was the former senior command, operational planning, policy and strategy department within the British Admiralty. It was established in 1917 and existed until 1964 when the department of the Admiralty was abolished, and the staff departments function continued within the Navy Department of the Ministry of Defence until 1971 when its functions became part of the new Naval Staff, Navy Department of the Ministry of Defence.[17]

Offices of the Naval Staff

1. Office of Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff.[16]
2. Office of the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.[16]
3. Offices of the Assistant Chiefs of the Naval Staff.[16]

Admiralty Departments
The Admiralty Departments were distinct and component parts of the Department of Admiralty that were superintended by the various offices of the Sea Lords responsible for them; they were primarily administrative, research, scientific and logistical support organisations. The departments role was to provide the men, ships, aircraft and supplies to carry out the approved policy of the Board of Admiralty and conveyed to them during 20th century by the Admiralty Naval Staff.[16]

Offices of the Sea Lords

1. Office of the Deputy First Sea Lord
2. Office of the Second Sea Lord.[16]
3. Office of the Third Sea Lord.[16]
4. Office of the Fourth Sea Lord.[16]
5. Office of Fifth Sea Lord

Department of the Permanent Secretary

Main article: Department of the Permanent Secretary (Royal Navy)

The Secretary's Department consisted of members of the civil service it was directed and controlled by a senior civil servant Permanent Secretary to the Board of Admiralty he was not a Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty, he functioned as a member of the board, and attended all of its meetings.[16]

### Organizational structure by time period

[edit]

Further information: Admiralty in the 16th century, Admiralty in the 17th century, Admiralty in the 18th century, Admiralty in the 19th century, and Admiralty in the 20th century

## "Admiralty" as a metonym for "sea power"

[edit]

In some cases, the term admiralty is used in a wider sense, as meaning sea power or rule over the seas, rather than in strict reference to the institution exercising such power. For example, the well-known lines from Kipling's Song of the Dead:

> If blood be the price of admiralty,

> Lord God, we ha' paid in full![18]

## See also

[edit]

* Law portal
* Oceans portal
* Transport portal
* United Kingdom portal

* Admiralty administration
* Admiralty buildings
* Admiralty chart
* Admiralty Inlet
* Admiralty Peak
* Navy Department (Ministry of Defence)
* List of lords high admiral
* List of first lords of the Admiralty
* List of lords commissioners of the Admiralty
* Lord High Admiral of Scotland
* St Boniface's Catholic College

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Hamilton, C. I. (3 February 2011). The Making of the Modern Admiralty: British Naval Policy-Making, 1805–1927. Cambridge University Press. p. 56\. ISBN 9781139496544.
2. ^ Ministry of Defence (2004). The Government's expenditure plans 2004–05 to 2005–06. London: Stationery Office. p. 8\. ISBN 9780101621229.
3. ^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty, and Ministry of Defence, Navy Department: Correspondence and Papers". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives, 1660–1976, ADM 1. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
4. ^ Knighton, C. S.; Loades, David; Loades, Professor of History David (29 April 2016). Elizabethan Naval Administration. Routledge. p. 8\. ISBN 9781317145035.
5. ^ Lawrence, Nicholas Blake, Richard (2005). The illustrated companion to Nelson's navy (Paperback ed.). Mechanicsburg, Pa.: Stackpole Books. p. 8\. ISBN 9780811732758.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
6. ^ "New title for Duke of Edinburgh as he turns 90, who remains the incumbent". BBC News. BBC. 10 June 2011. Retrieved 10 June 2011.
7. ^ "Lord High Admiral - a Freedom of Information request to Royal Navy". WhatDoTheyKnow. 15 June 2021. Retrieved 21 September 2021.
8. ^ Durston, Gregory (2017). The Admiralty Sessions, 1536-1834: Maritime Crime and the Silver Oar. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. p. 4\. ISBN 9781443873611.
9. ^ a b c d Kemp, Dear; Kemp, Peter, eds. (2007). "Lord High Admiral". The Oxford Companion to Ships and the Sea (2 ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780191727504.
10. ^ Kennedy, Paul (24 April 2014). The War Plans of the Great Powers (RLE The First World War): 1880–1914. Routledge. p. 128\. ISBN 9781317702528.
11. ^ "Obituary: Sir Reginald Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax – First Director of the Naval Staff College". The Times. 18 October 1967. p. 12.
12. ^ a b c Jellicoe of Scapa, Admiral of the Fleet Viscount. "The Crisis of the Naval War (1917)". Naval History.net. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
13. ^ Moretz, Joseph (6 December 2012). The Royal Navy and the Capital Ship in the Interwar Period: An Operational Perspective. Routledge. p. 247\. ISBN 9781136340369.
14. ^ Archives, The National. "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives. Retrieved 19 January 2017.
15. ^ "History of the Ministry of Defence" (PDF). Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 9 September 2022.
16. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Great Britain, Parliament, House of Commons (1959). "Admiralty Office". House of Commons Papers, Volume 5. London, England: HM Stationery Office. pp. 5–24.`{{cite book}}`: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
17. ^ Stationery Office, H.M. (31 October 1967). The Navy List. Spink and Sons Ltd, London, England. pp. 524–532.
18. ^ Kipling, Rudyard (2015). Stories and Poems. Oxford University Press. p. 471\. ISBN 9780198723431.

## Further reading

[edit]

* Daniel A. Baugh, Naval Administration in the Age of Walpole (Princeton, 1965).
* Sir John Barrow, An Autobiographical Memoir of Sir John Barrow, Bart., Late of the Admiralty (London, 1847).
* John Ehrman, The Navy in the War of William III: Its State and Direction (Cambridge, 1953).
* C. I. Hamilton, The Making of the Modern Admiralty: British Naval Policy-Making 1805–1927 (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2011).
* C. I. Hamilton, "Selections from the Phinn Committee of Inquiry of October–November 1853 into the State of the Office of Secretary to the Admiralty, in The Naval Miscellany, volume V, edited by N. A. M. Rodger, (London: Navy Records Society, London, 1984).
* C. S. Knighton, Pepys and the Navy (Stroud: Sutton Publishing, 2003).
* Christopher Lloyd, Mr Barrow of the Admiralty (London, 1970).
* Malcolm H. Murfett, The First Sea Lords: From Fisher to Mountbatten (Westport: Praeger, 1995).
* Lady Murray, The Making of a Civil Servant: Sir Oswyn Murray, Secretary of the Admiralty 1917–1936 (London, 1940).
* N.A.M. Rodger, The Admiralty (Lavenham, 1979)
* J.C. Sainty, Admiralty Officials, 1660–1870 (London, 1975)
* Sir Charles Walker, Thirty-Six Years at the Admiralty (London, 1933)

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Admiralty, Royal Navy.

* The Admiralty at the Survey of London online

* v
* t
* e

Department of Admiralty

Direction and control
of Admiralty and Naval affairs|

* Office of First Lord of the Admiralty and President of the Board of Admiralty
* Lord High Admirals Council
* Admiralty buildings

Boards and offices under
the First Lord|

* Board of Admiralty
* Navy Board
* Navy Office
* Navy Pay Office
* Office of the Naval Secretary
* Office of the First Naval Lord
* Office of the First Sea Lord
* Office of the Senior Naval Lord
* Office of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty
* Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty
* Office of the Private Secretary to the First Lord of the Admiralty

Direction of
Admirals
Naval/Sea Lords
War and Naval Staff|

* Office of the Senior Naval Lord
* Office of the First Naval Lord
* Office of the First Sea Lord

Secretariat and staff under
the First Sea Lord|

* Office of the Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord
* Office of the Additional Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord
* Office of the Hydrographer of the Navy
* Offices of the Sea Lords
* Admiralty Navy War Council
* Admiralty War Staff
* Admiralty Naval Staff

Operational planning, policy
strategy, tactical doctrine
requirements|

* Admiralty Navy War Council
* Admiralty War Staff
* Admiralty Naval Staff

Divisions and sections
under the War and
Naval Staff|

* Administrative Planning Department
* Administrative Planning Division
* Air Division
* Anti-Submarine Division
* Anti-Submarine and Warfare Division
* Anti-U-boat Division
* Air Warfare Division
* Air Warfare and Fly Training Division
* Air Warfare and Training Division
* Combined Operations Division
* Communications Division
* Convoy Section
* Directorate of Defence Plans (Navy)
* Economic Warfare Division
* Gunnery and Anti-Aircraft Warfare Division
* Gunnery Division
* Gunnery and Torpedo Division
* Historical Section
* Local Defence Division Division
* Mercantile Movements Division
* Naval Air Division
* Naval Air Organisation and Training Division
* Naval Artillery and Torpedoes Division
* Navigation and Direction Division
* Navigation Division
* Minesweeping Division
* Mobilisation Division
* Naval Intelligence Division
* Operations Division
* Operations Division (Home)
* Operations Division (Foreign)
* Operations Division (Mining)
* Plans Division
* Plans Division (Q)
* Press Division
* Signal Division
* Signal Section
* Standardisation Division
* Tactical Division
* Tactical and Weapons Policy Division
* Torpedo Division
* Torpedo, Anti-Submarine and Minewarfare Division
* Trade Division
* Trade and Operations Division
* Training and Staff Duties Division
* Tactical and Staff Duties Division
* Undersurface Warfare Division

Offices of the Sea Lords|

* Office of the Second Sea Lord
* Office of the Third Sea Lord
* Office of the Fourth Sea Lord
* Office of the Fifth Sea Lord

Admiralty civil departments
and organisations
under the Sea Lords|

* Admiralty Area Cash Offices
* Admiralty Central Dockyard Laboratory
* Admiralty Central Metallurgical Laboratory
* Admiralty Civilian Shore Wireless Service
* Admiralty Compass Observatory
* Admiralty Constabulary
* Admiralty Constabulary Headquarters
* Admiralty Engineering Laboratory
* Admiralty Experimental Station
* Admiralty Experiment Works
* Admiralty Gunnery Establishment
* Admiralty Interview Board
* Admiralty Labour Department
* Admiralty Marine Technology Establishment
* Admiralty Materials Laboratory
* Admiralty Mine Design Department
* Admiralty Mining Establishment
* Admiralty Naval Aircraft Materials Laboratory
* Admiralty Record Office
* Admiralty Regional Offices
* Admiralty Research Laboratory
* Admiralty Signal Establishment
* Admiralty Signals and Radar Establishment
* Admiralty Surface Weapons Establishment
* Admiralty Surveying Service
* Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment
* Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment
* Admiralty Underwater Weapons Launching Establishment
* Architectural and Engineering Works Department
* Air Equipment and Naval Photography Department
* Air Department
* Air Materiel Department
* Air Personnel Department
* Amphibious Warfare Headquarters
* Armament Supply Department
* Board of Invention and Research
* Board of Longitude
* Boom Defence Department
* Boom Defence and Marine Salvage Department
* Britannia Royal Naval College
* Chemical Board
* Chemical Department
* Civil Catering Department
* Civil Engineer in Chiefs Department
* Coastguard and Reserves Branch
* Combined Operations Headquarters
* Commissioner for Property and Income-tax for the Naval Department
* Compass Department
* Contract and Purchase Department
* Council of Naval Education
* Dental Examining Board
* Department of Radio Equipment
* Department of the Accountant-General of the Navy
* Department of Aeronautical and Engineering Research
* Department of Miscellaneous Weapons Development
* Department of Naval Assistant (Foreign) to Second Sea Lord
* Department of Naval Education
* Operational Research
* Department of Personal Services and Officer Appointments
* Department of Physical Research
* Department of Physical Training & Sports
* Department of Radio Equipment
* Department of Research Programmes and Planning
* Department of Superintendent of de-magnetisation
* Department of the Admiral of the Training Service
* Department of the Chief Inspector of Naval Ordnance
* Department of the Chief of Naval Information
* Department of the Chief Scientist
* Department of the Civil Engineer-in-Chief
* Department of the Comptroller of Steam Machinery
* Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services
* Department of the Controller of the Navy
* Department of the Controller-General of Merchant Shipbuilding
* Department of the Controller for Navy Pay
* Department of the Deputy Controller for Auxiliary Shipbuilding
* Department of the Deputy Controller for Dockyards and Shipbuilding
* Department of the Director Contract-Built Ships
* Department of the Director-General Aircraft
* Department of the Director-General of Manpower
* Department of the Director-General, Supply and Secretariat Branch
* Department of the Director of Aircraft Maintenance and Repair
* Department of the Director of Contract Labour
* Department of the Director of Dockyards
* Department of the Director of Electrical Engineering
* Department of the Director of Manning
* Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding
* Department of the Director of Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
* Department of the Director of Merchant Ship Repairs
* Department of the Director of Naval Construction
* Department of the Director of Naval Equipment
* Department of the Director of Naval Recruiting
* Department of the Director of Naval Weather Service
* Department of the Director of Personal Services
* Department of the Director of Physical Training and Sports
* Department of the Director of Torpedoes and Mining
* Department of the Director of Transports
* Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons
* Department of the Director of Underwater Weapons Materials
* Department of the Director of Unexploded Bombs
* Department of the Director of Warship Production
* Department of the Director of Welfare and Service Conditions
* Department of the Director of Wreck Dispersal
* Department of the Flag Officer Sea Training
* Department of the Engineer in Chief
* Department of the Paymaster Director-General
* Department of the Inspector of Anti-Aircraft Weapons
* Department of the Inspector of Dockyard Expense Accounts
* Department of the Inspector-General of Naval Hospitals and Fleets
* Department of the Medical Director-General of the Navy
* Department of the Physician of the Navy
* Department of the Physician General of the Navy
* Department of the Storekeeper-General of the Navy
* Department of the Surveyor of Buildings
* Department of the Surveyor of Dockyards
* Directorate-General, (Naval Manpower and Training)
* Directorate General Training
* Dockyards and Fleet Maintenance Department
* Dockyards Branch
* Dockyard Expense Accounts Department
* Dockyard Schools
* Electrical Engineering Department
* Engineer Branch
* Engineering Department
* Experimental Department
* Fire Control Group
* Greenwich Hospital Department
* Inspector of Telegraphs
* Inspector of Repairs
* Joint Warfare Establishment
* Medical Consultative Board
* Medical Examining Board
* Historical Section
* Hydrographic Department
* Marine Department
* Marine Pay Department
* Materials and Priority Department
* Medical Consultative Board
* Medical Department
* Medical Examining Board
* Movements Department
* Nautical Almanac Office
* Naval Artillery and Torpedo Department
* Naval Engineering College
* Naval Equipment Department
* Naval Historical Branch
* Naval Construction Department
* Naval Intelligence Department
* Naval Medical Service
* Naval Law Division
* Naval Manpower Department
* Naval Mobilisation Department
* Naval Ordnance Department
* Naval Ordnance Inspection Department
* Naval Ordnance Stores Department
* Naval Personnel Services and Officer Appointments Department
* Naval Publicity Department
* Naval Regional Offices
* Naval Reserve Department
* Naval Security Department
* Naval Stores Department
* Naval Training Department
* Naval Works Department
* Navy, Army and Air Force Institute
* Navy and Army Canteen Board
* Navy Works Department
* Navigation Department
* Observatory at the Cape of Good Hope
* Office of the Admiral Commanding Coast Guard and Reserves
* Office of the Admiral Commanding, Reserves
* Office of the Admiralty Chemist
* Office of the Adviser on the Naval Construction to the Board of Admiralty
* Office of the Assistant Controller
* Office of the Assistant Controller Research and Development
* Office of the Clerk of the Journals
* Office of the Chief Polaris Executive
* Office of the Deputy Controller of Navy
* Office of the Deputy Controller Production
* Office of Extra Naval Assistant to Second Sea Lord
* Office of the Inspector Gun Mountings
* Office of the Keeper of Records
* Office of the Senior Psychologist (Naval)
* Office of the Senior Psychologist of the Navy
* Office of the Translator of French and Spanish Languages
* Office of the Vice Controller Air
* Office of the Vice Controller of the Navy
* Organisation and Methods Department
* Packet Service
* Regional Organisation for Merchant Shipbuilding and Repairs
* Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
* Royal Flying Corps
* Royal Marine Police
* Royal Marines Office
* Office of the Chaplain of the Fleet
* Royal Naval Academy
* Royal Naval Aircraft Workshops
* Royal Naval Air Service
* Royal Naval Air Stations
* Royal Naval Armaments Depot
* Royal Naval Auxiliary Service
* Royal Naval Cordite Factories
* Royal Naval Propellant Factory
* Royal Naval College
* Royal Naval College and the School for Naval Architecture
* Royal Naval College, Dartmouth
* Royal Naval College, Greenwich
* Royal Naval College, Keyham
* Royal Naval College, Osborne
* Royal Naval Engineering College
* Royal Naval Film Corporation
* Royal Naval Hospital
* Royal Naval Medical Depot
* Royal Naval Minewatching Service
* Royal Naval Mine Depot
* Royal Naval Patrol Service
* Royal Naval Scientific Service
* Royal Naval Sick Quarters
* Royal Naval Torpedo Depot
* Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve
* Royal Naval War College
* Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth
* Royal Navy Dockyard
* Royal Navy Medical Service
* Royal Navy Shore Signal Service
* Royal Observatory, Greenwich
* Royal School of Naval Architecture
* Salvage Department
* School of Mathematics and Naval Construction
* Scientific Research and Experiment Department
* Sea Transport Branch
* Sea Transport Department
* Sea Transport Division
* Ship Department
* Ship Design Department
* Signal Department
* Signal School
* Sixpenny Office
* Statistics Department
* Steam Department
* Superintendent of De-magnetisation
* Torpedo Experimental Establishment
* Transport Department
* Undersurface Warfare Department
* Victualling Department
* Volunteer Boys and Cadet Corps
* Weapons Department
* Weapons Department (Naval)
* Women's Royal Naval Service
* Wireless Telegraphy Board

Direction/Command of the Fleet|

* Office of the Permanent Secretary to the Admiralty
* Office of the First Naval Lord
* Office of the First Sea Lord
* Admiralty Naval Staff

Naval formations after 1707|

* 1st Fleet
* 2nd Fleet
* 3rd Fleet
* Commander-in-Chief, Africa
* Atlantic Fleet
* Commodore, Arabian Seas and Persian Gulf
* Australia Station
* Cape of Good Hope Station
* Cape and West Africa Station
* Battle Cruiser Fleet
* Battle Cruiser Force
* Caspian Flotilla
* Channel Fleet
* Channel Squadron
* Commander-in-Chief, Coast of Ireland
* Cork Station
* Coast of Scotland
* Commander-in-Chief, China
* Commander-in-Chief, Dover
* Flag Officer, East Africa
* East Indies Station
* East Indies and China Station
* Eastern Fleet
* Far East Fleet
* English Channel
* Grand Fleet
* Flag Officer Gibraltar
* Harwich Force
* Home Fleet
* Jamaica Station
* Leith Station
* Commander-in-Chief, Levant
* Levant and East Mediterranean
* Commander-in-Chief, Leeward Islands
* Mediterranean Fleet
* Medway
* Newfoundland Station
* New Zealand Division
* New Zealand Naval Forces
* Nore
* North America and West Indies Station
* Commander-in-Chief, North Sea
* Admiral Commanding, Orkneys and Shetlands
* Pacific Fleet
* Pacific Station
* Admiral of Patrols
* Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
* Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
* Queenstown Station
* Royal East African Navy
* Royal Indian Navy
* Flag Officer Submarines
* Commander-in-Chief, Rosyth
* Reserve Fleet
* Scotland and Northern Ireland
* Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic
* South East Coast of America Station
* Commander-in-Chief, Thames and Medway
* West Africa Squadron
* Flag Officer, West Africa
* Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches

Naval formations before 1707|

* Lisbon Station
* West Indies Station
* Western Squadron
* Thames, Medway and Nore
* Commander-in-Chief, Thames
* Narrow Seas
* Downs Station

Direction of Naval Finance|

* Department of the Parliamentary and Financial Secretary to the Admiralty

Departments under the
Parliamentary and Financial Secretary|

* Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty
* Accountant-General's Department
* Comptroller of the Navy
* Department of the Surveyor of the Navy

Direction of Naval Administration
and the Admiralty Secretariat|

* Department of the Permanent Secretary

Branches and offices under the
Permanent Secretary|

* Admiralty Central Copying Branch
* Admiralty Central Registry Branch
* Admiralty Record Office
* Admiralty Library
* Admiralty Secretariat
* Air Branch
* Civil Branch
* Legal Branch
* Military Branch
* Naval Branch
* Ship Branch

Civil Administration|

* Department of the Civil Lord of the Admiralty, Department of the Additional Civil Lord of the Admiralty

Departments under the
Civil Lords|

* Accountant-General's Department
* Contract and Purchase Department
* Department of the Director of Contract Labour
* Department of the Surveyor of Buildings
* Department of the Director of Works
* Greenwich Hospital Department
* Works Loan Department

Legal|

* Admiralty Judicial Department
* Admiralty court
* High Court of Admiralty
* Office of the Judge of the High Court of Admiralty
* High Court of Justice
* Office of the Judge Advocate of the Fleet
* Office of the Marshall High Court of the Admiralty
* Office of the Admiralty Advocate
* Office of the Admiralty Proctor
* Office of the Chief Naval Judge Advocate
* Office of the Counsel for the Affairs of the Admiralty and Navy
* Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty
* Office of the Deputy Judge Advocate of the Fleet
* Office of the Receiver of Droits High Court of Admiralty
* Office of the Registrar High Court of the Admiralty
* Office of the Solicitor for the Affairs of the Admiralty
* Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty and Navy
* Office of the Solicitor to the Admiralty
* Office of the Counsel to the Admiralty
* Court of Admiralty for the Cinque Ports
* King's Bench Division (Admiralty)
* Queens's Bench Division (Admiralty)
* Probate, Divorce and Admiralty Division
* Vice Admiralty courts
* Colonial Courts of Admiralty

* v
* t
* e

His Majesty's Naval Service

Leadership|

* Secretary of State for Defence
* Minister for the Armed Forces
* First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff
* Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff
* Fleet Commander
* Commander, Allied Maritime Command
* Commandant General Royal Marines
* Judge Advocate General of the Armed Forces
* Warrant Officer to the Royal Navy
* Corps Regimental Sergeant Major

Components|

| Royal Navy|

* Surface fleet
* Fleet Air Arm
* Submarine Service
* Royal Navy Medical Service
* Nursing Service (QARNNS)
* Chaplaincy Service
* Navy Police
* Naval Careers Service

|

Royal Marines|

* 3 Commando Brigade
* Royal Marines Band Service
* Royal Marines Reserve
* Royal Marines Police

Royal Naval Reserve|

* HMS Calliope
* HMS Cambria
* HMS Ceres
* HMS Dalriada
* HMS Eaglet
* HMS Ferret
* HMS Flying Fox
* HMS Forward
* HMS Hibernia
* HMS King Alfred
* HMS President
* HMS Scotia
* HMS Sherwood
* HMS Vivid
* HMS Wildfire

Special Forces|

* Special Boat Service

History
and
future|

* Admiralty in the 16th century
* Admiralty in the 17th century
* Admiralty in the 18th century
* Customs and traditions
* Historic forces and commands
* Future of the Royal Navy
* History of the Royal Navy (before 1707) (after 1707)
* History of the Royal Marines
* National Maritime Museum
* National Museum of the Royal Navy
* Naval Historical Branch

Operating
forces|

* Fleet Commander
* Commander United Kingdom Strike Force
* Commander Operations
* Surface Flotilla
* Submarine Flotilla
* 3 Commando Brigade

Fleet|

* List of active Royal Navy ships
* Royal Fleet Auxiliary
* Standing Royal Navy deployments
* List of fleets and major commands of the Royal Navy

Ships|

* Aircraft carriers
* Escort carriers
* Seaplane carriers
* Amphibious warfare ships
* Battlecruisers
* Battleships
* Pre-dreadnought battleships
* Bomb vessels
* Corvette and sloop
* Cruisers
* Destroyers
* Fireships
* Frigates
* Gun-brigs
* Gunboat and gunvessels
* Hospital ships
* Ironclads
* Mine countermeasure vessels
* Monitors
* Ironclads
* Patrol vessels
* Royal yachts
* Ships of the line
* Submarines
* Support ships
* Survey vessels
* Royal Marines Boats
* Historic ships names

Administration|

* Defence Council
* Admiralty Board
* Navy Board
* Navy Command

Senior
officers|

* Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Aviation, Amphibious Capability & Carriers)
* Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Capability)
* Director People & Training
* Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy)
* Director Naval Support
* Commander Fleet Operational Sea Training
* Chaplain of the Fleet
* Director General Ships
* Commandant General Royal Marines
* Commander Operations
* Commander United Kingdom Strike Force
* Commander Littoral Strike Group
* Commander United Kingdom Carrier Strike Group
* Commodore, Naval Staff
* Commodore RFA and Deputy Director Royal Navy Afloat Support
* Commander Maritime Reserves
* Naval Secretary
* Rear-Admiral, Fleet Air Arm
* Commodore Submarine Flotilla
* Commodore Surface Flotilla
* Serving senior officers
* Serving senior Royal Marines officers

Personnel
and
training|

* Admiralty Interview Board
* Britannia Royal Naval College
* Commando Training Centre Royal Marines
* Defence Academy of the United Kingdom
* HMS Raleigh
* HMS Sultan
* Royal Corps of Naval Constructors
* University Royal Naval Unit

Equipment|

* Uniforms of the Royal Navy
* Uniforms of the Royal Marines
* Officer rank insignia
* Ratings rank insignia
* Cutlasses

Former
leadership|

* First Lord of the Admiralty
* Chief of the Admiralty War Staff
* Admirals of the Fleet
* Commander-in-Chief Fleet
* Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command
* Deputy First Sea Lord
* Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff
* Third Sea Lord
* Fourth Sea Lord
* Fifth Sea Lord
* Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
* Judge Advocate of the Fleet

category

* v
* t
* e

Great Officers of State of England and Scotland

Great Officers of State
of England|

| Lord High Steward|

* Vacant

|

Lord High Chancellor|

* Shabana Mahmood MP (as Secretary of State for Justice)

Lord High Treasurer|

* Vacant

Lord President of the Council|

* Lucy Powell MP (also Leader of the House of Commons)

Lord Privy Seal|

* Angela Smith, Baroness Smith of Basildon (also Leader of the House of Lords)

Lord Great Chamberlain|

* In gross: Rupert Carington, 7th Baron Carrington

Lord High Constable|

* Vacant

Earl Marshal|

* Edward Fitzalan-Howard, 18th Duke of Norfolk

Lord High Admiral|

* Charles III (in right of the Crown)1

Officers of State
of Scotland|

| Greater|

| Lord High Chancellor|

* Abolished in 1707 (see Lord High Chancellor of Great Britain)

|

Lord High Treasurer|

* Abolished in 1707 (see Lord High Treasurer of Great Britain)

Lord Privy Seal|

* Vacant since 1921

Lord Secretary|

* Abolished in 1709

Lesser|

| Lord Clerk Register|

* Lady Elish Angiolini

|

Lord Advocate|

* Dorothy Bain

Lord Treasurer-depute|

* Abolished in 1707

Lord Justice Clerk|

* Leeona Dorrian, Lady Dorrian

Officers of the Crown
of Scotland|

| Lord President of the Council|

* Privy Council abolished in 1708

|

Lord High Chamberlain|

* Resigned to the Crown in 1703

Lord High Steward|

* William, Duke of Rothesay (as Prince and Great Steward of Scotland)

Lord High Constable|

* Merlin Hay, 24th Earl of Erroll

Knight Marischal|

* Vacant since 1863

Earl Marischal|

* Forfeit in 1716

Lord High Admiral2|

* Abolished in 1707

Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland2|

* John Swinney MSP (as First Minister of Scotland)

1 Office is either vested in the Crown, or vacant. Status is currently debated.
2 There is debate around whether these offices constitute Officers of the Crown.

Authority control databases

International|

* ISNI
* VIAF

National|

* United States
* Israel

Academics|

* CiNii

Other|

* IdRef

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