The Torpedo Experimental Establishment (T.E.E.) also known as the Admiralty Torpedo Experimental Establishment was a former research department of the British
Department of Admiralty
The Admiralty was a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for the command of the Royal Navy until 1964, historically under its titular head, the Lord High Admiral – one of the Great Officers of State. For much of it ...
from 1947 to 1959. It was responsible for the design, development and production of torpedoes for the Royal Navy. In 1959 its work and staff merged with the
Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment
The Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment was an Admiralty research department dedicated to underwater detection systems and weapons. It was formed at the Isle of Portland in 1959 and later became part of the Admiralty Research Agency (ARE) ...
. The department was administered by the Superintendent, Torpedo Experiment and Design.
History
Research into the development of torpedoes first occurred during the end of the 19th century. Initially this took place at the Royal Gun Factory, Woolwich. Further research work was then undertaken at the Royal Naval Torpedo Factory,
Greenock, Scotland
Greenock (; sco, Greenock; gd, Grianaig, ) is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in Scotland, United Kingdom and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of ...
with additional torpedo experimentation being undertaken by a private contractor, the
Whitehead Torpedo Company based in
Weymouth, Dorset
Weymouth is a seaside town in Dorset, on the English Channel coast of England. Situated on a sheltered bay at the mouth of the River Wey, south of the county town of Dorchester, Weymouth had a population of 53,427 in 2021. It is the third l ...
.
In 1937, the Admiralty acquired another factory at
, to boost production. With the advent of World War Two the Whitehead Company barely maintained the production outputs required of them. In 1943 the Admiralty decided to set up an additional department at their factory. Collectively these centers of research and development became known as the Torpedo Experimental Establishment. It continued to operate until 1959 when it was closed. Its work was continued by the newly created
Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment
The Admiralty Underwater Weapons Establishment was an Admiralty research department dedicated to underwater detection systems and weapons. It was formed at the Isle of Portland in 1959 and later became part of the Admiralty Research Agency (ARE) ...
(AUWE) based at
Portland, Devon, England.
The establishment was administered the Superintendent, Torpedo Experiment and Design.
Superintendent, Torpedo Experiment and Design
Included:
# 1942–1950, Captain F. T. de. M. Morgan. (also Superintendent Royal Naval Torpedo Factory, Greenock)
# 1951–1958, H. Turner. (also Superintendent Royal Naval Torpedo Factory, Alexandria)
# 1958–1959, Captain G. O. Symonds.
References
Sources
# Archives, National (1930–1960). "Admiralty: Royal Navy Torpedo Factory and Torpedo Experimental Establishment: Reports and Technical Notes". Richmond, London, England: The National Archives.
# Commons, House of (1959). "Torpedo Experimental Establishment, Greenock (Hansard, 8 July 1959)". api.parliament.uk. Hansard.
# Great Britain, Admiralty (1945). The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office.
# Great Britain, Admiralty (1946). The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office.
# Great Britain, Admiralty (1956). The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office.
# Harding, Richard (2002). The Royal Navy 1930-1990: Innovation and Defense. Cambridge, England: Routledge. .
{{Admiralty Department
Admiralty departments