Stephen Hope Carlill
Encyclopedia
Vice-Admiral
Sir Stephen Hope Carlill, KBE
, CB
, DSO
(23 December 1902 – 9 February 1996) was a Royal Navy
admiral who served as the last British Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
from 1955 to 1958, when he was succeeded by Vice-Admiral Ram Dass Katari
.
and Dartmouth
, and was commissioned as an Acting Sub-Lieutenant in 1923. From 1923 to 1926 he served aboard HMS Ramillies
and was promoted to Lieutenant
in 1925. In 1927 he served aboard the minelayer
HMS Adventure
. From 1928 to 1930, Carlill studied gunnery at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich and aboard HMS Excellent from 1929 to 1930. He served as 2nd Gunnery Officer
on the cruiser HMS Norfolk
in the Atlantic Fleet from 1930 to 1931.
From 1932 to 1935, he served as gunnery officer on the cruiser HMS Dunedin
and as squadron gunnery officer for the New Zealand Station
. Carlill was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in 1933, and returned to Portsmouth from 1935 to 1936 to further study gunnery aboard HMS Excellent. From 1936 to 1937, he served as a gunnery officer on the battlecruiser
HMS Hood
in the Mediterranean and was promoted to Commander
in July 1937. He subsequently served as Squadron Gunnery Officer for the Mediterranean Fleet
aboard the cruiser
HMS Galatea
until August 1939.
During World War II
, Carlill was given command on three ships:
After WWII, Carlill served various ship and land roles:
, Carlill retired from the Royal Navy
on 7 Jul 1959. He served as representative in Ghana of West Africa Committee 1960-1966 and as adviser to West Africa Committee, 1966-1967.
. The Carlills had two sons, one, Admiral
James Michael Rahlenbeck Carlill (1934-2010)), also served in the Royal Navy
. Carlill died at Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire
in 1996.
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...
Sir Stephen Hope Carlill, KBE
Order of the British Empire
The 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...
, CB
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...
, 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...
(23 December 1902 – 9 February 1996) was a 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...
admiral who served as the last British Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and typically the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication...
from 1955 to 1958, when he was succeeded by Vice-Admiral Ram Dass Katari
Ram Dass Katari
Ram Dass Katari was an Indian Navy Vice Admiral who served as the 5th Chief of the Naval Staff from 22 April 1958 to 4 June 1962. He was the first Indian to hold the office and succeeded the last British officer to the post, Vice Admiral Sir Stephen Hope Carlill...
.
Early Life and Career
Carlill was born in Orpington, Kent, the son of Harold Flamenk Carlill (1875-1959), a civil servant, and Beatrice Newton Hope (d. 1924). He was educated at the Royal Naval colleges at OsborneOsborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
and Dartmouth
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...
, and was commissioned as an Acting Sub-Lieutenant in 1923. From 1923 to 1926 he served aboard HMS Ramillies
HMS Ramillies (07)
HMS Ramillies was a Revenge-class battleship of the Royal Navy, named after the Battle of Ramillies. The ship is notable for having served in both the First and Second World Wars...
and was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1925. In 1927 he served aboard the minelayer
Minelayer
Minelaying is the act of deploying explosive mines. Historically this has been carried out by ships, submarines and aircraft. Additionally, since World War I the term minelayer refers specifically to a naval ship used for deploying naval mines...
HMS Adventure
HMS Adventure
Twelve ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Adventure. A thirteenth was planned but never completed: was a 26-gun galley launched in 1594 and broken up 1645. was a 32-gun ship launched in 1646, rebuilt in 1691 and captured by the French in 1709. was a 40-gun fifth rate launched in 1709 and...
. From 1928 to 1930, Carlill studied gunnery at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich and aboard HMS Excellent from 1929 to 1930. He served as 2nd Gunnery Officer
Gun
A gun is a muzzle or breech-loaded projectile-firing weapon. There are various definitions depending on the nation and branch of service. A "gun" may be distinguished from other firearms in being a crew-served weapon such as a howitzer or mortar, as opposed to a small arm like a rifle or pistol,...
on the cruiser HMS Norfolk
HMS Norfolk (78)
HMS Norfolk was a County-class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy; along with her sister ship , she was part of a planned four-ship subclass.She served throughout the Second World War....
in the Atlantic Fleet from 1930 to 1931.
From 1932 to 1935, he served as gunnery officer on the cruiser HMS Dunedin
HMS Dunedin
HMS Dunedin was a Danae-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was launched from the yards of Armstrong Whitworth, Newcastle-on-Tyne on 19 November 1918 and commissioned on 13 September 1919...
and as squadron gunnery officer for the New Zealand Station
New Zealand Station
The New Zealand Station or New Zealand Squadron was the British naval command responsible for the waters around New Zealand. The station was created on 1 January 1921 after being split from the China Station. The Commodore's appointment was abolished and forces brought directly under the NZ CNS...
. Carlill was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander in 1933, and returned to Portsmouth from 1935 to 1936 to further study gunnery aboard HMS Excellent. From 1936 to 1937, he served as a gunnery officer on the battlecruiser
Battlecruiser
Battlecruisers were large capital ships built in the first half of the 20th century. They were developed in the first decade of the century as the successor to the armoured cruiser, but their evolution was more closely linked to that of the dreadnought battleship...
HMS Hood
HMS Hood
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Hood after several members of the Hood family, who were notable Navy officers: was a 91-gun second-rate ship of the line, originally laid down as HMS Edgar, but renamed in 1848 and launched in 1859. She was used for harbour service from 1872 and was...
in the Mediterranean and was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in July 1937. He subsequently served as Squadron Gunnery Officer for the 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...
aboard the 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...
HMS Galatea
HMS Galatea
HMS Galatea, after the Galatea of mythology, has been the name of eight ships in the British Royal Navy.*HMS Galatea was a 20-gun sixth-rate post-ship launched in 1776 and broken up in 1783....
until August 1939.
During World War II
World War II
World 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...
, Carlill was given command on three ships:
- HMS Hambledon (L 37) -as Commander 1 Apr 1940 to Oct 40
- HMS Farndale (L 70) - as Commander 3 Dec 1940 to 14 Jul 1942
- HMS Quilliam (G 09) - as Captain 26 Aug 1942 to Nov 1943
After WWII, Carlill served various ship and land roles:
- Deputy Director (Gunnery), Gunnery and Anti-Aircraft Warfare Division, Admiralty HMS PresidentHMS PresidentFive ships and one shore establishment of the Royal Navy have been named HMS President, after the office of president meaning one who presides over an assembly...
1944-46 - Chief of Staff to Commander-in-Chief, British Pacific Fleet HMS TamarHMS TamarSix ships and a naval station of the Royal Navy have been called HMS Tamar, after the River Tamar in South West England:*HMS Tamar was a 16-gun sloop launched at Saltash in 1758 and stationed in Newfoundland from 1763...
1946 - Chief Staff Officer to Commander-in-Chief, British Pacific Fleet [HMS London] 1946-1948
- Commanding Officer, HMS Excellent (gunnery school, Portsmouth) 1949-1950
- Commanding Officer, HMS Illustrious (aircraft carrier) 1950-51
- Senior Naval Member, Imperial Defence College HMS PresidentHMS PresidentFive ships and one shore establishment of the Royal Navy have been named HMS President, after the office of president meaning one who presides over an assembly...
1952-1954 - Flag Officer, Training Squadron, Home Fleet HMS TheseusHMS TheseusThere have been a number of warships in the Royal Navy that have borne the name HMS Theseus, from a wooden frigate to a light fleet carrier. The name comes from Theseus, a king of ancient Athens....
1954-1955
Post Naval Career
Following his service in the Indian NavyIndian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the Navy...
, Carlill retired from 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...
on 7 Jul 1959. He served as representative in Ghana of West Africa Committee 1960-1966 and as adviser to West Africa Committee, 1966-1967.
Personal Life
Carlill was married in 1928 to Julie Fredrike Elisabeth Hildegard (died 1991), only daughter of late Reverend W. Rahlenbeck of WestphaliaWestphalia
Westphalia is a region in Germany, centred on the cities of Arnsberg, Bielefeld, Dortmund, Minden and Münster.Westphalia is roughly the region between the rivers Rhine and Weser, located north and south of the Ruhr River. No exact definition of borders can be given, because the name "Westphalia"...
. The Carlills had two sons, one, Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
James Michael Rahlenbeck Carlill (1934-2010)), also served in 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...
. Carlill died at Colwall, Malvern, Worcestershire
Worcestershire
Worcestershire is a non-metropolitan county, established in antiquity, located in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire" NUTS 2 region...
in 1996.