Algernon Willis
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
Sir Algernon Usborne Willis KCB DSO
(1889–1976) was a British Royal Navy
officer.
and then actions against the Bolshevik
s in the Baltic
from 1918 to 1919.
In the Second World War he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
, first under Sir Dudley Pound
and then in 1940.
under Sir Andrew Cunningham
, He participated in various Fleet operations in the Mediterranean, including the Battle of Calabria
in July 1940, and the attack on Italian Fleet at Taranto
in October 1940.
In 1941 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic
with acting rank of Vice-Admiral and was responsible for convoys passing through to the Middle East and for operations against enemy vessels. Then in February 1942 he transferred to HMS Resolution as Vice-Admiral commanding 3rd Battle Squadron and Second in command Eastern Fleet under Admiral Sir James Somerville. This Fleet was assigned the duty of protecting communications in the Indian Ocean
.
In March 1943 he was Flag Officer
commanding Force H
, the force which covered North African Operations and then the invasion of Italy. In October 1943 he became Commander-in-Chief, Levant
after the Armistice with Italy when Force H dispersed. As Commander-in-Chief Levant he conducted the Dodecanese Campaign
of Autumn 1943 and attended the Cairo Conference
.
He returned to the UK in 1944 and became Second Sea Lord
on the Board of Admiralty and held this appointment until February 1946 when he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
in 1948. He retired in 1950. It was widely believed he was not made First Sea Lord because his wife was Prime Minister Clement Attlee
's sister-in-law and Attlee felt such an appointment could look like nepotism.
He spent his last years in Petersfield
in Hampshire
.
Reports in the London Gazette:
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
Sir Algernon Usborne Willis KCB DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(1889–1976) was a British Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The 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.
Naval career
Willis joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1904 and went on to serve in World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and then actions against the Bolshevik
Bolshevik
The Bolsheviks, originally also Bolshevists , derived from bol'shinstvo, "majority") were a faction of the Marxist Russian Social Democratic Labour Party which split apart from the Menshevik faction at the Second Party Congress in 1903....
s in the Baltic
Baltic states
The term Baltic states refers to the Baltic territories which gained independence from the Russian Empire in the wake of World War I: primarily the contiguous trio of Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania ; Finland also fell within the scope of the term after initially gaining independence in the 1920s.The...
from 1918 to 1919.
In the Second World War he was appointed as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
, first under Sir Dudley Pound
Dudley Pound
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB OM GCVO RN was a British naval officer who served as First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy from June 1939 to September 1943.- Early life :...
and then in 1940.
under Sir Andrew Cunningham
Andrew Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope
Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope KT, GCB, OM, DSO and two Bars , was a British admiral of the Second World War. Cunningham was widely known by his nickname, "ABC"....
, He participated in various Fleet operations in the Mediterranean, including the Battle of Calabria
Battle of Calabria
The Battle of Calabria, was a naval battle during the Battle of the Mediterranean in World War II. It was fought between the Italian Royal Navy and the British Royal Navy and the Royal Australian Navy. The battle occurred 30 miles to the east of Punta Stilo, the "toe" of Italy , on 9 July 1940...
in July 1940, and the attack on Italian Fleet at Taranto
Battle of Taranto
The naval Battle of Taranto took place on the night of 11–12 November 1940 during the Second World War. The Royal Navy launched the first all-aircraft ship-to-ship naval attack in history, flying a small number of obsolescent biplane torpedo bombers from an aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea...
in October 1940.
In 1941 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic
South Atlantic Station
The South Atlantic Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formed from the former Cape of Good Hope Station.-History:...
with acting rank of Vice-Admiral and was responsible for convoys passing through to the Middle East and for operations against enemy vessels. Then in February 1942 he transferred to HMS Resolution as Vice-Admiral commanding 3rd Battle Squadron and Second in command Eastern Fleet under Admiral Sir James Somerville. This Fleet was assigned the duty of protecting communications in the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
In March 1943 he was Flag Officer
Flag Officer
A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark where the officer exercises command. The term usually refers to the senior officers in an English-speaking nation's navy, specifically those who hold any of the admiral ranks; in...
commanding Force H
Force H
Force H was a British naval formation during the Second World War. It was formed in 1940 to replace French naval power in the western Mediterranean that had been removed by the French armistice with Nazi Germany....
, the force which covered North African Operations and then the invasion of Italy. In October 1943 he became Commander-in-Chief, Levant
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
after the Armistice with Italy when Force H dispersed. As Commander-in-Chief Levant he conducted the Dodecanese Campaign
Dodecanese Campaign
The Dodecanese Campaign of World War II was an attempt by Allied forces, mostly British, to capture the Italian-held Dodecanese islands in the Aegean Sea following the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and use them as bases against the German-controlled Balkans...
of Autumn 1943 and attended the Cairo Conference
Cairo Conference
The Cairo Conference of November 22–26, 1943, held in Cairo, Egypt, addressed the Allied position against Japan during World War II and made decisions about postwar Asia...
.
He returned to the UK in 1944 and became Second Sea Lord
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
on the Board of Admiralty and held this appointment until February 1946 when he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The 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:...
in 1948. He retired in 1950. It was widely believed he was not made First Sea Lord because his wife was Prime Minister Clement Attlee
Clement Attlee
Clement Richard Attlee, 1st Earl Attlee, KG, OM, CH, PC, FRS was a British Labour politician who served as the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1945 to 1951, and as the Leader of the Labour Party from 1935 to 1955...
's sister-in-law and Attlee felt such an appointment could look like nepotism.
He spent his last years in Petersfield
Petersfield, Hampshire
Petersfield is a market town and civil parish in the East Hampshire district of Hampshire, England. It is north of Portsmouth, on the A3 road. The town has its own railway station on the Portsmouth Direct Line, the mainline rail link connecting Portsmouth and London. The town is situated on the...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.
Papers and Publications
After his death in 1976, 13 boxes of archived papers were presented to the Churchill Archives Centre in the University of Cambridge. Additional documents are held by the National Archives.Reports in the London Gazette:
- Despatches on actions against German and Japanese raiding ships 1941 Jan.-1943 Apr., by Vice-Admiral A. U. Willis, Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic Station and Admiral Sir James F. Somerville, Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/38349.pdf
- Despatch on operations in the Aegean 1943 Sept.7-Nov. 28, by Vice-Admiral Sir Algernon U. Willis, Commander-in-Chief, Levant http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/UK/LondonGazette/38426.pdf