Cedric Holland
Encyclopedia
Cedric Swinton Holland CB
(13 October 1889–11 May 1950) was an officer of the Royal Navy
who saw service during the First and Second World Wars, rising to the rank of vice-admiral
.
Holland was born the son of an admiral, and followed his father into the navy, rising through the ranks after service on a number of ships, and serving at the rank of lieutenant on a cruiser
at the start of the First World War. He saw out the war aboard battleships in home water and the Mediterranean, punctuated with time ashore, and with a special interest in signalling and naval communications. He was promoted to lieutenant-commander after the war, and was in the Mediterranean during the Turkish War of Independence
. He graduated to his own commands shortly after, commanding a cruiser on the China Station
, followed by a destroyer in the Mediterranean. He became a naval attaché in Paris shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, and remained in the position until April 1940.
Recalled to Britain he assumed command of the aircraft carrier
, which he commanded throughout a number of actions and operations. He was particularly prominent in the negotiations in the run up to the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, when the French fleet refused to agree to terms to either surrender or disarm to keep their fleet out of the hands of the Germans. Holland left Ark Royal for a staff appointment in 1941, becoming Chief of Staff to Lord Gort
, and later Director of Naval Communications at the Admiralty
. He spent the last years of the war as Principal Administrative Officer with the Eastern Fleet, having been promoted to rear-admiral and then vice-admiral. His distinguished service brought him a number of accolades, he was twice mentioned in despatches, was appointed a Commander of the Legion of Merit
, a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
and a Companion of the Bath
. Holland retired in 1946 and died in 1950.
on 13 October 1889, the son of Swinton-Colthurst Holland, who would rise to be an admiral, and his wife Eva Williams. He followed his father into the navy, joining HMS Britannia
as a cadet
on 15 January 1905, graduating as a midshipman
on 15 May 1906 and going to serve aboard the armoured cruiser in the Mediterranean. He transferred to the battleship , also in the Mediterranean, on 3 September 1907, and then moved to in Home waters on 18 February 1908, where he remained until 14 September 1909.
. He was aboard Shannon at the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, and remained with her until November 1914.
He served as flag lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Mark Kerr aboard between June 1916 and May 1917, during her time in the Mediterranean as flagship of the British Squadron in the Adriatic, and from then until April 1919 was aboard for Signalling and Wireless Telegraphy duties with the Grand Fleet.
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He was gazetted
on 4 April 1919 'for valuable services rendered in connection with the War'. For his services during the war he was made a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
. He continued to have an active career at sea, being promoted to lieutenant-commander on 31 August 1919 and serving as Squadron Wireless Officer aboard , based in the Mediterranean in 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence
.
Holland was advanced to commander on 31 December 1924, and between July 1928 and August 1929 he commanded on the China Station
, during which time he visited ports in China
, South-East Asia and Japan
. His service in this region allowed him to attend the funeral of Dr Sun Yat-sen
on 31 May 1929, and the annual Naval Regatta at Wei-Hai-Wei. He was promoted to captain
on 30 June 1932, and in 1934 he took command of the destroyer , serving in the Mediterranean until 1936.
Holland was a skilled French speaker
and was posted as Naval Attaché for France, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Portugal from January 1938 to April 1940, and was the Head of the Naval Mission to the French Admiralty from the outbreak of war in September 1939 until April 1940.
, which he spent a year in command of, until May 1941. Ark Royal was heavily engaged in a number of key theatres of the war, and during Holland's time in command he took part in Operation Alphabet
, the transport of troops from Narvik
to Britain, numerous convoy escort missions through the Mediterranean, bombing raids on the Italian mainland, and the search for the German raiders Scharnhorst
and Gneisenau
.
in July 1940. A British fleet, Force H
, was despatched under Admiral Sir James Somerville
to insist the French either demilitarize their ships or hand them over to the British, to prevent them falling into German hands. Holland, as a French speaker with experience from his time as naval attaché in Paris, was sent to deliver the terms and enter negotiations with the French naval officers. He was taken into Mers-el-Kébir with the ultimatum aboard early on 2 July. Holland, like his superior officer Somerville, was strongly opposed to the use of force, hoping that a show of strength would be enough to convince the French to avoid fighting.
Apparently offended by Somerville's sending a junior officer to deal with him, the French commander, Admiral Marcel-Bruno Gensoul
at first refused to meet Holland, and delegated his flag lieutenant, Bernard Dufay, to meet him instead. The negotiations dragged on for several hours, with the French unwilling to agree to terms. With French reinforcements reportedly enroute, Holland tried to convince Somerville that the French crews were being reduced, and would sail to Martinique
. But it was too little and came too late, the Admiralty pressed for a resolution and Holland was ordered to break off negotiations, and was taken back to his ship by . Twenty minutes after his arrival the British attacked, sinking several ships and badly damaging others.
at Gibraltar
, having been appointed a Naval Aide-de-camp
on 17 July 1941. He was twice mentioned in despatches for his services commanding Ark Royal, gazetted on 27 June 1941, and again on 2 January 1942. He was with Gort until January 1942, when he became Director of Naval Communications at the Admiralty
, holding the post until November 1943. He had been promoted to rear-admiral on 6 February 1942, early in this posting, and on stepping down as director, became Principal Administrative Officer for the Navy in South-East Asia. His appointment marked the first of its kind, and he held it until September 1945, having been promoted to vice-admiral on 1 June 1945. During his time in the Far East he was involved in planning and carrying out Operation Tiderace
, the re-occupation of Singapore
, flying his flag aboard .
for 'distinguished services to the Allied Cause', and was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath
in 1945. Vice-Admiral Cedric Holland died on 11 May 1950 at the age of 60. Collections of his papers are held at the National Maritime Museum
.
, on 15 June 1925. The couple had two children, Katherine J. Holland, born in 1927, and John Swinton Holland, born in 1928.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(13 October 1889–11 May 1950) was an officer of the 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...
who saw service during the First and Second World Wars, rising to the rank of vice-admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
.
Holland was born the son of an admiral, and followed his father into the navy, rising through the ranks after service on a number of ships, and serving at the rank of lieutenant on a cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
at the start of the First World War. He saw out the war aboard battleships in home water and the Mediterranean, punctuated with time ashore, and with a special interest in signalling and naval communications. He was promoted to lieutenant-commander after the war, and was in the Mediterranean during the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
. He graduated to his own commands shortly after, commanding a cruiser on the China Station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
, followed by a destroyer in the Mediterranean. He became a naval attaché in Paris shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, and remained in the position until April 1940.
Recalled to Britain he assumed command of the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, which he commanded throughout a number of actions and operations. He was particularly prominent in the negotiations in the run up to the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, when the French fleet refused to agree to terms to either surrender or disarm to keep their fleet out of the hands of the Germans. Holland left Ark Royal for a staff appointment in 1941, becoming Chief of Staff to Lord Gort
John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
Field Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MVO, MC , was a British and Anglo-Irish soldier. As a young officer in World War I he won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of the Canal du Nord. During the 1930s he served as Chief of the...
, and later Director of Naval Communications at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
. He spent the last years of the war as Principal Administrative Officer with the Eastern Fleet, having been promoted to rear-admiral and then vice-admiral. His distinguished service brought him a number of accolades, he was twice mentioned in despatches, was appointed a Commander of the Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
, a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
and a Companion of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. Holland retired in 1946 and died in 1950.
Family and early life
Cedric Holland was born in AlverstokeAlverstoke
Alverstoke is a parish in the borough of Gosport, Hampshire, England, that encompasses land stretching from Haslar to Stokes Bay. Alverstoke lies within half a mile of the shore of Stokes Bay and near the head of a creek which extends a mile westward from Portsmouth Harbour...
on 13 October 1889, the son of Swinton-Colthurst Holland, who would rise to be an admiral, and his wife Eva Williams. He followed his father into the navy, joining HMS Britannia
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
as a cadet
Officer Cadet
Officer cadet is a rank held by military and merchant navy cadets during their training to become commissioned officers and merchant navy officers, respectively. The term officer trainee is used interchangeably in some countries...
on 15 January 1905, graduating as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
on 15 May 1906 and going to serve aboard the armoured cruiser in the Mediterranean. He transferred to the battleship , also in the Mediterranean, on 3 September 1907, and then moved to in Home waters on 18 February 1908, where he remained until 14 September 1909.
Last years of peace and the First World War
He was appointed sub-lieutenant after a period as acting sub-lieutenant on 30 September 1909, and was then promoted from sub-lieutenant to lieutenant on 31 August 1911. He went on to serve at this rank aboard the armoured cruiser , part of the Grand Fleet and based at Scapa FlowScapa Flow
right|thumb|Scapa Flow viewed from its eastern endScapa Flow is a body of water in the Orkney Islands, Scotland, United Kingdom, sheltered by the islands of Mainland, Graemsay, Burray, South Ronaldsay and Hoy. It is about...
. He was aboard Shannon at the outbreak of the First World War in August 1914, and remained with her until November 1914.
He served as flag lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Mark Kerr aboard between June 1916 and May 1917, during her time in the Mediterranean as flagship of the British Squadron in the Adriatic, and from then until April 1919 was aboard for Signalling and Wireless Telegraphy duties with the Grand Fleet.
Post First World War
London Gazette
The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the United Kingdom, in which certain statutory notices are required to be published...
on 4 April 1919 'for valuable services rendered in connection with the War'. For his services during the war he was made a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy
Order of the Crown of Italy
The Order of the Crown of Italy was founded as a national order in 1868 by King Vittorio Emanuele II, to commemorate the unification of Italy in 1861...
. He continued to have an active career at sea, being promoted to lieutenant-commander on 31 August 1919 and serving as Squadron Wireless Officer aboard , based in the Mediterranean in 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence
Turkish War of Independence
The Turkish War of Independence was a war of independence waged by Turkish nationalists against the Allies, after the country was partitioned by the Allies following the Ottoman Empire's defeat in World War I...
.
Holland was advanced to commander on 31 December 1924, and between July 1928 and August 1929 he commanded on the China Station
China Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
, during which time he visited ports in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, South-East Asia and Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. His service in this region allowed him to attend the funeral of Dr Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen
Sun Yat-sen was a Chinese doctor, revolutionary and political leader. As the foremost pioneer of Nationalist China, Sun is frequently referred to as the "Father of the Nation" , a view agreed upon by both the People's Republic of China and the Republic of China...
on 31 May 1929, and the annual Naval Regatta at Wei-Hai-Wei. He was promoted to captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
on 30 June 1932, and in 1934 he took command of the destroyer , serving in the Mediterranean until 1936.
Holland was a skilled French speaker
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
and was posted as Naval Attaché for France, Holland, Belgium, Spain and Portugal from January 1938 to April 1940, and was the Head of the Naval Mission to the French Admiralty from the outbreak of war in September 1939 until April 1940.
Second World War
Holland returned from his services with the French and in May 1940 took command of the aircraft carrierAircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, which he spent a year in command of, until May 1941. Ark Royal was heavily engaged in a number of key theatres of the war, and during Holland's time in command he took part in Operation Alphabet
Operation Alphabet
Operation Alphabet was an evacuation, authorized on May 24, 1940, of Allied troops from the harbour of Narvik in northern Norway marking the success of Nazi Germany's Operation Weserübung of April 9 and the end of the Allied campaign in Norway during World War II...
, the transport of troops from Narvik
Narvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
to Britain, numerous convoy escort missions through the Mediterranean, bombing raids on the Italian mainland, and the search for the German raiders Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
and Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
.
Mers-el-Kébir
He was particularly involved in the attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-KébirMers-el-Kébir
Mers-el-Kébir is a port town in northwestern Algeria, located by the Mediterranean Sea near Oran, in the Oran Province.-History:Originally a Roman port, Mers-el-Kébir became an Almohad naval arsenal in the 12th century, fell under the rulers of Tlemcen in the 15th century, and eventually became a...
in July 1940. A British fleet, 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....
, was despatched under Admiral Sir James Somerville
James Somerville
Admiral of the Fleet Sir James Fownes Somerville GCB, GBE, DSO was one of the most famous British Admirals of World War II.-Early career:...
to insist the French either demilitarize their ships or hand them over to the British, to prevent them falling into German hands. Holland, as a French speaker with experience from his time as naval attaché in Paris, was sent to deliver the terms and enter negotiations with the French naval officers. He was taken into Mers-el-Kébir with the ultimatum aboard early on 2 July. Holland, like his superior officer Somerville, was strongly opposed to the use of force, hoping that a show of strength would be enough to convince the French to avoid fighting.
Apparently offended by Somerville's sending a junior officer to deal with him, the French commander, Admiral Marcel-Bruno Gensoul
Marcel-Bruno Gensoul
Marcel-Bruno Gensoul was a French admiral who commanded the Force de Raid, based at Brest until the French surrender in 1940...
at first refused to meet Holland, and delegated his flag lieutenant, Bernard Dufay, to meet him instead. The negotiations dragged on for several hours, with the French unwilling to agree to terms. With French reinforcements reportedly enroute, Holland tried to convince Somerville that the French crews were being reduced, and would sail to Martinique
Martinique
Martinique is an island in the eastern Caribbean Sea, with a land area of . Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France, consisting of a single overseas department. To the northwest lies Dominica, to the south St Lucia, and to the southeast Barbados...
. But it was too little and came too late, the Admiralty pressed for a resolution and Holland was ordered to break off negotiations, and was taken back to his ship by . Twenty minutes after his arrival the British attacked, sinking several ships and badly damaging others.
Staff posts and flag rank
Holland left Ark Royal in May 1941, having been suffering from deteriorating health, and was replaced by Captain Loben Maund. He took up the post of Chief of Staff to Lord GortJohn Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
Field Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MVO, MC , was a British and Anglo-Irish soldier. As a young officer in World War I he won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of the Canal du Nord. During the 1930s he served as Chief of the...
at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
, having been appointed a Naval Aide-de-camp
Aide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
on 17 July 1941. He was twice mentioned in despatches for his services commanding Ark Royal, gazetted on 27 June 1941, and again on 2 January 1942. He was with Gort until January 1942, when he became Director of Naval Communications at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
, holding the post until November 1943. He had been promoted to rear-admiral on 6 February 1942, early in this posting, and on stepping down as director, became Principal Administrative Officer for the Navy in South-East Asia. His appointment marked the first of its kind, and he held it until September 1945, having been promoted to vice-admiral on 1 June 1945. During his time in the Far East he was involved in planning and carrying out Operation Tiderace
Operation Tiderace
Operation Tiderace was the codename of the British plan to retake Singapore in 1945. The liberation force was led by Lord Louis Mountbatten, Supreme Allied Commander of South East Asia Command...
, the re-occupation of Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
, flying his flag aboard .
Post-war
Vice-Admiral Holland retired from active service in 1946. The American government appointed him a Commander of the Legion of MeritLegion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
for 'distinguished services to the Allied Cause', and was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1945. Vice-Admiral Cedric Holland died on 11 May 1950 at the age of 60. Collections of his papers are held at the National Maritime Museum
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, England is the leading maritime museum of the United Kingdom and may be the largest museum of its kind in the world. The historic buildings forming part of the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site, it also incorporates the Royal Observatory, Greenwich,...
.
Family and issue
Holland married Agnes Barbara Dillwyn-Venables-Llewelyn, the daughter of Sir Charles Dillwyn-Venables-Llewellyn, 2nd BaronetSir Charles Dillwyn-Venables-Llewellyn, 2nd Baronet
Sir Charles Leyshon Dillwyn-Venables-Llewellyn, 2nd Baronet was a Welsh Conservative Member of Parliament who briefly represented Radnorshire in the House of Commons and served as Lord-Lieutenant of Radnorshire....
, on 15 June 1925. The couple had two children, Katherine J. Holland, born in 1927, and John Swinton Holland, born in 1928.