The Flag Officer, Second Flotilla was a senior British

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 ...

appointment from 1971 to 1992.

History

After the creation of the single

Commander-in-Chief Fleet The Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET) was the admiral responsible for the operations of the ships, submarines and aircraft of the British Royal Navy from 1971 until April 2012. The post was subordinate to the First Sea Lord, the professional he ...

post in 1971, its subordinate commands were reorganised. Three major sub-commands were created; the

First Flotilla The First Flotilla was a naval formation of the British Royal Navy commanded by the Flag Officer, First Flotilla from 1971 to 1990. The Western Fleet and Far East Fleet were merged into the single Commander-in-Chief Fleet in 1971. Within this ne ...

, Second Flotilla and Carriers and Amphibious Ships each commanded by a rear admiral. The Flotilla included (Watson & Smith 2015): * 4th Frigate Squadron (1976-1981) * 5th Frigate Squadron (1972-1976) *

6th Frigate Squadron The 6th Frigate Squadron was an administrative unit of the Royal Navy from 1950 to 2002. History During its existence, the squadron included , Type 15, , , , and Type 23 frigates. Ships from the squadron participated in the Coronation Fleet ...

(1972-1976) * 7th Frigate Squadron (1972-1980) * 8th Frigate Squadron (1972-1980) * 5th Destroyer Squadron (1980-1992) In 1990 the

was re-designated Surface Flotilla. Rear Admiral Brigstocke, the incumbent Flag Officer Second Flotilla, commanded the task group off Libya during the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

. In April 1992, the system was changed when the Third Flotilla was abolished and the remaining two flotilla commanders became Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla - responsible for operational readiness and training; and Second Flotilla became Flag Officer, UK Task Group, who would command any deployed task group.

Flag Officers, Second Flotilla

Included: * Rear-Admiral David Williams: November 1971-March 1972 * Rear-Admiral Andrew J. Miller: March 1972-March 1973 * Rear-Admiral Richard P. Clayton: March 1973-December 1974 * Rear-Admiral John D.E. Fieldhouse: December 1974-October 1976 * Rear-Admiral William D.M. Staveley: October 1976-March 1977 * Rear-Admiral Martin La T. Wemyss: March 1977-December 1978 * Rear-Admiral Peter M. Stanford: December 1978-October 1980 * Rear-Admiral Nicholas J.S. Hunt: October 1980-November 1981 * Rear-Admiral Robert W. F. Gerken: November 1981-October 1983 * Rear-Admiral D. Benjamin Bathurst: October 1983-April 1985 * Rear-Admiral W. Richard S. Thomas: April 1985-December 1986 * Rear-Admiral Guy F. Liardet: December 1986-March 1988 * Rear-Admiral A. Peter Woodhead: March 1988-August 1989 * Rear-Admiral Peter C. Abbott: August 1989-January 1991 * Rear-Admiral John R. Brigstocke: January 1991-April 1992

Notes

References

* Mackie, Colin. (2018) "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Scotland, UK. * Roberts, John (2009). Safeguarding the Nation: The Story of the Modern Royal Navy. Barnsley, England: Seaforth Publishing. . * {{Naval Service (British), state=collapsed S Royal Navy flotillas Military units and formations established in 1971 Military units and formations disestablished in 1992