Naval Officer-in-Charge, Aden

The Naval Officer-in-Charge, Aden, was an administrative appointment of British Royal Navy originally established in 1839 as the Senior Naval Officer, Aden. He was responsible for HMS Sheba.^[1] It was a sub-command of the Flag Officer, Middle East.^[2]

Aden Station
Active	1839–1959
Country	United Kingdom
Allegiance	British Empire
Branch	Royal Navy
Part of	East Indies Station (1839-1917) Red Sea Station (1917-1920) East Indies Station (1921-1935) Mediterranean Fleet (1935-1938) East Indies Station (1939-1943) Levant Command (1943-1944) East Indies Station (1945) Flag Officer, Middle East (1946-1958)
Garrison/HQ	HMS Sheba Steamer Point, Aden Aden Protectorate (1839-1937)

History

In 1839 the Royal Navy carried out an operation called the Aden Expedition led by Captain Henry Smith under orders from the Commander-in-Chief, East Indies, in the south east Arabian Peninsula its occupation of Aden was mainly for strategic reasons as Aden provided control of the entrance to the Red Sea a naval base was first established here at the same time.^[3] In 1869 the Suez Canal was opened and the British Empire established a number of protectorates in Southern Arabia mainly as a shield against further expansion by the Ottoman Empire who were occupying the rest of Yemen.^[4] In the 19th century and early twentieth century it was a major coaling station that sat on an important trade route from India.^[5] During World War Two the main naval formation based in Aden was the Red Sea Force.^[6]

In command before the First World War

Senior Naval Officer, Aden

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Senior Naval Officer, Aden
1	Captain		Henry Smith	1839	later Admiral.[7]

Senior Naval Officer, Aden Division

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Senior Naval Officer, Aden Division
1	Commander		E. R. Pears	1904	[8]
2	Captain		J. B. Eustace	1905	[9]

Naval Transport Officer in Charge

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Naval Transport Officer-in-Charge, Aden
1	Commander		Charles A. Scott	1919	[10]

In command inter-war period and Second World War

Naval Officer-in-Charge, Aden

	Rank	Flag	Name	Term	Notes/Ref
Naval Officer-in-Charge, Aden & Commanding Officer, HMS Sheba (RN Base, Aden)
1	Captain		Douglas B. Fisher	15 September 1935 – 29 June 1936	[10]
2	Acting-Captain		P.L. Gunn	8 July 1939 – 29 May 1942	[11][12]
3	Commodore		C.A.A. Larcom	29 May 1942 – February, 1943	retired[13][14]
4	Commodore		Fitzroy.E.P. Hutton	28 August – December, 1943	ditto[14]
5	Commodore		E. A Aylmer	25 March 1944 – July, 1945	[15]
6	Captain		Waldemar W. P. Shirley-Rollison	1945 - 1946	[16]

References

1. The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. November 1939. p. 240.
2. Walker, Jonathan (2014). Aden Insurgency: The Savage War in Yemen 1962-67. Barnsley, England: Pen and Sword. p. 90. ISBN 9781783375615.
3. Ram, Krishnamurthy Venkat (2009). "Conclusion". Anglo-Ethiopian Relations, 1869 to 1906: A Study of British Policy in Ethiopia. New Delhi, India: Concept Publishing Company. p. 241. ISBN 9788180696244.
4. Innes-Robbins, Simon (22 June 2018). "A Short History Of The Aden Emergency". Imperial War Museums. London, England: Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
5. Anderson, Ewan W. (2014). Global Geopolitical Flashpoints : an Atlas of Conflict. London, England: Taylor and Francis, Routledge. p. 8. ISBN 9781135940942.
6. Bertke, Donald A.; Kindell, Don; Smith, Gordon (2011). WORLD WAR II SEA WAR: FRANCE FALLS, BRITAIN STANDS ALONE: Day-to-Day Naval Actions from April 1940 through September 1940. Lulu Bertke Publishing. p. 99. ISBN 9781937470005.
7. Clowes, W. Laird (William Laird); Markham, Clements R. (Clements Robert); Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer); Wilson, Herbert Wrigley (1897–1903). The royal navy, a history from the earliest times to present. London : S. Low, Marston, Co. p. 277.
8. Fevyer, W. H.; Wilson, J. W. (2012). Africa General Service Medal: to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines. Luton, England: Andrews UK Limited. p. 110. ISBN 9781781504314.
9. Campbell, Gwyn (10 January 2018). Bondage and the environment in the Indian Ocean world. New York, NY, USA: Springer Publishing. p. 248. ISBN 9783319700281.
10. Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (21 August 2018). "Aden - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
11. "Flag Officers in Commission". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. December 1941. p. 937.
12. Niehorster, Dr. Leo. "East Indies Station, Royal Navy, 3.09.39". niehorster.org. L. Niehorster. Retrieved 2 October 2018.
13. "Flag Officers in Commission". The Navy List. London, England: H.M. Stationery Office. February 1943. p. 1422.
14. Niehorster, Leo. "World War II unit histories & officers". www.unithistories.com. L. Niehorster. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
15. "Flag Officers in Commission". The Navy List. London, England: H. M.Stationery Office. October 1944. p. 2262.
16. Houterman, J.N. "Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - S". www.unithistories.com. Houterman and Koppes. Retrieved 1 October 2018.

Sources

• Anderson, Ewan W. (2014). Global Geopolitical Flashpoints : an Atlas of Conflict. London, England: Taylor and Francis, Routledge. ISBN 9781135940942.
• Bertke, Donald A.; Kindell, Don; Smith, Gordon (2011). WORLD WAR II SEA WAR: FRANCE FALLS, BRITAIN STANDS ALONE: Day-to-Day Naval Actions from April 1940 through September 1940. Lulu Bertke Publishing. ISBN 9781937470005.
• Campbell, Gwyn (10 January 2018). Bondage and the environment in the Indian Ocean world. New York, NY, USA: Springer Publishing. p. 248. ISBN 9783319700281
• Clowes, W. Laird (William Laird); Markham, Clements R. (Clements Robert); Mahan, A. T. (Alfred Thayer); Wilson, Herbert Wrigley.(1897–1903) The royal navy, a history from the earliest times to present. London : S. Low, Marston, Co.
• "Flag Officers in Commission". The Navy List. London, England: H. M.Stationery Office. October 1944.
• Fevyer, W. H.; Wilson, J. W. (2012). Africa General Service Medal: to the Royal Navy and the Royal Marines. Luton, England: Andrews UK Limited. ISBN 9781781504314.
• Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (21 August 2018). "Aden - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
• Houterman, J.N. "Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945 - S". www.unithistories.com. Houterman and Koppes.
• Innes-Robbins, Simon (2018). "A Short History Of The Aden Emergency". Imperial War Museums. London, England: Imperial War Museums. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
• Niehorster, Leo. "World War II unit histories & officers". www.unithistories.com. L. Niehorster. Retrieved 3 July 2018.
• Ram, Krishnamurthy Venkat (2009). "Conclusion". Anglo-Ethiopian Relations, 1869 to 1906: A Study of British Policy in Ethiopia. New Delhi, India: Concept Publishing Company. ISBN 9788180696244.