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Outline of the British Royal Navy at the end of the Cold War

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In 1989 the Royal Navy was under the direction of the Navy Department in the UK Ministry of Defence. It had two main commands, CINCFLEET and Naval Home Command.

The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff was an Admiral who commanded Her Majesty's Naval Service. Admiral Sir Julian Oswald KCB had assumed the post in May 1989. Oswald was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on his retirement in March 1993.[1][2] The First Sea Lord/CNS was a member of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, the Defence Council, the Admiralty Board and the Navy Board.

The strength of the Royal Navy in 1989 was 65,500 men.[3] Jane's Fighting Ships 1989–1990 gives the strength as at 1 January 1989 as 65,484 (RN male and female 57,778, Royal Marines 7,706).[4]

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Main article: Navy Department (Ministry of Defence)

At the end of the Cold War in 1989, the Royal Navy structure was as follows:

First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff

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The First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1SL/CNS) was based in Whitehall, London. His principal staff officers were:

The Naval Service consisted of the following components

Commander-in-Chief Fleet

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The Commander-in-Chief Fleet (CINCFLEET) was an Admiral based at Northwood Headquarters commanded the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. He also doubled as NATO Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area (CINCEASTLANT) and Commander-in-Chief Channel (CINCHAN). CINCFLEET was responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of the ships, submarines and aircraft, and personnel the Royal Navy, including of the Royal Naval Reserve, Royal Marines, and Royal Marines Reserve. Squadrons had a purely administrative role, devoted to operational readiness and training.

Flag Officer First Flotilla

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The Leander-class frigate HMS Phoebe in the Hampton Roads

The Flag Officer First Flotilla (FOF1) was a rear admiral based HMNB Portsmouth who commanded the navy's First Flotilla.

Flag Officer, Second Flotilla

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The Type 42 destroyer HMS Birmingham entering Port Everglades in Florida

The Flag Officer, Second Flotilla was a rear admiral based HMNB Devonport who commanded the navy's Second Flotilla.

Flag Officer, Third Flotilla

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HMS Invincible during NATO exercise Dragon Hammer 90

The Flag Officer, Third Flotilla was a rear admiral based HMNB Portsmouth who commanded the navy's Third Flotilla and doubled as NATO Commander Anti-Submarine Warfare Striking Force. Third Flotilla contained all aircraft carriers and amphibious assault ships of the Navy. In 1989 Vice Admiral Alan Grose held this appointment.

Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland

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The Hunt-class mine countermeasures vessel HMS Quorn leaving port

The Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland (FOSNI) was a vice admiral based at RAF Pitreavie Castle, who commanded the navy's units in Scotland and Northern Ireland. On 31 January 1977, newly promoted Vice-Admiral Cameron Rusby was appointed as FOSNI, and double-hatted as NATO Commander Northern Sub-Area, Eastern Atlantic (NORLANT) and Commander Nore Sub-Area Channel (NORECHAN).[6] The main unit under his command was the Mine Countermeasures Flotilla based at Rosyth Dockyard on the Firth of Forth, which was commanded by a commodore. Additionally the Second Flotilla's 3rd Destroyer Squadron was based at RN Dockyard Rosyth. In war FOSNI would have been one of two naval operational commands, with the other being Flag Officer Plymouth.

Flag Officer Plymouth

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The Flag Officer Plymouth was a vice admiral based at Admiralty House, who commanded the navy's units in England and Wales and double-hatted as Naval Base Commander Devonport, NATO Commander Central Sub-Area (CENTLANT) and Commander Plymouth Sub-Area Channel (PLYMCHAN).[7][8] In war Flag Officer Plymouth would have been one of two naval operational commands, with the other being Flag Officer Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Flag Officer Submarines

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The Swiftsure-class submarine HMS Superb on the Clyde in Scotland

The Flag Officer Submarines was a rear admiral based at Northwood Headquarters, who commanded the Royal Navy Submarine Service and double-hatted as NATO Commander Submarine Force Eastern Atlantic (COMSUBEASTLANT).

Flag Officer Naval Air Command

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Two Sea Harriers from 800 Naval Air Squadron approach the flight deck of U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower.
A Sea King HAS.6 from 814 Naval Air Squadron armed with torpedoes at RNAS Culdrose

The Flag Officer Naval Air Command was a rear admiral based at RNAS Yeovilton, who commanded the Fleet Air Arm.

Commandant General Royal Marines

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Royal Marines during an exercise in Scotland

The Commandant General Royal Marines, in 1989 Lieutenant General Sir Martin Garrod based at Whitehall, was the service head of the Royal Marines. In 1991 their structure was described as "very top heavy. They have nearly 8,000 men to put 2,400 in the field...they have three 'tied' generals, the Commandant General, a major general as his chief of staff, and a major general commando forces."[10]

3 Commando Brigade was a light amphibious brigade, the primary deployable formation of the Royal Marines, it contained the bulk of the corps combat power along with support units from the British army and the royal navy. Additional units from the British army, including a light armoured squadron and 30 signal regiment, the royal signals were earmarked for deployment in times of war. Additional assets such as artillery, engineers and special forces would likely be assigned based on the brigades mission.

Flag Officer Gibraltar/Gibraltar Naval Base Commander

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The Flag Officer Gibraltar, Gibraltar Naval Base Commander, based in Gibraltar was a Royal Navy Rear Admiral, who double-hatted as NATO's Commander Gibraltar Mediterranean (COMGIBMED).[11]

Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command / Flag Officer Portsmouth

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The Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command (CINCNAVHOME) was an admiral based HMNB Portsmouth, who doubled as Flag Officer, Portsmouth and Naval Base Commander Portsmouth. Naval Home Command was tasked with administrative and support functions.

Flag Officer Sea Training

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The Flag Officer Sea Training (FOST) was a rear admiral based at RN Dockyard Portland, who was responsible for the operational training of the navy's units. In 1989 Rear Admiral R.T. Newman held this appointment.[4]

Flag Officer Training and Recruitment

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The Flag Officer, Training and Recruitment was a rear admiral based in HMNB Portsmouth, who was responsible for recruiting personnel and basic training. Besides recruiting offices dispersed all over the United Kingdom, FOTR also commanded the navy's schools and colleges.

University Royal Naval Units

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University Royal Naval Units (URNU) were training organizations affiliated with universities. 14 URNUs had been founded in 1967 and the late 1980s each URNU received one Archer-class patrol vessel as dedicated training vessel. However, as four of the 14 Archer vessels went to the Royal Naval Auxiliary Service it is unclear how many URNUs were still active in 1989.

Flag Officer Reserves

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The Royal Naval Reserve minesweeper HMS Orwell in the Bay of Biscay en route to Gibraltar

The Flag Officer Reserves was a rear admiral based in Whitehall, who was responsible for recruitment and training of the Royal Naval Reserve. Each Royal Naval Reserve Division had one River-class minesweeper from the Mine Countermeasures Flotilla's 10th Mine Countermeasures Squadron assigned to train its reservists and in case of war would have manned the assigned minesweeper.

Royal Navy Medical Service

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The Royal Navy Medical Service headed by the Medical Director-General of the Navy was responsible for the medical care aboard ships and in shore establishment of the Royal Navy. It worked closely with the Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service, which however was not part of the Royal Navy.

Royal Navy Regulating Branch

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The Royal Navy Regulating Branch was the service police of the Royal Navy, excluding the Royal Marines, which had their own police force.[12]

Judge Advocate of the Fleet

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The Judge Advocate of the Fleet was an appointed civilian judge who was responsible for the supervision and superintendence of the court martial system in the Royal Navy. The Judge Advocate was based at Whitehall in London.[13]

Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service

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The Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service provided chaplains to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Chaplains are recruited from a number of Christian denominations and trained at the Britannia Royal Naval College.

Royal Fleet Auxiliary

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Round Table-class landing ship logistics RFA Sir Percivale at anchor

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) was a civilian-manned fleet owned by the Ministry of Defence, whose purpose was to support the Royal Navy.[14] The RFA was tasked to supply Royal Navy's ships at sea with fuel, ammunition and supplies via replenishment at sea. It also transported Army and Royal Marine personnel.

RFA vessels were commanded and crewed by civilians, augmented with regular and reserve Royal Navy personnel to perform specialised military functions such as operating and maintaining helicopters or providing hospital facilities. RFA ships carried the ship prefix "RFA". The following is a list of RFA ships in 1989:

Royal Naval Auxiliary Service

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The Royal Naval Auxiliary Service vessel Loyal Volunteer on a port visit in Rochfort, Brittany

The Royal Naval Auxiliary Service (RNXS) was a uniformed, unarmed, civilian volunteer service, administered and trained by the Royal Navy to operate in the ports and anchorages of the UK in an Emergency. The service was divided into 'Afloat' and 'Shore' sections: the "Afloat" personnel manned the Service's dedicated ships and the "Shore" personnel manned the Port Headquarters (PHQ). The Afloat sections contained engineers, seamen and communications personnel, while the "shore" section consisted of communications and plotting staff.

RNXS personnel, known as auxiliarymen regardless of gender, were to be readily available to assist in the tasks of evacuating major ports and dispatching merchant vessels overseas in case of an attack on the UK. Any remaining ships were to be dispersed to safe anchorages along the coasts or at nearby islands. Formation, planning and sailing of convoys were trained by the PHQs under Royal Naval Reserve control. RNXS ships carried the ship prefix "XSV" and the service maintained training units, and inshore vessels, known as the "Loyals", at most major ports in the UK. It also had four unarmed Archer-class patrol vessels in service: XSV Example, XSV Explorer, XSV Express and XSV Exploit.

Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service

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The Royal Maritime Auxiliary Service (RMAS) was a civilian agency, which ran a variety of auxiliary vessels for Her Majesty's Naval Service. The RMAS provided ammunition transports, research vessels, salvage vessels, torpedo retrievers, dive tenders, fleet tenders, lifting crafts, and harbour and oceangoing tugs. RMAS vessels carried the ship prefix "RMAS" and auxiliary (A) or yard (Y) pennant numbers.

Royal Naval Supply and Transport Service

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The Royal Naval Supply and Transport Service (RNSTS) was a civilian manned logistics service that supported the Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary. The RNSTS was responsible for the maintenance, distribution and clerical oversight of all forms of stores between depot and ship.

Women's Royal Naval Service

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The Women's Royal Naval Service (WRNS) and its reserve formation (Women's Royal Naval Reserve) was the women's branch of Her Majesty's Naval Service. The WRNS provided the navy with personnel for its shore establishments.[15][16]

Royal Corps of Naval Constructors

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The Royal Corps of Naval Constructors was an Admiralty institution for training civilians in naval architecture, marine, electrical and weapon engineering. The corps's members who did not hold commissions were eligible to wear a uniform similar to that of the Royal Navy and are accorded the same respect as commissioned officers.

Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service

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Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service (QARNNS) and its reserve formation (Queen Alexandra's Royal Naval Nursing Service Reserve) was the nursing branch of Her Majesty's Naval Service. The service worked alongside the Royal Navy Medical Branch and provided nurses for the naval service's hospitals, aid stations and ships.

Other units

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References

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  1. ^ Who's Who 2010, A & C Black, 2010, ISBN 978-1-408-11414-8
  2. ^ Oswald, Julian (1993). "Conventional Deterrence and Military Diplomacy". The RUSI Journal. 138 (2). RUSI: 29–30. doi:10.1080/03071849308445694. Retrieved 22 March 2020.
  3. ^ The Statesman's Year-Book 1989–90. London: Macmillan Press. 1989. p. 1314. ISBN 978-0-333-39153-2. Retrieved 13 July 2017.
  4. ^ a b c Sharpe, Richard (1989). Jane's Fighting Ships 1989–1990. Jane's Information Group. p. 651.
  5. ^ Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation and Ship Deployments 1947–2013". Retrieved 29 June 2017.
  6. ^ "Appointments". Navy News. 1 May 1983. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  7. ^ "Flag Officer Plymouth". Navy News. 1 August 1982. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  8. ^ "Notice Board". Navy News. 30 May 1992. Retrieved 5 July 2017.
  9. ^ "World's Air Forces 1989". Flight International: 61–62. 29 November 1989. Retrieved 19 November 2017.
  10. ^ Antony Beevor (1991). Inside the British Army. Corgi Books. p. 240. ISBN 0-552-13818-5.
  11. ^ "Jane's Defence Weekly". 8. 1987: 489. Retrieved 24 November 2017. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  12. ^ "RBA History". www.rba93.com. Retrieved 7 May 2017.
  13. ^ "Military Justice". Judiciary of England and Wales. 2008. Archived from the original on 2008-04-13. Retrieved 2008-07-16.
  14. ^ Royal Fleet Auxiliary, royalnavy.mod.uk. Retrieved 10 October 2014.
  15. ^ "History". Women's Royal Naval Service Association. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Fact File: Women's Royal Naval Service". BBC. Retrieved 18 November 2017.
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