Operations Division (Royal Navy)

Trade Division and Operations Division

JurisdictionGovernment of the United KingdomHeadquartersAdmiralty Building
Whitehall
LondonParent departmentAdmiralty Naval Staff

The Operations Division ^[1] was a former directorate of the Admiralty Naval Staff responsible for the creation and implementation of long-term policy in regards to the composition of all Royal Navy fleets, squadrons and commands and including operational planning and monitoring from 1912 to 1961.

History

The Operations division was established in January 1912 initially as a component part of the new Admiralty War Staff created by the First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill and later the naval staff. It worked closely with the Naval Intelligence Division throughout most of existence and remained until 1961 when it was amalgamated with the Trade Division to create a new Trade and Operations Division.^[2] In 1964 the Admiralty Department was abolished, however trade and operations functions continued under the new Naval Staff function within the Navy Department^[3] of the Ministry of Defence as the Directorate of Naval Operations and Trade.

Responsibilities

The division was chiefly responsible for coordinating the distribution of the British fleet globally and for the general day-to-day, movements of each of the Royal Navy's units as ordered by the Board of Admiralty, and acted-upon initially by the Chief of the War Staff later Chief of the Naval Staff. However each of the individual Commander-in-Chief's regulated the movements of fleets, flotilla's or squadrons and ships that was under their respective commands.

The division had to ensure that accurate information was constantly available at all times, this included the positions and conditions of all the most important ships. This was done by devising an operational plotting system that enabled the Admiralty to track of all ship movements, all scheduling of re-fits, monitoring fuel levels, and monitoring ammunition storage levels worldwide .

The division would coordinate closely with the Operational Intelligence Center^[4] within the Naval Intelligence Division. The Operations Division received intelligence communiques, reviewed the importance of them, then would recommend any necessary remedying actions to be taken. When orders were approved by the Naval Staff they were communicated to all commanding flag officers who would action them.

Directors duties

As of 1918:^[5]

Director: Matters relating to operations, distribution of the Fleet, minelaying, submarines, co-operation of Allied ships, hospital ships and air operations.
Deputy Director: Matters relating to transports and trade, sailing orders, trials, commissioning orders, all systems of communications, navigation, Board of Trade reports, fisheries.
Assistant Director (1): Matters relating to foreign stations (except such as are dealt with by D.D.O.D.), entry into defended ports at home and abroad, swept channels at defended ports, traffic regulations, courts martial and courts of enquiry, administration of the Operations Division.
Assistant Director (2): Matters relating to shore defences and the defence of vulnerable points on shore, at home and abroad. Distribution of Seamen and Marines.Checks all promotions.

Directors of Division

Pre-World War One period

Director of Operations Division

included:^[6]

Captain George A. Ballard, 8 January 1912 – 1 May 1914

World War One period

Director of Operations Division

Rear-Admiral Arthur Leveson, 1 May 1914 – 16 January 1915
Rear-Admiral Thomas Jackson, 17 January 1915 – 11 June 1917
Rear-Admiral George Hope, 11 June 1917 – 9 January 1918

Inter-war period

Director of Operations Division (Home)

Included:^[7]

Captain Dudley Pound, 12 January 1918 – 15 July 1919
Captain John D. Kelly, 15 July 1919 – 1 April 1920

Director of Operations Division (Foreign)

Included:^[7]

Captain Charles P. R. Coode, 18 January 1918 – 31 March 1920

Director of Operations Division

Included:^[7]

Rear-Admiral John D. Kelly, 1 April 1920 – 15 February 1922
Captain Henry W. Parker, 1 February 1922
Captain Wilfred Tomkinson, 21 November 1923–April 1926
Captain Frank F. Rose, April 1926,–March 1928
Captain Percy Noble, March, 1928–January 1930
Captain Dudley Burton Napier North, January, 1930–July 1932
Captain Charles G. Brodie, July–December 1932
Captain Francis H. W. Goolden, December, 1932–December 1933
Captain Henry Pridham-Wippell, December, 1933–December 1935
Captain Charles H. Knox-Little, December, 1935–July 1938
Captain Charles M. Blackman, July, 1938–December 1939

World War Two period

Director of Operations Division (Home)

Captain Cecil H. J. Harcourt, September 1939-February 1941
Captain Ralph A. B. Edwards, February–December 1941
Captain John Eccles (Royal Navy officer), December 1941-October 1943
Captain C. T. Mark Pizey, December 1943-? 1945

Director of Operations Division (Foreign)

Captain Robert H.Bevan: September 1939-September 1940
Captain Gerald H. Warner: September 1940-March 1941
Captain John Terry: March 1941-August 1942
Captain Angus D. Nicholl: August 1942-August 1944
Captain Frederick R. Parham: August 1944-January 1947

Post War period

Director of Operations Division

Captain Charles H. Duffett: January 1947-January 1949
Captain George B.H. Fawkes: January 1949-July 1951
Captain Patrick W. Brock: July 1951-October 1953
Captain John S.S. Litchfield: October 1953-December 1954
Captain Peter D.H.R. Pelly: December 1954-June 1956
Captain Walter Evershed: June 1956-June 1957
Captain Bryan C. Durant: June 1957-January 1959
Captain Eric V. St.J. Morgan: January 1959-May 1960
Captain Michael G. Haworth: May 1960-July 1961

Deputy Directors

Deputy Director of Operations

Included:^[6]

Captain Henry W. Grant: July 1917-January 1918
Captain Bernard St.G. Collard, January 1918-February 1920
Captain Arthur de K. L. May, January–September 1919
Captain Hubert H. Holland, September 1919-January 1920
Captain Sidney R. Bailey, February 1920-March 1921
Captain Henry G.E. Lane, April 1920-September 1921
Captain Charles D. Burke, March 1921-April 1922
Captain Alister F. Beal, September 1921-July 1923
Captain Wilfred Tomkinson, July–November 1923
Captain Ambrose M. Peck, November 1923-October 1925
Captain Frank F. Rose, October 1925-April 1926
Captain Francis M. Austin, April 1926-August 1927
Captain Geoffrey Layton, August 1927-August 1929
Captain Robert R. Turner, August 1929-August 1931
Captain Francis H.W. Goolden, August 1931-December 1932
Captain Ernest J. Spooner, December 1932-July 1934
Captain Ronald W. Blacklock, July 1934-July 1936
Captain Irving M. Palmer, July 1936-September 1938
Captain Cecil H.J. Harcourt, September 1938-September 1939

Deputy Director of Operations (Home)

Captain Ralph A. B. Edwards, October 1939-February 1941
Captain John F. Stevens, February 1941-August 1942
Captain Wilfred J.C. Robertson, August 1942-December 1943
Captain Francis B. Lloyd: December 1943-March 1945
Captain Christopher T. Jellicoe: March 1945 – 1947

Deputy Director of Operations (Foreign)

Included:^[6]

Captain Gerald H. Warner, February–September 1940
Captain John Terry, September 1940-March 1941
Captain William W. Davis, March 1941-January 1942
Captain Hugh Dalrymple-Smith, January 1942-November 1943
Captain Ronald G. Mackay, November 1943-March 1946
Captain Terence A.K. Maunsell, March 1946-March 1948
Captain William H. Selby, March 1948-April 1950
Captain Ralph C. Medley, April 1950-April 1952
Captain John S.M. Richardson, April 1952-January 1954
Captain Peter Phipps, January 1954-March 1955
Captain John Plunkett-Cole: March 1955-January 1957
Captain N.F. Carrington, January 1957-February 1958
Captain Josef C. Bartosik, February 1958-April 1959
Captain Richard I. Peek, April 1959-December 1960

Deputy Director of Operations (Foreign and Trade)

Captain J.A. Murray, December 1960-September 1961
Captain Roland F. Plugge, September 1961-November 1963

Assistant Directors of Operations

Assistant Director of Operation Division (A.D.O.D.):

Captain Charles P. R. Coode, 11 June 1917 – 18 January 1918

Second Assistant Directors

Captain George P. W. Hope, 15 December 1916

Operations division sub staff sections

A more detailed breakdown of the distribution of work allocated within the division to the various staff sections can be seen below as of 1917:^[8]

Section	Admiralty Room	Distribution of Work
One	38 (OB)	Distribution of fleet (battleships, battle cruisers and light cruisers) all questions relating to (see also section 9). Sailing orders for H.M. ships (referred by M. Branch).Refits, docking, repairs etc. of H.M. ships. New ships - programme of trials and commissioning orders. British portion of Monthly Return of War vessels.Reports of Courts-martial and Courts of Enquiry. Visual signals.Is responsible for seeing that other departments concerned are informed of movements of ships.
Two	38 (OB)	Systems of communication generally, including questions of policy regarding to wireless telegraphy (British and Foreign), laying and repair of cables, movements and work of cableships, land-line telegraphs and telephones, communications between H. M. Ships and merchant vessels at home and abroad.
Three	38 (OB)	Harbour and coast defence of the United Kingdom, British Dominions and Colonies and India, including:- (a) Disposition of guns, lights, mines, booms, etc., and personnel necessary for these; (b) Examination service at all ports; (c) Traffic regulations (see also A.D.O.D.l and Section 4).
Four	B. (AH)	Instructions for Entry of H.M. ships into Defended Ports at home and abroad. Swept Channels, booms, etc., at defended ports. Confidential and public traffic regulations (see also A.D.O.D. 1 and Section 3). Fishing and fishing areas round the North Sea and Atlantic.
Five	38 (OB)	Movements of all H.M. Ships employed abroad and letters of proceedings from Commanders in Chief on foreign stations. (See also Section 10). Corrects “Pink List” (secret telegrams), as regards H.M. Ships abroad. Keeps wall charts in Chart Room corrected as regards vessels on foreign service.
Six	A. (AH)	Controlled sailings in connection with French Coal Trade and ore trade from North coast of Spain. Board of Trade reports. Reports dealing with enemy submarines (see also section 8). Courts of Enquiry relating to reports of sinkings of merchant ships
Seven	38 (OB)	Movements and letters if proceedings of 10th Cruiser Squadron, Grand Fleet destroyer flotillas, H.M. ships (not belonging to the Grand Fleet) at Home ports, H.M. ships stationed at bases, minelayers and mine-carriers in Home waters. Corrects “Pink List” as regards the foregoing vessels.
Eight	66 (OB)	All matters relating to distribution and employment of destroyers, patrol flotillas, submarines, sloops, special service vessels, auxiliary patrols, escorts by auxiliary patrols. Prepares daily statement of destroyer flotillas. Telegrams and reports dealing with enemy submarines (see also Section 6).
Nine	B. (AH)	Movements of ships of the Grand Fleet when detached from repairs, and armed boarding vessels, minesweepers and supply vessels attached to Grand Fleet. White Sea - Trade and defence. Movements and refit of vessels stationed in White Matters relating to Hospital ships. Assists in Chart Room and takes duty there when required.
Ten	B. (AH)	Overseas operations. Naval Flotilla on Lakes Tanganyika and Victoria. Questions concerning Persia and Abyssinia. Letters of proceedings from Mediterranean, East Indies and China.
Eleven	38 (OB)	Air Operations. Anti-aircraft defences. W/T and other communications with aircraft.
Twelve	66 (OB)	(Commander, RN.)
Twelve (a)	66 (OB)	Movements of troop and store transports, wheat, sugar and nitrate transports, mercantile fleet auxiliaries (colliers, oilers, store vessels, hospital ships, munition ships, tugs) and merchant vessels carrying valuable Government cargoes. Sailing orders and route instructions for the above. Board of Trade reports. Merchant ship casualties. Minesweeping reports. Matters relating to navigation.
Thirteen	B. (AH)	Mining operations and records. Matters relating to torpedoes.
Fourteen	Chart Room	Records of all telegrams referring to mines, wrecks, lights, buoys, swept channels, dangerous areas, etc., and plots positions of mines reported, suspicious vessels and objects, and dangerous and prohibited areas. Superintends correction of reference charts by cartographer from Hydrographic office.
Fifteen	Chart Room	(Assistant to D.O.D.)
Sixteen	Planning Room	Formulation and preparation of all plans
Twenty	39 (OB)	(Acting Staff Clerk in charge of clerical staff).
Twenty (a)	39 (OB)	(Acting Staff Clerk)

References

^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty: Naval Staff, Operations Division: Lists showing stations and movements of Allied and Royal Naval Ships (Pink Lists)". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives. Retrieved 6 February 2017.
^ Government, H.M. (April 1962). "Admiralty, Divisions of the Naval Staff". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 907.
^ Archives, The National. "Records of the Navy Department of the Ministry of Defence, ADM Division 29". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives, UK. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
^ Archives, The National. "Admiralty: Naval Intelligence Division and Operational Intelligence Centre: Intelligence Reports and Papers,ADM 223". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. The National Archives, UK. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
^ Black, Nicholas Duncan (2005). The Admiralty War Staff and its influence on the conduct of the naval between 1914 and 1918.'. University College, University of London. pp. 250 to 251.
^ ^a ^b ^c Mackie, Colin. "British Armed Services between 1860 and the present day — Royal Navy - Senior Appointments". Colin Mackie's website. Colin Mackie, pp. 23-26, 2010-2014. Retrieved 8 February 2017.
^ ^a ^b ^c Archives, The National. "Naval Staff Divisions - Reorganisation". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives, 1917-1921, ADM 116/1803. Retrieved 10 February 2017.
^ Archives, The National. "Records of Naval Staff Departments, ADM 10". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives, 1912-1964. Retrieved 8 February 2017.

Attribution

Primary source for this article is by Harley Simon, Lovell Tony, (2017), Operations Division (Royal Navy), dreadnoughtproject.org, http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org.

Sources

Archives, The National. "Records of Naval Staff Departments", discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives, 1912-1964.
Black, Nicholas (2009). The British Naval Staff in the First World War. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843834427.
Naval Staff, Training and Staff Duties Division (1929). The Naval Staff of the Admiralty. Its Work and Development. B.R. 1845 (late C.B. 3013). Copy at The National Archives. ADM 234/434
Mackie, Colin, (2010-2014), British Armed Services between 1860 and the present day — Royal Navy - Senior Appointments, http://www.gulabin.com/.
Rodger. N.A.M., (1979) The Admiralty (offices of state), T. Dalton, Lavenham, ISBN 978-0900963940.
Smith, Gordon (2014), British Admiralty, Part 2 - Changes in Admiralty Departments 1913-1920, Naval-History.Net.