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

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against F ...

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

Portsmouth Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council. Portsmouth is the most dens ...

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 ...

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

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

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 and non-metropolitan county in South East England on the English Channel coast. It is bordered by Kent to the north and east, West Sussex to the west, and Surrey to the north-west. The largest settlement in East Su ...

Portland Portland most commonly refers to: * Portland, Oregon, the largest city in the state of Oregon, in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States * Portland, Maine, the largest city in the state of Maine, in the New England region of the northeas ...

Dorset Dorset ( ; archaically: Dorsetshire , ) is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The ceremonial county comprises the unitary authority areas of Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole and Dorset (unitary authority), Dors ...

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

flagship A flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of 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 the fi ...

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 was a department of the British Government responsible for the administration of the British Army between 1857 and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the new Ministry of Defence (MoD). This article contains text from ...

(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 lo ...

. During the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

the Command Headquarters was at

Fort Southwick Fort Southwick is one of the forts found on Portsdown Hill, which overlooks the naval base of Portsmouth in the county of Hampshire, England. History Fort Southwick was built to defend the landward approaches to the naval base on the recommenda ...

. Rear Admiral

Lancelot Holland Vice-Admiral Lancelot Ernest Holland, (13 September 1887 – 24 May 1941) was a Royal Navy officer who commanded the British force in the Battle of the Denmark Strait in May 1941 against the German battleship ''Bismarck''. Holland was lost ...

, commanding the 3rd Battle Squadron, was briefly tasked also to command the

Channel Force The Channel Force was a temporary squadron of the British Royal Navy during the Second World War that was based at Portland, England from September to October 1939. It was under the command of Rear-Admiral Lancelot Holland throughout the per ...

, operating from

Portland Harbour Portland Harbour is located 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 man-made harbour in the world, and rema ...

in September-October 1939, within the Portsmouth command boundaries but responsible directly to the Admiralty.

Operation Aerial Operation Aerial was the evacuation of Allied forces and civilians from ports in western France from 15 to 25 June 1940 during the Second World War. The evacuation followed the Allied military collapse in the Battle of France against Nazi Germ ...

, the evacuation from western French ports in 1940, was commanded by

Admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in some 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, and is above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet, ...

William Milbourne James Admiral Sir William Milbourne James, (22 December 1881 – 17 August 1973) was a British naval commander, politician and author. He served in the Royal Navy from the early 20th century to the Second World War. During the First World War, he wa ...

, 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 land troops directly on shore, typicall ...

s, storeships and motor vehicle vessels from

Southampton Southampton () is a port city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. It is located approximately south-west of London and west of Portsmouth. The city forms part of the South Hampshire built-up area, which also covers Po ...

, coasters to ply from

Poole Poole () is a large coastal town and seaport in Dorset, on the south coast of England. The town is east of Dorchester and adjoins Bournemouth to the east. Since 1 April 2019, the local authority is Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole Counc ...

and the Dutch ''

schuyt A Dutch barge is a traditional flat-bottomed shoal-draught barge, originally used to carry cargo in the shallow '' Zuyder Zee'' and the waterways of Netherlands. There are very many types of Dutch barge, with characteristics determined by regio ...

''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 Coastal Forces was a division of the Royal Navy initially established during World War I, and then again in World War II under the command of Rear-Admiral, Coastal Forces. It remained active until the last minesweepers to wear the "HM Coastal Fo ...

. 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 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), Defence Pol ...

. The admiral commanding at Portsmouth had control naval operations in the area since 1949 under

WUDO From April 1948, the member states of the Western Union (WU), decided to create a military agency under the name of the Western Union Defence Organisation (WUDO). WUDO was formally established on September 27–28, 1948. Objective The objective o ...

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 offic ...

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

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

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

following the end of the

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...

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 An isle is an island, land surrounded by water. The term is very common in British English. However, there is no clear agreement on what makes an island an isle or its difference, so they are considered synonyms. Isle may refer to: Geography * Is ...

. 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 Sir Robert Holmes ( – 18 November 1692) was an English Admiral of the Restoration Navy. He participated in the second and third Anglo-Dutch Wars, both of which he is, by some, credited with having started. He was made Governor of the Is ...

September 1667-? *Captain,

John Graydon Vice-Admiral John Graydon ( – 12 March 1726) was an English officer of the Royal Navy. He was active during the Nine Years War and the War of the Spanish Succession. Life In June 1686 Graydon was appointed lieutenant of ; in May 1688 first l ...

, January – February 1695 * Captain

James Wishart Admiral Sir James Wishart (1659–1723) was a Scottish admiral in the Royal Navy and Member of Parliament (MP) for Portsmouth. Wishart served at the Battle of Cadiz and the Battle of Vigo Bay in 1702 His elder brother George became a baronet a ...

, February – April 1695 * Vice Admiral John Neville: 1696 * Commodore Basil Beaumont: February–March 1698 * Rear Admiral Henry Houghton: March–July 1698 * Commodore

Thomas Warren Thomas Warren (fl. 1727–1767) was an English bookseller, printer, publisher and businessman. Warren was an influential figure in Birmingham at a time when it was a hotbed of creative activity, opening a bookshop in High Street, Birmingham arou ...

: December 1698 * Rear Admiral

, September 1703 – October 1703 *Commodore

Richard Lestock Admiral Richard Lestock (22 February 1679 – 17 December 1746) was an officer in the Royal Navy, eventually rising to the rank of Admiral. He fought in a number of battles, and was a controversial figure, most remembered for his part in the def ...

, 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 Sir Thomas Pye ( – 26 December 1785) was an admiral of the Royal Navy who served during the War of the Austrian Succession, the Seven Years' War, and the American War of Independence. He was briefly Member of Parliament for Rochester, and se ...

: 1771–1774 * Admiral

Sir James Douglas James Douglas may refer to: Scottish noblemen Lords of Angus * James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Angus (1426–1446), Scottish nobleman * James Douglas, Earl of Angus (1671–1692), son of the 2nd Marquess of Douglas Lords of Douglas * James Douglas, ...

: 1774–1777 * Admiral

: 1777–1783 * Admiral John Montagu: 1783–1786 * Admiral

Viscount Hood Viscount Hood, of Whitley, Coventry, Whitley in the County of Warwick, is a title in the Peerage of Great Britain. It was created in 1796 for the famous naval commander Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood, Samuel Hood, 1st Baron Hood. He ha ...

: 1786–1789 * Admiral

Robert Roddam 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 survived to see the French Revolutionary and Na ...

: 1789–1792 * Admiral

: 1792–1793 * Admiral Sir Peter Parker: 1793–1799 * Admiral

Mark Milbanke Admiral Mark Milbanke (12 April 1724 – 9 June 1805) was a British naval officer and colonial governor. Military career Milbanke was born into an aristocratic Yorkshire family with naval connections, his father was Sir Ralph Milbanke, 4th Bar ...

: 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 Bea ...

: 1824–1827 * Admiral Sir Robert Stopford: 1827–1830 * Admiral

Sir Thomas Foley Admiral Sir Thomas Foley GCB (1757 – 9 January 1833) was a Royal Navy officer and "Hero of the Battle of the Nile". Naval career He was the second son of landowner John Foley of Ridgeway, the Foley family's ancestral estate in the parish of ...

: 1830–1833 * Admiral Sir Thomas Williams: 1833–1836 * Admiral Sir Philip Durham: 1836 – March 1839 * Admiral

Charles Elphinstone Fleeming Admiral Hon. Charles Elphinstone Fleeming (18 June 1774 – 30 October 1840) was a British officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He commanded a succession of smaller vessels during the ea ...

: April – November 1839 * Admiral

Sir Edward Codrington Sir Edward Codrington, (27 April 1770 – 28 April 1851) was a British admiral, who took part in the Battle of Trafalgar and the Battle of Navarino. Early life and career The youngest of three brothers born to Edward Codrington the elder (1732 ...

: 1839–1842 * Admiral Sir Charles Rowley: 1842–1845 * Admiral

Sir Charles Ogle ''Sir Charles Ogle'' was a ferry that operated from 1830 until 1894 for the Halifax-Dartmouth Ferry Service. The ferry was the first steamship built in Nova Scotia and the longest serving ferry in Halifax Harbour. The ship is named for Royal Na ...

: 1845–1848 * Admiral Sir Thomas Capel: 1848–1851 * Admiral Sir Thomas Briggs: 1851–1852 * Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane: 1852–1856 * Admiral

Sir George Seymour Sir George Seymour was an English knight. Born in Chelmsford on 11 June. Life He was a younger son of John Seymour and Elizabeth Darrell. He was High Sheriff of Wiltshire This is a list of the Sheriffs and (after 1 April 1974) High She ...

: 1856–1859 * Admiral

Sir William Bowles Admiral of the Fleet Sir William Bowles, KCB (25 May 1780 – 2 July 1869) was a senior Royal Navy officer and Conservative Party politician. After serving as a junior officer in the French Revolutionary Wars, he became commanding officer ...

: 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 Earl of Clanwilliam is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for John Meade, 1st Viscount Clanwilliam. The Meade family descends from Sir John Meade, who represented Dublin University and County Tipperary in the Irish Hous ...

: 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 Sir Charles Hotham, KCB, RN (14 January 180631 December 1855)B. A. Knox,Hotham, Sir Charles (1806–1855), ''Australian Dictionary of Biography'', Volume 4, MUP, 1972, pp 429-430. was Lieutenant-Governor and, later, Governor of Victoria, A ...

: October 1900 – August 1903 * Admiral

Sir John Fisher John Arbuthnot Fisher, 1st Baron Fisher, (25 January 1841 – 10 July 1920), commonly known as Jacky or Jackie Fisher, was a British Admiral of the Fleet. With more than sixty years in the Royal Navy, his efforts to reform the service helped t ...

: 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 Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy), Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Elvey Creasy, (13 October 1895 – 31 October 1972) was a senior Royal Navy officer. After serving as a junior officer in the First World War, during which he took part in operati ...

: 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