Admiral Sir Charles Edward Kennedy-Purvis (2 May 1884 – 26 May 1946) was a

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 ...

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. Kennedy-Purvis entered the navy as a cadet in January 1899 aboard the

training ship A training ship is a ship used to train students as sailors. The term is mostly used to describe ships employed by navies to train future officers. Essentially there are two types: those used for training at sea and old hulks used to house class ...

Britannia Britannia () is the national personification of Britain as a helmeted female warrior holding a trident and shield. An image first used in classical antiquity, the Latin ''Britannia'' was the name variously applied to the British Isles, Great ...

'' at Dartmouth. He became a midshipman on 15 May 1900, and was promoted to acting- sub-lieutenant on 15 July 1903, being confirmed in that rank on 11 January 1905. He was soon promoted again, to

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

on 1 July 1905, backdated to 15 January 1904. Kennedy-Purvis became one of the Navy's early

wireless telegraphy Wireless telegraphy or radiotelegraphy is transmission of text messages by radio waves, analogous to electrical telegraphy using cables. Before about 1910, the term ''wireless telegraphy'' was also used for other experimental technologies for ...

specialists, and after promotion to commander in June 1915 was appointed an instructor at the newly formed RN Signal School. He served as the executive officer of the cruiser in 1918–1919, and of the battleship in 1919–1920, then returned to the Signal School as its commander, having been promoted to captain in December 1921. He later served in the

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 ...

's Signal Division, and commanded the cruiser in 1925, and the cruiser in 1925–1926, before being appointed Director of the Signal Division in 1927. From March 1931 Kennedy-Purvis commanded , soon after her conversion into an aircraft carrier, as part of the Mediterranean Fleet. He served as a Naval Aide-de-camp to the King from January 1933, was made a CB in April 1933, and promoted to rear admiral in September. In June 1935 he was appointed to the Board of Admiralty as an

Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (A.C.N.S.) is a senior appointment in the Royal Navy usually a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7. History The Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff was originally directly responsible to the Fir ...

with special responsibility for

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...

affairs. Between 1936 and 1938 he commanded the

1st Cruiser Squadron The First Cruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of cruisers that saw service as part of the Grand Fleet during the World War I then later as part of the Mediterranean during the Interwar period and World War II it first established in 190 ...

in the Mediterranean, receiving promotion to vice admiral on 28 June 1937. In 1939 he became the President of the

Royal Naval College, Greenwich The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. The equi ...

and Vice-Admiral Commanding the

War College A war college is a senior military academy which is normally intended for veteran military officers and whose purpose is to educate and 'train on' senior military tacticians, strategists, and leaders. It is also often the place where advanced tact ...

, and was awarded the KCB. In March 1940 he was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the America and West Indies Station, and on 15 February 1942 was promoted to admiral. His time as C-in-C coincided with the

Destroyers for Bases Agreement The destroyers-for-bases deal was an agreement between the United States and the United Kingdom on September 2, 1940, according to which 50 , , and US Navy destroyers were transferred to the Royal Navy from the US Navy in exchange for land rights ...

in which fifty elderly destroyers were transferred from the United States to the UK in return for the right of the U.S. Navy and Air Forces to establish bases in British territories. In the West Indies Kennedy-Purvis successfully surmounted any difficulties and within a very short time was working in closest co-operation with his American counterpart. In late 1942 he was recalled to England to become the Deputy First Sea Lord, an appointment created to relieve the

First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) is the military head of the Royal Navy and Naval Service of the United Kingdom. The First Sea Lord is usually the highest ranking and most senior admiral to serve in the British Armed Fo ...

Admiral of the Fleet

Sir Dudley Pound Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound, (29 August 1877 – 21 October 1943) was a British senior officer of the Royal Navy. He served in the First World War as a battleship commander, taking part in the Battle of Jutland ...

of the burden of his administrative duties, allowing him to concentrate on his role as Chief of the Naval Staff and a member of the

Chiefs of Staff Committee The Chiefs of Staff Committee (CSC) is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British Armed Forces who advise on operational military matters and the preparation and conduct of military operations. The committee consists of the C ...

. After Pound's resignation in September 1943 he served under Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham. After the war, Kennedy-Purvis was awarded the GBE, and was made a

Commander of the Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

by the United States. Ill-health compelled him to retire in March 1946, and he died of a heart attack at his home on 26 May 1946. His funeral service was held at the Royal Naval College Chapel in Greenwich.

Personal life

He married May Conquest in 1910, but had no children. Lady Kennedy-Purvis died in 1971.

References

External links

* * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Kennedy-Purvis, Charles 1884 births 1946 deaths Royal Navy admirals of World War II Lords of the Admiralty Commanders of the Legion of Merit Admiral presidents of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich Bermuda in World War II Admiralty personnel of World War II