Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom

Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom is a now honorary office generally held by a senior (usually retired) Royal Navy admiral, though the current incumbent is a retired Royal Marine General. Despite the title, the Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom is usually a full admiral. He is the deputy to the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom, who is in turn deputy to the Lord High Admiral of the United Kingdom (an office that is currently vested in the Sovereign).

Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
Incumbent General Sir Gordon Messenger since 6 December 2021
Appointer	Monarch
Formation	1683
First holder	Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington

History

The office dates from 1683, when the experienced naval officer Arthur Herbert was appointed Rear-Admiral of England in order to provide support to the inexperienced Duke of Grafton (who was a natural son of Charles II) in the role of Vice-Admiral of England, to which he had been appointed at the age of 19. In the 19th and 20th centuries it was not unusual for the Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom to succeed to the office of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom.

Until 1870 the Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom received a salary (in addition to half-pay), but in February of that year his remuneration (by then amounting to £324 9s per annum) was abolished by Order in Council.

Rear-Admirals of England

• Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington 1683–1687*
• Sir Roger Strickland 12 December 1687 – 13 December 1688
• Sir Cloudesley Shovell 6 January 1705 N.S. – 1 May 1707

Rear-Admirals of Great Britain

• Sir Cloudesley Shovell 1 May 1707 – 23 October 1707
• vacant
• Sir John Leake 24 May 1709 – 1 August 1714
• vacant
• Matthew Aylmer, 1st Baron Aylmer 18 March 1719 N.S. – 18 August 1720
• George Byng, 1st Viscount Torrington October 1720 – 17 January 1733
• Sir John Jennings 27 February 1733 N.S. – 1743
• Thomas Mathews 18 February 1743 – 1749
• Sir William Rowley 4 July 1749 – 1763
• Edward Hawke, 1st Baron Hawke 4 January 1763 – 5 November 1765*
• Sir Charles Knowles 5 November 1765 – October 1770
• Francis Holburne October 1770 – 14 July 1771
• George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney 17 August 1771 – 6 November 1781*
• George Darby 6 November 1781 – 1790
• Alexander Hood, 1st Viscount Bridport 6 April 1790 – March 1796*
• Sir William Cornwallis March 1796 – 1 January 1801

Rear-Admirals of the United Kingdom

• Sir William Cornwallis 1 January 1801 – 14 May 1814*
• Sir William Young 14 May 1814 – 18 July 1819*
• James Saumarez, 1st Baron de Saumarez 18 July 1819 – 21 November 1821*
• William Carnegie, 7th Earl of Northesk 21 November 1821 – 28 May 1831
• Sir Thomas Foley 14 June 1831 – 9 January 1833
• Sir George Martin 23 January 1833 – April 1834*
• Sir Robert Stopford April 1834 – 5 May 1847*
• Sir Thomas Byam Martin 5 May 1847 – 10 August 1847*
• Sir George Cockburn, 10th Baronet 10 August 1847 – 19 August 1853
• Sir William Hall Gage 24 October 1853 – 6 November 1854*
• Thomas Cochrane, 10th Earl of Dundonald, 1st Marquess do Maranhão 6 November 1854 – 31 October 1860*
• Sir Graham Hamond, 2nd Baronet 22 November 1860 – 5 June 1862*
• Sir Francis Austen 5 June 1862 – 11 December 1862*
• Sir William Parker, 1st Baronet 11 December 1862 – 16 May 1863
• Sir George Seymour 16 May 1863 – 23 September 1865*
• Sir William Bowles 23 September 1865 – 26 November 1866*
• Sir Phipps Hornby 26 November 1866 – 19 March 1867
• Sir Fairfax Moresby 20 April 1867 – 17 July 1869*
• Sir Provo Wallis 17 July 1869 – 12 February 1870*
• Sir William Hope-Johnstone 12 February 1870 – 11 July 1878
• Sir William Martin, 4th Baronet 19 September 1878 – 24 March 1895
• abolished under Queen Victoria; revived by King Edward VII
• Sir Edmund Fremantle 25 July 1901 – 31 December 1926
• Sir Stanley Colville 31 December 1926 – 22 March 1929*
• Sir Montague Browning 22 March 1929 – 13 February 1939*
• Sir Hubert Brand 13 February 1939 – 19 June 1945
• Sir Percy Noble 19 June 1945 – 25 July 1955
• Sir John Edelsten 10 October 1955 – 12 October 1962*
• Sir Peter Reid 12 October 1962 – 11 March 1966*
• Sir Alexander Bingley 11 March 1966 – 1972
• Sir Nigel Henderson 11 January 1973 – 12 April 1976*
• Sir John Bush 29 April 1976 – 1 August 1979*
• Sir Sir William O'Brien 1 August 1979 – 1984*
• Sir Derek Empson 1984 – 13 November 1986*
• Sir Anthony Griffin 13 November 1986 – 29 October 1988*
• Sir Anthony Morton 29 October 1988 – 24 November 1988*
• Sir James Eberle 24 November 1988 – 17 January 1994*
• Sir Nicholas Hunt 17 January 1994 – 6 November 1997*
• Sir Jeremy Black 6 November 1997 – 30 April 2001*
• Sir Kenneth Eaton 30 April 2001 – 2007
• Sir Gordon Messenger 6 December 2021 – present

Those marked with an asterisk went on to serve in the office of Vice-Admiral of England (or Great Britain or the United Kingdom).

See also

• Lieutenant of the Admiralty
• Admiralty