The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, was a senior commander of the

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

for hundreds of years. The commanders-in-chief were based at premises in High Street,

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port city status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. Most of Portsmouth is located on Portsea Island, off the south coast of England in the Solent, making Portsmouth the only city in En ...

from the 1790s until the end of Sir Thomas Williams's tenure, his successor, Sir Philip Durham, being the first to move into Admiralty House at the

Royal Navy Dockyard Royal Navy Dockyards (more usually termed Royal Dockyards) were state-owned harbour facilities where ships of the Royal Navy were built, based, repaired and refitted. Until the mid-19th century the Royal Dockyards were the largest industrial c ...

, where subsequent holders of the office were based until 1969. Prior to

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

the officer holder was sometimes referred to in official dispatches as the Commander-in-Chief, Spithead. The Command extended along the south coast from Newhaven in

East Sussex East Sussex is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South East England. It is bordered by Kent to the north-east, West Sussex to the west, Surrey to the north-west, and the English Channel to the south. The largest settlement ...

to Portland in

Dorset Dorset ( ; Archaism, archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a Ceremonial counties of England, ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by Somerset to the north-west, Wiltshire to the north and the north-east, Hampshire to the east, t ...

. In 1889 the Commander-in-Chief took as his

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of navy, naval ships, characteristically a flag officer entitled by custom to fly a distinguishing flag. Used more loosely, it is the lead ship in a fleet of vessels, typically ...

History

In the late 18th century port admirals began to reside ashore, rather than on board their flagships; the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was provided with a large house at 111 High Street, which was renamed Admiralty House (and which had formerly been home to the Mayor of Portsmouth). In the 1830s Admiralty House was sold to the

War Office The War Office has referred to several British government organisations throughout history, all relating to the army. It was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, at ...

(as Government House, it went on to house the Lieutenant-Governor of Portsmouth for the next fifty years). The Commander-in-Chief moved in turn into the former Dockyard Commissioner's house, which still stands within

HMNB Portsmouth His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is loc ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

the Command Headquarters was at Fort Southwick. Rear Admiral Lancelot Holland, commanding the 3rd Battle Squadron, was briefly tasked also to command the Channel Force, operating from

Portland Harbour Portland Harbour is beside the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England. Construction of the harbour began in 1849; when completed in 1872, its surface area made it the largest human-made harbour in the world, and it remains ...

in September-October 1939, within the Portsmouth command boundaries but responsible directly to the Admiralty. Operation Aerial, the evacuation from western French ports in 1940, was commanded by

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

William Milbourne James, the Commander-in-Chief. James lacked the vessels necessary for convoys and organised a flow of

troopship A troopship (also troop ship or troop transport or trooper) is a ship used to carry soldiers, either in peacetime or wartime. Troopships were often drafted from commercial shipping fleets, and were unable to land troops directly on shore, typic ...

s, storeships and motor vehicle vessels from

Southampton Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...

, coasters to ply from

Poole Poole () is a coastal town and seaport on the south coast of England in the Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole unitary authority area in Dorset, England. The town is east of Dorchester, Dorset, Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east ...

and the Dutch '' schuyt''s to work from Weymouth, while such warships as were available patrolled the shipping routes. Demolition parties sailed in the ships but it was hoped that supplies and equipment could be embarked as well as troops. During World War II several subordinate commanders along the coast were appointed: Flag Officer-in-Charge Southampton, 1942-45; a Captain as Naval Officer-in-Charge Weymouth, 1941-43; Naval Officer-in-Charge Newhaven, 1942-44, held by two retired vice-admirals; and Commander C.B. Hastings RN (retired) as Naval Officer-in-Charge Poole, 1940-44. Also located at for a time within the C-in-C Portsmouth's command boundaries was the Rear-Admiral in charge of the Royal Navy Coastal Forces. However operational control of the various Coastal Forces flotillas was the responsibility of the local area commander-in-chief rather than Rear-Admiral Coastal Forces. and J.P. Foynes book. Later in the war Coastal Forces HQ was moved to North London. In 1952 the Commander-in-Chief took up the NATO post of Commander-in-Chief, Channel (CINCHAN). This move added

Allied Command Channel Allied Command Channel (ACCHAN) was one of three major North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) commands from 1952 to 1994. Commander-in-Chief Channel was a Major NATO Commander (MNC). The Command was established in 1952 to defend the sea areas a ...

to the

NATO Military Command Structure The structure of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) is complex and multi-faceted. The decision-making body is the North Atlantic Council (NAC), and the member state representatives also sit on the Defence Planning Committee (NATO), Defe ...

. The admiral commanding at Portsmouth had control naval operations in the area since 1949 under WUDO auspices. The post of Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth, was merged with that of

Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. Between 1845 and 1896, this offi ...

, in 1969 to form the post of Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command. The posts of

Second Sea Lord The Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (formerly Second Sea Lord) is deputy to the First Sea Lord and the second highest-ranking officer currently to serve in the Royal Navy and is responsible for personnel and naval shore estab ...

and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command were amalgamated in 1994 following the rationalisation of the

British Armed Forces The British Armed Forces are the unified military, military forces responsible for the defence of the United Kingdom, its British Overseas Territories, Overseas Territories and the Crown Dependencies. They also promote the UK's wider interests ...

following the end of the

Cold War The Cold War was a period of global Geopolitics, geopolitical rivalry between the United States (US) and the Soviet Union (USSR) and their respective allies, the capitalist Western Bloc and communist Eastern Bloc, which lasted from 1947 unt ...

Units and formations

Considered as the most prestigious of the home commands, the Commander-in-Chief was responsible for the central part of the English Channel between Newhaven and the

Isle of Portland The Isle of Portland is a tied island, long by wide, in the English Channel. The southern tip, Portland Bill, lies south of the resort of Weymouth, Dorset, Weymouth, forming the southernmost point of the county of Dorset, England. A barrier ...

. Below is a list of units that served under this command. The Commander-in-Chief had a Chief of Staff serving under him from 1832–1969. Senior officers included:Watson. 2015

Flotillas and squadrons

Included:Houterman and Koppes. 2004–2005

Shore establishments

Included:

Commanders-in-Chief

Post holder have included:
= died in post * Rear Admiral Sir Robert Holmes April 1667–October 1667 *Captain, John Graydon, January – February 1695 * Captain James Wishart, February – April 1695 * Commodore Basil Beaumont: February–March 1698 * Rear Admiral Henry Houghton: March–July 1698 * Commodore Thomas Warren: December 1698 * Rear Admiral James Wishart, September 1703 – October 1703 *Commodore Richard Lestock, 1741 * Admiral James Steuart: 1745–1747 * Admiral Sir Edward Hawke: 1748–1752 * Admiral Sir Edward Hawke: 1755–1756 * Admiral Henry Osborn: 1756–1757 * Admiral Sir Francis Holburne 1758–1766 * Admiral Sir John Moore: 1766–1769 * Admiral Sir Francis Geary 1769–1771 * Admiral Thomas Pye: 1771–1774 * Admiral Sir James Douglas: 1774–1777 * Admiral Thomas Pye: 1777–1783 * Admiral John Montagu: 1783–1786 * Admiral Viscount Hood: 1786–1789 * Admiral

Robert Roddam Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Red Robert Roddam (1719 – 31 March 1808) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence. He surviv ...

: 1789–1792 * Admiral Viscount Hood: 1792–1793 * Admiral Sir Peter Parker: 1793–1799 * Admiral Mark Milbanke: 1799–1803 * Admiral Lord Gardner: March – June 1803 * Admiral Sir George Montagu: 1803–1809 * Admiral Sir Roger Curtis: 1809–1812 * Admiral Sir Richard Bickerton: 1812–1815 * Admiral Sir Edward Thornbrough: 1815–1818 * Admiral Sir George Campbell: 1818–1821 * Admiral Sir James Hawkins-Whitshed: 1821–1824 * Admiral

Sir George Martin Sir George Henry Martin (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, and musician. He was commonly referred to as the "fifth Beatle" because of his extensive involvement in each of the Beatle ...

: 1824–1827 * Admiral Sir Robert Stopford: 1827–1830 * Admiral Sir Thomas Foley: 1830–1833 * Admiral Sir Thomas Williams: 1833–1836 * Admiral Sir Philip Durham: 1836 – March 1839 * Admiral Charles Elphinstone Fleeming: April – November 1839 * Admiral Sir Edward Codrington: 1839–1842 * Admiral Sir Charles Rowley: 1842–1845 * Admiral Sir Charles Ogle: 1845–1848 * Admiral Sir Thomas Capel: 1848–1851 * Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs: 1851–1852 * Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane: 1852–1856 * Admiral Sir George Seymour: 1856–1859 * Admiral Sir William Bowles: 1859–1860 * Admiral Sir Henry W. Bruce: March 1860 – March 1863 * Admiral Sir Michael Seymour: March 1863 – March 1866 * Admiral Sir Thomas Pasley, Bt.: March 1866 – February 1869 * Admiral Sir James Hope: February 1869 – March 1872 * Admiral Sir Rodney Mundy: March 1872 – March 1875 * Admiral Sir George A. Elliot: March 1875 – March 1878 * Admiral Edward G Fanshawe: March 1878 – November 1879 * Admiral

Alfred Ryder Alfred Ryder (born Alfred Jacob Corn; January 5, 1916 – April 16, 1995) was an American television, stage, radio, and film actor and director, who appeared in over one hundred television shows. Career Ryder began to act at age eight and later ...

: November 1879 – November 1882 * Admiral Sir Geoffrey Hornby: November 1882 – November 1885 * Admiral Sir George Willes: November 1885 – June 1888 * Admiral Sir John Commerell: June 1888 – June 1891 * Admiral the Earl of Clanwilliam: June 1891 – June 1894 * Admiral Sir Nowell Salmon: June 1894 – August 1897 * Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour, Bt.: August 1897 – October 1900 * Admiral Sir Charles Hotham: October 1900 – August 1903 * Admiral Sir John Fisher: August 1903 – March 1904 * Admiral Sir Archibald Douglas: March 1904 – March 1907 * Admiral Sir Day Bosanque: March 1907 – March 1908 * Admiral Sir Arthur Fanshawe: March 1908 – April 1910 * Admiral the Hon. Sir Assheton Curzon-Howe: April 1910 – March 1911 * Admiral Sir Arthur Moore: March 1911 – July 1912 * Admiral of the Fleet the Hon. Sir Hedworth Meux: July 1912 – March 1916 * Admiral the Hon. Sir Stanley Colville: March 1916 – March 1919 * Admiral Sir Cecil Burney: March 1919 – April 1920 * Admiral the Hon. Sir Somerset Gough-Calthorpe: April 1920 – April 1923 * Admiral Sir Sydney Fremantle: April 1923 – April 1926 * Admiral Sir Osmond Brock: April 1926 – April 1929 * Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes, Bt.: April 1929 – May 1931 * Admiral Sir Arthur Waistell: June 1931 – January 1934 * Admiral Sir John Kelly: January 1934 – July 1936 * Admiral Sir William Fisher: July 1936 – June 1937 * Admiral of the Fleet The Earl of Cork and Orrery: July 1937 – June 1939 * Admiral Sir William James: June 1939 – October 1942 * Admiral Sir Charles Little: October 1942 – February 1945 * Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layton: March 1945 – May 1947 * Admiral The Lord Fraser of North Cape: May 1947 – July 1948 * Admiral of the Fleet Sir Algernon Willis: July 1948 – September 1950 * Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur Power: September 1950 – September 1952 * Admiral Sir John Edelsten: September 1952 – September 1954 * Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Creasy: September 1954 – July 1957 * Admiral Sir Guy Grantham: July 1957 – March 1959 * Admiral Sir Manley Power: March 1959 – October 1961 * Admiral Sir Alexander Bingley: October 1961 – February 1963 * Admiral Sir Wilfrid Woods: February 1963 – August 1965 * Admiral Sir Varyl Begg: August 1965 – March 1966 * Admiral Sir Frank Hopkins: March 1966 – November 1967 * Admiral Sir John Frewen: November 1967 – 1969

References

{{Royal Navy fleets P Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War I Military units and formations disestablished in 1969 Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War II Military history of the English Channel