The North America and West Indies Station was a

formation Formation may refer to: Linguistics * Back-formation, the process of creating a new lexeme by removing or affixes * Word formation, the creation of a new word by adding affixes Mathematics and science * Cave formation or speleothem, a secondar ...

command Command may refer to: Computing * Command (computing), a statement in a computer language * COMMAND.COM, the default operating system shell and command-line interpreter for DOS * Command key, a modifier key on Apple Macintosh computer keyboards * ...

of the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

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 ...

stationed in

North America North America is a continent in the Northern Hemisphere and almost entirely within the Western Hemisphere. It is bordered to the north by the Arctic Ocean, to the east by the Atlantic Ocean, to the southeast by South America and the Car ...

n waters from 1745 to 1956. The North American Station was separate from the

Jamaica Station Jamaica station is a major train station of the Long Island Rail Road located in Jamaica, Queens, New York City. With weekday ridership exceeding 200,000 passengers, it is the largest transit hub on Long Island, the fourth-busiest rail station ...

until 1830 when the two combined to form the North America and West Indies Station. It was briefly abolished in 1907 before being restored in 1915. It was renamed the America and West Indies Station in 1926. It was commanded by Commanders-in-Chief whose titles changed with the changing of the formation's name, eventually by the Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station.

History

Admiralty House Bermuda at Mount Wyndham 1818

The squadron was formed in 1745 to counter French forces in North America, with the headquarters at the Halifax Naval Yard in

Nova Scotia Nova Scotia ( ; ; ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is one of the three Maritime provinces and one of the four Atlantic provinces. Nova Scotia is Latin for "New Scotland". Most of the population are native Eng ...

(now

CFB Halifax Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Halifax is Canada's east coast naval base and home port to the Royal Canadian Navy Atlantic fleet, known as Canadian Fleet Atlantic (CANFLTLANT), that forms part of the formation Maritime Forces Atlantic (MARLANT). It ...

). The area of command had first been designated as the North American Station in 1767, under the command of Commodore Samuel Hood, with the headquarters in Halifax from 1758 to 1794, and thereafter in Halifax and

Bermuda ) , anthem = "God Save the King" , song_type = National song , song = " Hail to Bermuda" , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , mapsize2 = , map_caption2 = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = , e ...

. Land and buildings for a permanent Naval Yard were purchased by the Royal Navy in 1758 and the Yard was officially commissioned in 1759. The Yard served as the main base for the Royal Navy in North America during the

Seven Years' War The Seven Years' War (1756–1763) was a global conflict that involved most of the European Great Powers, and was fought primarily in Europe, the Americas, and Asia-Pacific. Other concurrent conflicts include the French and Indian War (1754� ...

, the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revolut ...

, and the

French Revolutionary Wars The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...

. Following American independence in 1783,

was the only British territory left between

and the

West Indies The West Indies is a subregion of North America, surrounded by the North Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea that includes 13 independent island countries and 18 dependencies and other territories in three major archipelagos: the Greater A ...

(by agreement with the Spanish government, a Royal Navy base was maintained in

Florida Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the northwest by Alabama, to the north by Georgia, to the east by the Bahamas and Atlantic Ocean, and to ...

until this was ceded to the United States), and was selected as the new headquarters for the region. The establishment of a base there was delayed for a dozen years, however, due to the need to survey the encircling barrier reef to locate channels suitable for large warships. Once this had been completed, a base was established at St. George's in 1794, with the fleet anchoring at ''Murray's Anchorage'' in the northern lagoon, named for Vice Admiral

Sir George Murray Sir George Murray (6 February 1772 – 28 July 1846) was a British soldier and politician from Scotland. Background and education Murray was born in Perth, Scotland, the second son of Sir William Murray, of Ochtertyre, 5th Baronet (see Murra ...

, who became the Commander-in-Chief of the new ''River St. Lawrence and Coast of America and North America and West Indies Station''. The Admiralty also began purchasing land at Bermuda's West End, including

Ireland Island Ireland Island is the north-westernmost island in the chain which comprises Bermuda. It forms a long finger of land pointing northeastwards from the main island, the last link in a chain which also includes Boaz Island and Somerset Island. It ...

, Spanish Point, and smaller islands in the

Great Sound The Great Sound is large ocean inlet (a sound) located in Bermuda. It may be the submerged remains of a Pre-Holocene volcanic caldera. Other geologists dispute the origin of the Bermuda Pedestal as a volcanic hotspot. Geography The Great Sound d ...

with the intent of building the

Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda HMD Bermuda ( Her/His Majesty's Dockyard, Bermuda) was the principal base of the Royal Navy in the Western Atlantic between American independence and the Cold War. The Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda had occupied a useful position astride ...

, and a permanent naval base there, with its anchorage on ''Grassy Bay''. The construction of this base was to drag on through much of the Nineteenth Century. Admiralty House Halifax

Admiral

Sir John Borlase Warren Admiral Sir John Borlase Warren, 1st Baronet (2 September 1753 – 27 February 1822) was a British Royal Navy officer, diplomat and politician who sat in the House of Commons between 1774 and 1807. Naval career Born in Stapleford, Nottinghamsh ...

was appointed Commander-in-Chief in 1812, and he and his staff seem to have spent most of their time at Bermuda during the

War of 1812 The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

(he was replaced by Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane in 1813), from where the blockade of much of the

Atlantic Seaboard The East Coast of the United States, also known as the Eastern Seaboard, the Atlantic Coast, and the Atlantic Seaboard, is the coastline along which the Eastern United States meets the North Atlantic Ocean. The eastern seaboard contains the coa ...

of the United States and raids such as the

Battle of Craney Island The Battle of Craney Island was a victory for the United States during the War of 1812. The battle saved the city of Norfolk, and the adjacent city of Portsmouth, from British invasion. Especially important to Virginia and northeastern Nort ...

were orchestrated. 2,500 soldiers under Major-General Robert Ross aboard , three frigates, three sloops and ten other vessels, was sent to Bermuda in 1814, following British victory in the

Peninsular War The Peninsular War (1807–1814) was the military conflict fought in the Iberian Peninsula by Spain, Portugal, and the United Kingdom against the invading and occupying forces of the First French Empire during the Napoleonic Wars. In Spain ...

, and joined with the naval and military forces already at, or operating from, Bermuda to carry out the

Chesapeake campaign The War of 1812 (18 June 1812 – 17 February 1815) was fought by the United States of America and its indigenous allies against the United Kingdom and its allies in British North America, with limited participation by Spain in Florida. It bega ...

, a punitive expedition which included the Raid on Alexandria, the

Battle of Bladensburg The Battle of Bladensburg was a battle of the Chesapeake campaign of the War of 1812, fought on 24 August 1814 at Bladensburg, Maryland, northeast of Washington, D.C. Called "the greatest disgrace ever dealt to American arms," a British force ...

, and the

Burning of Washington The Burning of Washington was a British invasion of Washington City (now Washington, D.C.), the capital of the United States, during the Chesapeake Campaign of the War of 1812. It is the only time since the American Revolutionary War that a ...

was launched in August, 1814. In 1813, the area of command had become the ''North America Station'' again, with the West Indies falling under the

, and in 1816 it was renamed the ''North America and Lakes of Canada Station''. The headquarters was initially in Bermuda during the winter and Halifax during the summer, but

Admiralty House, Bermuda Admiralty House, Bermuda, was the official residence and offices for the senior officer of the Royal Navy in the Imperial fortress colony of Bermuda, originally the Commander-in-Chief of the North America and West Indies Station. Early Admiral ...

, became the year-round headquarters of the Station in 1821, when the area of command became the ''North America and Newfoundland Station''. In 1818 Halifax became the summer base for the squadron which shifted to the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, for the remainder of the year.Marilyn Gurney, The Kings Yard, Maritime Command Museum, Halifax. Commissioners House, in the Naval Yard, Halifax, 1804

Commissioners House, in the Naval Yard, Halifax, 1804

In 1819, the main base of the Station was moved from Halifax to Bermuda, which was better positioned to counter threats from the United States.''The Andrew and The Onions: The Story of The Royal Navy in Bermuda, 1795–1975'', by Lieutenant-Commander B. Ian D. Stranack. Bermuda Maritime Museum Press Halifax continued to be used as the summer base for the station until 1907. 1933 HMS Norfolk Summer cruise map

In 1830 the station absorbed the

and was redesignated as the ''North America and West Indies Station'', and remained so until 1907, when the North America and West Indies Station was abolished and its squadron replaced by the 4th Cruiser Squadron. This was based in England and Bermuda was redesignated from a base to a coaling station, although the dockyard remained in operation. The Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station, remained in Bermuda. The Royal Navy withdrew from Halifax in 1905, and the Halifax Naval Yard was handed over to the

Royal Canadian Navy The Royal Canadian Navy (RCN; french: Marine royale canadienne, ''MRC'') is the Navy, naval force of Canada. The RCN is one of three environmental commands within the Canadian Armed Forces. As of 2021, the RCN operates 12 frigates, four attack s ...

in 1910. The

Esquimalt Royal Navy Dockyard Esquimalt Royal Naval Dockyard was a major British Royal Navy yard on Canada's Pacific coast from 1842 to 1905, subsequently operated by the Canadian government as HMC Dockyard Esquimalt, now part of CFB Esquimalt, to the present day. The Royal ...

on the Pacific coast of Canada was also transferred to the dominion government in 1905. The North America and West Indies Station was restored in 1915, and incorporated the

8th Cruiser Squadron The 8th Cruiser Squadron was a temporary formation of cruisers of the British Royal Navy from 1912 to 1914. and again from 1924/25 to 1942. The Royal Navy's cruiser squadrons contained a maximum of five to six ships but down as low as two to th ...

from 1924–25. Absorbing the areas formerly belonging to the

South East Coast of America Station The South East Coast of America Station was a formation of the Royal Navy which existed from 1838 until just after the end of the 19th century. History The station was separated from the Pacific Station in 1838 in order to combat the slave trade i ...

and the

Pacific Station The Pacific Station was created in 1837 as one of the geographical military formations into which the Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. The South America Station was split into the Pacific Station and the South East Coast of A ...

, it was redesignated the ''America and West Indies Station''. In 1942 the title of C-in-C America and West Indies was re-styled ''Senior British Naval Officer, Western Atlantic'', subordinating the senior British officer to his United States Navy counterpart as the Allied command in the North Atlantic was divided, with the United States taking command in the West and the United Kingdom in the East. In 1945 the ''America and West Indies'' title was restored.Lieutenant-Commander B. Ian D. Stranack, ''The Andrew and The Onions: The Story of The Royal Navy in Bermuda, 1795–1975''. Bermuda Maritime Museum Press; In 1951, the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda, was closed, with the Admiralty Floating Dock No. 5 towed to Britain by HM Tugs ''Warden'' and ''Reward'' (the smaller AFD 48 remained). The position of Senior Naval Officer West Indies (SNOWI) was established as a Sub-Area Commander under the Commander-in-Chief of the America and West Indies station. The occupant of this position was a commodore, and was provided with a shore office on Ireland Island (which was beside the Victualling Yard until 1962), but was required to spend much of his time at sea in the West Indies. A flagship (between 1951 and April, 1956, this was successively HMS ''Sheffield'', HMS ''Superb'', HMS ''Sheffield'', HMS ''Kenya'') and other vessels of the America and West Indies Squadron continued to be based at the South Yard of the former Royal Naval Dockyard, where the Royal Navy maintained a ''Berthing Area'' under the command of a Resident Naval Officer (RNO), but were detached from the

Home Fleet The Home Fleet was a fleet of the Royal Navy that operated from the United Kingdom's territorial waters from 1902 with intervals until 1967. In 1967, it was merged with the Mediterranean Fleet creating the new Western Fleet. Before the First ...

, and their refits and repairs were thenceforth to be carried out in Britain. The RNO had his own office in one of the houses of Dockyard Terrace.

Admiralty Admiralty most often refers to: *Admiralty, Hong Kong *Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964 *The rank of admiral *Admiralty law Admiralty can also refer to: Buildings * Admiralty, Traf ...

land not required for the continued naval operations was sold to the colonial government. There was also an RNO in

Nassau Nassau may refer to: Places Bahamas *Nassau, Bahamas, capital city of the Bahamas, on the island of New Providence Canada *Nassau District, renamed Home District, regional division in Upper Canada from 1788 to 1792 *Nassau Street (Winnipeg), ...

. In 1952, the Commander-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Sir

William Andrewes Admiral Sir William Gerrard Andrewes (3 November 1899 – 21 November 1974) was a Royal Navy officer who served in World War I and World War II, commanded the British and Commonwealth Naval Forces and Task Force 95 (part of the United Nations ...

, became the initial Deputy

Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the other being the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). The SACLANT led Allied Command Atlantic was based at ...

. For ships stationed in

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and

, go to

List of Royal Navy ships in North America List of Royal Navy ships in North America is an annotated list of some of the Royal Navy ships serving in Canada, the Thirteen Colonies and Caribbean under the North American Station. List Shipyards A list of shipyards of NAS: * Halifax Nav ...

Disestablishment and successor, SNOWI

On 29 October 1956, the post of Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station, was abolished, leaving the Senior Naval Officer, West Indies as his replacement. SNOWI reported directly to the

Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet H, or h, is the eighth letter in the Latin alphabet, used in the modern English alphabet, the alphabets of other western European languages and others worldwide. Its name in English is ''aitch'' (pronounced , plural ''aitches''), or region ...

, flying his flag back in the United Kingdom. SNOWI also served as Island Commander Bermuda (ISCOMBERMUDA) in the

NATO The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO, ; french: Organisation du traité de l'Atlantique nord, ), also called the North Atlantic Alliance, is an intergovernmental military alliance between 30 member states – 28 European and two No ...

chain of command, reporting to Commander-in-Chief, Western Atlantic Area, as part of

SACLANT The Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT) was one of two supreme commanders of the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), the other being the Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR). The SACLANT led Allied Command Atlantic was based at ...

. The ships of the command were reduced to two Station Frigates. All remaining Admiralty land, including Admiralty House at Clarence Hill and Ireland Island, along with and

War Department War Department may refer to: * War Department (United Kingdom) * United States Department of War (1789–1947) See also * War Office, a former department of the British Government * Ministry of defence * Ministry of War * Ministry of Defence * Dep ...

lands, were sold to the colonial government between 1957 and 1965. That part of the dockyard still required for naval operations remained under Admiralty control under a ninety-nine year lease, and the South Yard Berthing Area was commissioned on 1 June 1965, as , under the command of the RNO, with the headquarters of SNOWI and the RNO in Moresby House (originally built in the 1899s as the residence of the civilian Officer in Charge, Works). In December, 1967, the position of RNO Bermuda was abolished, with its duties passing to SNOWI's secretary and SNOWI taking over command of HMS ''Malabar''. As SNOWI was frequently in the West Indies, he was unable to effectively command HMS ''Malabar'' and a Lieutenant-Commander was consequently appointed to the roles of Commanding Officer of HMS ''Malabar'' and RNO in 1971. The former Royal Naval wireless station land at Daniels Head was leased to the

on 1 January 1963, for the purpose of a new radio station. It became CFS Daniel's Head when the Royal Canadian Navy became part of the

Canadian Forces } The Canadian Armed Forces (CAF; french: Forces armées canadiennes, ''FAC'') are the unified military forces of Canada, including sea, land, and air elements referred to as the Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force. ...

in 1969. After the assassination of the

Governor of Bermuda The Governor of Bermuda (fully the ''Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Somers Isles (alias the Islands of Bermuda)'') is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. For the purposes of this a ...

, Sir

Richard Sharples Sir Richard Christopher Sharples, (6 August 1916 – 10 March 1973) was a British politician and Governor of Bermuda who was shot dead by assassins linked to a small militant Bermudian Black Power group called the Black Beret Cadre. The for ...

, in February 1973, provided enhanced security for Commodore

Cameron Rusby Vice-Admiral Sir Cameron Rusby (20 February 1926 – 6 September 2013) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic. Naval career Educated at the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Rusby joined the Royal Navy ...

, the then-SNOWI. A detachment of Royal Marines (subsequently replaced by soldiers from the Parachute Regiment) was posted to the Dockyard to guard SNOWI. While Bermuda had been the ideal base of operations for the North America and West Indies Station, at a thousand miles north of the Virgin Islands, it was far too distant to serve as an effective headquarters for only the West Indies. This meant that both SNOWI and the Station Frigates spent little time in or near Bermuda. On 1 April 1976, the post of SNOWI was abolished, and the Station Frigates were withdrawn. The RNO and his staff remained, and a frigate was appointed West Indies Guardship, but seldom visited Bermuda. HMS ''Malabar'' ceased to be a base and was rated only as a supply station. By 1995, when ''Malabar'' was handed over to the

Government of Bermuda Bermuda is the oldest British Overseas Territory, and the oldest self-governing British Overseas Territory, and has a great degree of internal autonomy through authority and roles of governance delegated to it by the national Government (the Bri ...

, the Royal Naval presence in the North-Western Atlantic and Caribbean had been reduced to only the West Indies Guard Ship, a role which was rotated among the fleet's escorts, which took turns operating extended patrols of the West Indies. Years after the disestablishment of the SNOWI post, the West Indies Guard Ship task was redesignated

Atlantic Patrol Task (North) Standing Royal Navy deployments is a list of operations and commitments undertaken by the United Kingdom's Royal Navy on a worldwide basis. The following list details these commitments and deployments sorted by region and in alphabetical order. Ro ...

Sub commands

* Jamaica Division consisting of naval vessels *

Jamaica Dockyard Jamaica Dockyard also known as Port Royal Dockyard was a British Royal Navy Dockyard located at Port Royal, Jamaica. It was established 1675 and closed in 1905. The dockyard was initially administered by the Navy Board then later the Board of Adm ...

shore establishment.

Commanders in Chief

Commanders of the station have included:; ;
= died in post

Commander-in-Chief, North American Station

* Commodore James Douglas (1746–48) - appointed Commodore of Newfoundland at this time. * Commodore Charles Watson (1748–49) * Commodore Augustus Keppel (1751–55) * Commodore Lord Colville (November 1759 – October 1762) * Commodore

Richard Spry Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Spry (1715– 25 November 1775) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Commander-in-Chief, North American Station. Naval career After an education at Truro Grammar School Spry joined the Royal Navy as a volunteer in ...

(October 1762 – October 1763) * Rear Admiral Lord Colville (October 1763 – September 1766) * Captain

Joseph Deane Joseph Deane PC (1674–1715) was an Irish politician and judge who became Chief Baron of the Irish Exchequer. His sudden and premature death was popularly believed to be due to a chill caught when watching an eclipse of the sun. Background He ...

, September 1766 – November 1766 (senior captain) * Captain Archibald Kennedy, November 1766 – July 1767 (senior captain) * Commodore Samuel Hood (July 1767 – October 1770) * Commodore

James Gambier Admiral of the Fleet James Gambier, 1st Baron Gambier, (13 October 1756 – 19 April 1833) was a Royal Navy officer. After seeing action at the capture of Charleston during the American Revolutionary War, he saw action again, as captain of the ...

(October 1770 – August 1771) * Rear Admiral John Montagu (August 1771 – June 1774) * Vice Admiral

Samuel Graves Admiral Samuel Graves (17 April 1713 – 8 March 1787) was a British Royal Navy admiral who is probably best known for his role early in the American Revolutionary War. Ancestry He is thought to have been born in Castledawson, Northern Irelan ...

(June 1774 – January 1776) * Vice Admiral

Richard Howe Admiral of the Fleet Richard Howe, 1st Earl Howe, (8 March 1726 – 5 August 1799) was a British naval officer. After serving throughout the War of the Austrian Succession, he gained a reputation for his role in amphibious operations aga ...

(February 1776 – September 1778) * Vice Admiral

(1778–79) * Vice Admiral

John Byron Vice-Admiral John Byron (8 November 1723 – 1 April 1786) was a British Royal Navy officer and explorer. He earned the nickname "Foul-Weather Jack" in the press because of his frequent encounters with bad weather at sea. As a midshipman, he sa ...

(1779) * Vice Admiral

Mariot Arbuthnot Admiral (Royal Navy), Admiral Mariot Arbuthnot (1711 – 31 January 1794) was a Kingdom of Great Britain, British admiral, who commanded the Royal Navy's North American station during the American War for Independence. Early life A native of Wey ...

(1779–81) * Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Graves (1781) * Rear Admiral Robert Digby (1781–83) * Rear Admiral Sir Charles Douglas (1783–85) * Vice Admiral Sir

Herbert Sawyer Admiral Sir Herbert Sawyer KCB ( fl. 1783–1833) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the American Revolution, the French Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the Napoleonic Wars. He eventually rose to the rank of Admir ...

(1785–89) * Vice Admiral Sir Richard Hughes (1789–92) * Captain Sir

Rupert George Captain Sir Rupert George, 1st Baronet (16 January 1749, St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin, Ireland – 25 January 1823, Willesden, London Borough of Brent, Greater London, England) was a British naval officer in the American Revolution, became the ...

(1792-1794) * Vice Admiral George Murray (1794–96) * Vice Admiral George Vandeput (1797–1800) * Vice Admiral Sir William Parker (1800–02) * Vice Admiral Sir

Andrew Mitchell Andrew John Bower Mitchell (born 23 March 1956) is a British politician who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Sutton Coldfield since 2001. A member of the Conservative Party, Mitchell was previously the MP for Gedling from 1987 to 1 ...

(1802–06) * Vice Admiral Sir

George Cranfield Berkeley Admiral Sir George Cranfield Berkeley GCB (10 August 1753 – 25 February 1818) was a British Royal Navy officer. An admiral, he was highly popular yet controversial in late eighteenth and early nineteenth century Britain. Serving on several ...

(1806–07) * Vice Admiral Sir

John Warren John Warren may refer to: Medicine * John Warren (surgeon) (1753–1815), American surgeon during the Revolutionary War * John Collins Warren (1778–1856), American surgeon * John Collins Warren Jr. (1842–1927), American surgeon, son of John C ...

(1807–10) * Vice Admiral Sir

(1810–13) * Admiral Sir

(1813–14) * Vice Admiral Sir

Alexander Cochrane Admiral of the Blue Sir Alexander Inglis Cochrane (born Alexander Forrester Cochrane; 23 April 1758 – 26 January 1832) was a senior Royal Navy commander during the Napoleonic Wars and achieved the rank of admiral. He had previously captain ...

(1814–15) * Vice Admiral Sir David Milne (1816) * Vice Admiral Sir Edward Colpoys (1816–21)

Commander-in-Chief, North America and West Indies Station

* Vice Admiral Sir William Fahie (1821–24) * Vice Admiral Sir

Willoughby Lake Admiral Sir Willoughby Thomas Lake KCB (8 January 1773 – 18 February 1847) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, North American Station. Naval career Born the son of Sir James Winter Lake, 3rd Baronet and Joyce Crowt ...

(1824–27) * Vice Admiral Sir Charles Ogle (1827–30) * Vice Admiral Sir Edward Colpoys (1830–32) * Vice Admiral Sir

George Cockburn Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet, (22 April 1772 – 19 August 1853) was a British Royal Navy officer. As a captain he was present at the Battle of Cape St Vincent in February 1797 during the French Revolutionary Wars an ...

(1832–36) * Vice Admiral Sir

Peter Halkett Admiral Sir Peter Halkett, 6th Baronet (''c.'' 1765 – 7 October 1839) was a senior Royal Navy officer of the early nineteenth century who is best known for his service in the French Revolutionary Wars. The younger son a Scottish baronet, ...

(1836–37) * Vice Admiral Sir Charles Paget (1837–39) * Commodore

Peter John Douglas Vice-Admiral Peter John Douglas (30 June 1787 – 17 December 1858) was an officer of the Royal Navy who served during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. He was born at Portsmouth on 30 June 1787, the son of Admiral Billy Douglas. ...

(1839) * Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Harvey (1839–41) * Commodore Peter John Douglas (1841) * Vice Admiral Sir

Charles Adam Admiral Sir Charles Adam (6 October 1780 – 19 September 1853) was a British naval commander and Lord of the Admiralty who served during the Napoleonic Wars. He later commanded the royal yacht, ''Royal Sovereign'', and was the Member of Parl ...

(1841–44) * Vice Admiral Sir

Francis Austen Admiral of the Fleet Sir Francis William Austen, (23 April 1774 – 10 August 1865) was a Royal Navy officer and an elder brother of the novelist Jane Austen. As commanding officer of the sloop HMS ''Peterel'', he captured some 40 ships, was ...

(1844–48) * Vice Admiral Sir Thomas Cochrane (1848–51) * Vice Admiral Sir George Seymour (1851–53) * Vice Admiral Sir

Arthur Fanshawe Admiral Sir Arthur Fanshawe (5 February 1794 – 14 June 1864) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth. Naval career Born the son of Robert Fanshawe, Fanshawe joined the Royal Navy in 1804. Promoted to Cap ...

(1853–56) * Vice Admiral Sir

Houston Stewart Admiral of the Fleet Sir Houston Stewart, (3 August 1791 – 10 December 1875) was a Royal Navy officer and briefly a Liberal Party Member of Parliament. After serving as a junior officer in the Napoleonic Wars, Stewart became commanding officer ...

(1856–60) * Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Milne (1860–64) * Vice Admiral Sir James Hope (1864–67) * Vice Admiral Sir

Rodney Mundy Admiral of the Fleet Sir (George) Rodney Mundy, (19 April 1805 – 23 December 1884) was a Royal Navy officer. As a commander, he persuaded the Dutch to surrender Antwerp during the Belgian Revolution and then acted as a mediator during negot ...

(1867–69) * Vice Admiral Sir

George Wellesley Admiral Sir George Greville Wellesley (2 August 1814 – 6 April 1901) was a Royal Navy officer. As a junior officer he took part in the capture of Acre during the Oriental Crisis in 1840 and, as Captain of in the Baltic Fleet, he took part ...

(1869–70) * Vice Admiral Sir

Edward Fanshawe Admiral Sir Edward Gennys Fanshawe, (27 November 1814 – 21 October 1906) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. He was a gifted amateur artist, with much of his work in the National Maritime Museum, London. ...

(1870–73) * Vice Admiral Sir

(1873–75) * Vice Admiral Sir Astley Key (1875–78) * Vice Admiral Sir Edward Inglefield (1878–79) * Vice Admiral Sir

Francis McClintock Sir Francis Leopold McClintock (8 July 1819 – 17 November 1907) was an Irish explorer in the British Royal Navy, known for his discoveries in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago. He confirmed explorer John Rae's controversial report gather ...

(1879–82) * Vice Admiral Sir John Commerell (1882–85) * Vice Admiral The Earl of Clanwilliam (1885–86) * Vice Admiral Sir

Algernon Lyons Admiral of the Fleet Sir Algernon McLennan Lyons (30 August 1833 – 9 February 1908) was a senior Royal Navy officer who served as First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to Queen Victoria. Lyons also served as Commander-in-Chief, Pacific ...

(1886–88) * Vice Admiral Sir George Watson (1888–91) * Vice Admiral Sir John Hopkins (1891–95) * Vice Admiral Sir

James Erskine James Erskine may refer to: *James Erskine, 6th Earl of Buchan (died 1640) *James Erskine, 7th Earl of Buchan (died 1664), Earl of Buchan *Sir James Erskine, 2nd Baronet (c. 1670–1693), of the Erskine baronets *James Erskine (Aberdeen MP) (born 1 ...

(1895–97) * Vice Admiral Sir Jackie Fisher (1897–99) * Vice Admiral Sir

Frederick Bedford Admiral Sir Frederick George Denham Bedford, (24 December 1838 – 30 January 1913) was a senior Royal Navy officer and Governor of Western Australia from 24 March 1903 to 22 April 1909. Naval career Bedford was born on 24 December 1838, and ...

(1899–15 July 1902) * Vice Admiral Sir Archibald Douglas (15 July 1902 – 1904) * Vice Admiral Sir

Day Bosanquet Admiral Sir Day Hort Bosanquet, (22 March 1843 – 28 June 1923) was a British politician and senior officer in the Royal Navy. He served as the Governor of South Australia from 18 February 1909 until 22 March 1914. Naval career Born in Alnwick ...

(1904–07) :''Vacant (1907–13)'' * Vice Admiral Sir

Christopher Cradock Rear Admiral Sir Christopher "Kit" George Francis Maurice Cradock (2 July 1862 – 1 November 1914) was an English senior officer of the Royal Navy. He earned a reputation for great gallantry. Appointed to the royal yacht, he was close to the ...

(1913–14) * Rear Admiral Robert Hornby (1914–15) * Vice Admiral Sir

George Patey Admiral Sir George Edwin Patey, (24 February 1859 – 5 February 1935) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy. Early years Patey was born on 24 February 1859 at Montpellier, near Plymouth, United Kingdom. His father, also named George Edwin P ...

(1915–16) * Vice Admiral Sir

Montague Browning Admiral Sir Montague Edward Browning, (18 January 1863 – 4 November 1947) was a senior Royal Navy officer who served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel. Military career Browning joined the Royal Navy in 1876. He served in the A ...

(1916–18) * Vice Admiral Sir William Grant (1918–19) * Vice Admiral Sir Morgan Singer (1919) * Vice Admiral Sir

Trevylyan Napier Vice Admiral Sir Trevylyan Dacres Willes Napier, (19 April 1867 – 30 July 1920) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station. Naval career Napier was the son of Ella Louisa (Wilson) an ...

(1919–20) * Vice Admiral Sir William Pakenham (1920–23) * Vice Admiral Sir Michael Culme-Seymour (1923–24) * Vice Admiral Sir James Fergusson (1924–26)

Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station

* Vice Admiral Sir

Walter Cowan Admiral Sir Walter Henry Cowan, 1st Baronet, (11 June 1871 – 14 February 1956), known as Tich Cowan, was a Royal Navy officer who saw service in both the First and Second World Wars; in the latter he was one of the oldest British servicemen o ...

(1926–28) * Vice Admiral Sir

Cyril Fuller Admiral Sir Cyril Thomas Moulden Fuller, (22 May 1874 – 1 February 1942) was a Royal Navy officer who served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel from 1930 to 1932. Early life Fuller was born in the Isle of Wight on 22 May 1874, th ...

(1928–30) * Vice Admiral Sir

Vernon Haggard Admiral Sir Vernon Harry Stuart Haggard, KCB, CMG (28 October 1874 – 30 January 1960) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station. His career in the Royal Navy spanned forty-four years, fro ...

(1930–32) * Vice Admiral Sir

Reginald Plunkett Admiral Sir Reginald Aylmer Ranfurly Plunkett-Ernle-Erle-Drax, KCB, DSO, JP, DL ( Plunkett; 28 August 1880 – 16 October 1967), commonly known as Reginald Plunkett or Reginald Drax, was an Anglo-Irish admiral. The younger son of the 17th Ba ...

(1932–34) * Vice Admiral Sir Matthew Best (1934–37) * Vice Admiral Sir

Sidney Meyrick Admiral Sir Sidney Julius Meyrick KCB (28 March 1879 – 18 December 1973) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station. Naval career Meyrick joined the Royal Navy in 1893. He served in the ...

(1937–40) * Vice Admiral Sir

Charles Kennedy-Purvis Admiral Sir Charles Edward Kennedy-Purvis (2 May 1884 – 26 May 1946) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Deputy First Sea Lord. Naval career He was the son of Captain Charles Kennedy-Purvis, who lost a leg during the Egypt campaign. K ...

(1940–41)

Senior British Naval Officer, Western Atlantic

* Vice Admiral Sir

(1942) * Vice Admiral Sir Alban Curteis (1942–44) * Vice Admiral Sir Irvine Glennie (1944–45)

Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station

After the end of the Second World War the former name of the station was restored. * Vice Admiral Sir William Tennant (1946–49) * Vice Admiral Sir

Richard Symonds-Tayler Admiral Sir Richard Victor Symonds-Tayler KBE CB DSC (1897–1971) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies Station. Naval career Symonds-Tayler joined the Royal Navy in 1910 and served in World W ...

(1949–51) * Vice Admiral Sir

(1951–53) * Vice Admiral Sir John Stevens (1953–55) * Vice Admiral Sir

John Eaton John Eaton may refer to: * John Eaton (divine) (born 1575), English divine *John Eaton (pirate) (fl. 1683–1686), English buccaneer *Sir John Craig Eaton (1876–1922), Canadian businessman *John Craig Eaton II (born 1937), Canadian businessman an ...

(1955–56)

References

Sources

External links

* Leo Niehorster
Station as at 3 September 1939
{{Royal Navy fleets Commands of the Royal Navy Military of Bermuda Military history of Nova Scotia Military history of the Atlantic Ocean Military units and formations disestablished in 1956 Military units and formations of the Royal Navy in World War II