Admiral
Sir Alexander Noel Campbell Bingley GCB
OBEThe Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(1905–1972) was a
Royal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer who went on to be
Commander-in-Chief, PortsmouthThe Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
.
Naval career
Bingley joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1918.
He served in
World War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet. He went on to be Commander of the aircraft-carrier
HMS SlingerThe USS Chatham was built at the Seattle-Tacoma S/Y, Hull #27, Seattle WA and transferred to the United Kingdom 11 August 1943 under lend-lease and renamed HMS Slinger . Outfitted by the British as a transport carrier, the ship was mined on 5 February 1944 but returned to service, 17 October...
in 1943, of the aircraft-carrier
HMS BiterHMS Biter was a Royal Navy escort carrier during the Second World War. She was laid down as a merchant ship at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard at Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 28 December 1939, she was converted to an escort carrier and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 6 May...
in 1944 and of the
Mobile Naval Air BaseMobile Operational Naval Air Bases were a series of mobile units first formed in 1944 to provide logistical support to the Fleet Air Arm aircraft of the Royal Navy's British Pacific Fleet towards the end of World War II....
HMS Nabaron in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Deputy Director of Air Warfare. He went on to be
Chief of StaffThe title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to the Flag Officer (Air) and then Commander of the aircraft-carrier
HMS EagleHMS Eagle was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, in service 1951-1972. With her sister ship , she is one of the two largest British aircraft carriers yet built....
in 1952.
He was appointed
Fifth Sea LordThe Fifth Sea Lord was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty that controlled the Royal Navy.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were assigned to each of the 'Naval' Lords, who were described as 'Professional' Lords, leaving to the 'Civil' Lords...
and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Air) in 1954 and Flag Officer, Aircraft Carriers in 1958. He was made
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean FleetSeveral countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
in 1959 and
Commander-in-Chief, PortsmouthThe Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
and Allied Commander-in-Chief, Channel in 1961; he retired in 1963.
He lived at
HoddesdonHoddesdon is a town in the English county of Hertfordshire, situated in the Lea Valley. The town grew up as a coaching stop on the route between Cambridge and London. It is located southeast of Hertford, north of Waltham Cross and southwest of Bishop's Stortford. At its height during the 18th...
in
HertfordshireHertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
.