Naval Career

• 1913 – Entered Royal Navy

• 1916 – Rated Midshipman
  
  • Served on:
    • H.M.S. Lion, 1916;
    • H.M.S. Queen Elizabeth, 1917;
    • H.M. Submarine K6, 1918.

• 1918 – Promoted Sub-Lieutenant
  
  • Served on H.M.S. P31.

• 1920 – Promoted Lieutenant
  
  • Served on:
    • H.M.S. Renown, 1920 (Prince of Wales' Tour, Australia and New Zealand);
    • H.M.S. Repulse, 1921
    • H.M.S. Renown, 1920 (Prince of Wales' Tour to India, Japan and the Far East);
    • H.M.S. Revenge, 1923;
  • Signal School, Portsmouth, 1924;
  • R.N. College, Greenwich, 1925;
  • Reserve Fleet Wireless and Signal Officer, 1926;
  • Assistant Fleet Wireless Officer, Mediterranean Fleet, 1927–1928.

• 1928 – Promoted Lieutenant-Commander
  • Second Destroyer Flotilla Signal and Wireless, 1928–1929;
  • Senior Instructor in Wireless at H.M. Signal School, Portsmouth, 1929–1931;
  • Fleet Wireless Officer, Mediterranean Fleet, 1931–1933.

• 1932 – Promoted Commander
  • Qualified as interpreter in French and German, 1933;
  • In command of H.M.S. Daring, 1934;
  • In command of H.M.S. Wishart, 1935;
  • Appointed to Naval Air Division at Admiralty, 1936.

• 1937 – Promoted Captain
  • In command of H.M.S. Kelly and Fifth Destroyer Flotilla, 1939 (mentioned in dispatches twice);
  • In command of H.M.S. Illustrious, 1941.

• 1941 – Promoted Commodore (First Class)
  • Commodore, Combined Operations, 1941–1942;
  • Chief of Combined Operations and Member of Chief of Staff's Committee with rank of acting Vice-Admiral, 1942–1943;
  • Supreme Allied Commander, South-East Asia with rank of acting Admiral, 1943–1946.

• 1946 – Promoted Rear-Admiral
  • Flag Officer commanding First Cruiser Squadron, Mediterranean Fleet, 1948–1949.

• 1949 – Promoted Vice-Admiral
  • Fourth Sea Lord, 1950–1952;
  • Commander-in-Chief, Mediterrnean, 1952–1954.

• 1953 – Promoted Admiral
  • Commander-in-Chief, Allied Forces, Mediterrnean, 1953–1954;
  • First Sea Lord, 1955–1959.

• 1956 – Promoted Admiral of the Fleet
  • Chief of the Defence Staff and Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, 1959–1965.

• 1965 – Retired

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