This is a list of
Royal NavalPaymasters,
Supply Officers and Logistics Officers who have reached
flag rank, listed in order of seniority as a Rear-Admiral. It was customary for some officers to be promoted upon retirement, so some pre-war paymaster admirals may not have served in the rank on the active list.
Full names are given, where known, and honours and awards are listed in full, but without dates. Dates of birth are not given for the deceased. Appointments held as an admiral are given and a summary, where known, of appointments held since retirement from the Royal Navy.
At any one time, one admiral is appointed as head of the branch, either as Paymaster Director-General from 1918 to 1944, Director-General Supply and Secretariat Branch from 1944 to 1959, Chief Naval Supply and Secretariat Officer (CNSSO) from 1959 to 2004 and, now, Chief Naval Logistics Officer (CNLO). For the last fifty years, this appointment has been an additional job. However, there was no admiral in the logistics branch from 2008–2010 and the post of CNLO was held by the senior Commodore in the branch.
Research continues but the list is now broadly complete in respect of admirals in the past fifty years. A short history of the
Supply Officer complements this list.
Paymaster Rear-Admiral
Sir John Henry George ChappleKCBCVO - retired 1 July 1918. Retroactively promoted to that rank in 1919 with seniority of 6 March 1918
Paymaster Rear-Admiral
William Ernest Russell Martin (1867–1946) - (joined RN 1884; retired 1922); author of Adventures of a Naval Paymaster (Herbert Jenkins, 1924)[5]
Paymaster Rear-Admiral Herbert Arthur David John Gyles (died 1937)[6]
Paymaster Rear-Admiral
Sir Arthur (Foster) StricklandKCBOBE (1882–1955) - appointed 10 July 1936 as Paymaster Director-General until retirement in July 1939. Served as Ministry of Food's Chief Divisional Food Officer, Southern Command Area 1941-1943[16]
Paymaster Rear-Admiral
Sir David Sidney LambertKCBOBE (1885–1966) - promoted 10 July 1939 and served as Paymaster Director-General until retirement in July 1942. Served in the Ministry of Supply (Directorate of Economy) 1942–1944. Portrait in the
National Portrait Gallery,
London[17][18]
Paymaster Rear-Admiral (later Rear-Admiral (S))
Sir William Evelyn Hatten JollyKCB (1887-1961) - promoted 10 July 1942 and served as Paymaster Director-General until 26 October 1944, then Director-General Supply and Secretariat Branch until July 1945
Acting Vice-Admiral (S)
Sir Malcolm Giffard Stebbing CullKCBCBEMVO (1891–1962) - appointed 10 July 1945 as Director-General Supply and Secretariat Branch until August 1948[19]
Rear-Admiral A J Wheeler (1894-19xx) - promoted 30 June 1943
Rear-Admiral E L TottenhamCBOBE (1896-19xx) - promoted 1 December 1945
Acting Vice-Admiral (S)
Sir (George) Harold BankartKCBCBE (1893–1964) - promoted 4 August 1948 and served as Director-General Supply and Secretariat Branch until August 1951[21]
Vice-Admiral (S)
Sir William McBrideKCBCBE (1895–1959) - appointed 4 August 1951 as Director-General Supply and Secretariat Branch until August 1954[22]
Rear-Admiral H P ChapmanCBE (190x-19xx) - promoted 31 March 1949
Rear-Admiral
Jack Kenneth HightonCBCBE (1904–1988) - promoted 30 June 1951 and served as Chief Staff Officer (Administration) to Commander-in-Chief Plymouth 1957-1960[23]
Rear-Admiral Frederick Robert Joseph MackCBCBE (1987–1959) - promoted 23 August 1951
Vice-Admiral (S)
Sir Maurice Herbert ElliottKCBCBE (1897–1972) - promoted Rear-Admiral 4 August 1951 and promoted Vice-Admiral 4 August 1954 and then he served as Director-General Supply and Secretariat Branch until August 1957
Rear-Admiral (S) Richard Allix Braine (1900–1998) - promoted 4 August 1954 and served as Command Supply Officer on staff of
Flag Officer, Air (Home) (1954–1956) and Command Supply Officer
Portsmouth (1956–1957)[25]
Vice-Admiral (S)
Sir Harry [Henry] Philpot KoelleKCB (1901–1980) - promoted Rear-Admiral 15 May 1955 and to Vice-Admiral 4 August 1957 serving as Director-General Supply and Secretariat Branch until 4 May 1959 when he became Chief Naval Supply and Secretariat Officer (CNSSO) until 1 December 1959. Portrait in the
National Portrait Gallery,
London
Rear-Admiral Ronald Wilson PaffardCBCBE (1904–1994) - promoted 30 June 1957 and served as Chief Staff Officer (Administration) to
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth 1957-1960[26]
Vice-Admiral (S)
SirJohn Strike LancasterKBECB (1903–1992) - appointed 1 December 1959 as Chief Naval Supply and Secretariat Officer (CNSSO) until July 1962
Vice-Admiral
Sir Norman (Egbert) DenningKBECB (1904–1979) - promoted 1958 and served as Deputy Chief of Personnel (1958–59) and Director of Naval Manpower (1959–1960), Director of Naval Intelligence (1960–64) and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Intelligence) (1964–67). From 10 July 1962 to 24 January 1964 he was also CNSSO. On retirement, appointed Secretary of the
Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee (the D Notice Committee) 1967-c1970;[27][28]
Rear-Admiral Wilfred Geoffrey Stuart TigheCB (1905–1975) - promoted 7 July 1959
Rear-Admiral Godfrey Benjamin TealeCBCBE (1908–1978) - promoted 7 July 1960
Rear-Admiral Richard (Arthur James) OwenCB (1910–1997) - promoted 7 July 1961 and served as Director-General Naval Personal Services 1962-1964[29]
Rear-Admiral John Kingdon WatkinsCB (1913–1970) - promoted 7 January 1965
Rear-Admiral Kenneth (Haydn) FarnhillCBOBE (1913–1983) - promoted 7 January 1966 and served as Director of Management and Support of Intelligence,
Ministry of Defence (1966–1969)[33]
Rear-Admiral Geoffrey Archer HendersonCB (1913–1985) - promoted 7 January 1967 and appointed 10 June 1968 as Chief Naval Supply and Secretariat Officer (CNSSO) until September 1970.[34]
Rear-Admiral John Douglas TrythallCBOBE (1914–1991) - promoted 7 January 1968 and served as Assistant Chief of Personnel and Logistics, on the central staff of the Ministry of Defence, 1968-1972[35]
Rear-Admiral Colin (Charles Harrison) DunlopCBCBEDL (1918–2009) - promoted 7 July 1969 and served as Commander, British Navy Staff,
Washington, DC (1969–1971) and
Flag Officer, Medway and
Port Admiral,
Chatham (1971–1974). From September 1970 to February 1974 he was also CNSSO.[36] On retirement he was Director General,
Cable Television Association and National Television Rental Association from 1974–1983.[37][38]
Rear-Admiral James (Percy Knowles) HarknessCB (1916–2009) - promoted 7 January 1970 and served as Director-General Naval Manpower (1970–1972).[39]
Admiral
Sir Peter WhiteGBE (1919–2010) - promoted Rear-Admiral 7 January 1970 and served as Director-General Fleet Services (1969–1971),
Port Admiral, Rosyth, (1972–1974) and Chief of Fleet Support (1974–1977) - promoted
Vice-Admiral (1974) and
Admiral 28 June 1976. After retirement he was a senior executive of the
Industrial Society.[40]
Rear-Admiral Arthur Brooke WebbCB (1918–2008) - promoted 7 January 1973 and retired 1975
Rear-Admiral Bill ([William] Noel) AshCBLVO (1921–2008) - promoted 7 January 1974 and served as Director of Service Intelligence (1974–1977). On retirement he was Secretary of
Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee 1980–1984.[41]
Rear-Admiral Frank Wright HearnCB (1919–1993) - promoted 7 January 1974 and from February 1974 to January 1977 he was CNSSO
Rear-Admiral Tom ([Thomas] Buckhurst) HomanCB (1921–2008) - promoted 7 January 1975 and served as Director-General Naval Personal Services 1974–1978. After retirement appointed Sub-Treasurer,
Inner Temple 1978-1985
Rear-Admiral Ben(jamin) Cubitt PerowneCB (1921–1992) - promoted 7 January 1976 and from 26 January 1977 to 30 January 1978 he was CNSSO
Rear-Admiral Tom ([Thomas] Henry) Bradbury (1922–2021) - promoted 7 July 1977 and served as Flag Officer
Admiralty Interview Board (1977–1979). From 30 January 1978 to 23 May 1979 he was CNSSO
Vice-Admiral
Sir James (Edward Campbell) KennonKCBCBE (1925–1991) - promoted Rear-Admiral 7 July 1978 and served as Assistant Chief of Naval Staff (Policy) (1977–1979) and Port Admiral,
Rosyth (1979–1981); promoted Vice-Admiral 7 April 1981 and appointed
Chief of Fleet Support (1981–1983). From 23 May 1979 to October 1981 he was CNSSO; see obituary in The Times 26 January 1991
Vice-Admiral
Sir Tony ([Anthony] Sanders) TippetKCB (1928–2006) - promoted Rear-Admiral 7 July 1979 and served as ACFS (1979–1981) and Flag Officer and Port Admiral,
Portsmouth (1981–1983); promoted to Vice-Admiral 11 April 1983 and appointed
Chief of Fleet Support (1983–1986). From October 1981 to 8 July 1983 he was CNSSO. On retirement, appointed General Manager (later Chief Executive), Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital[42][43]
Rear-Admiral John (William Townshend) WaltersCB (1926–2008) - promoted 7 January 1981 and served as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel & Logistics) (1981–1984). On retirement, served as Chairman of
Industrial Tribunals from 1985.[44]
Rear-Admiral Ken (neth Dilworth East) Wilcockson [Commander of the British Empire] (1927-1986) - promoted 7 July 1981
Rear-Admiral Bill ([William] Alleyne) HigginsCBCBE (1928–2007) - promoted 6 August 1982 and served as
Flag Officer,
Medway and Port Admiral,
Chatham (1982–1983) and Director-General Naval Personal Services (1983–1986). From 8 July 1983 to 198x he was CNSSO.[45][46]
Rear-Admiral Andrew (John) RichmondCB (1931–2005) - promoted 6 November 1984 and served as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Logistics) (1984–1987).[48]
Rear-Admiral Peter (Nicholas) Marsden (1932–2022) - promoted 2 September 1985 and served at
Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) (1985–1988)
Admiral
Sir Brian (Thomas) BrownKCBCBE (1934–2020) - promoted Rear-Admiral January 1986 and served as Director-General Naval Personal Services (1986) and DGNMT (1986–1988); promoted to Vice-Admiral 1988 and appointed
Chief of Naval Personnel and
Second Sea Lord, and
Admiral President,
Royal Naval College, Greenwich (1988–1991); promoted
Admiral 26 August 1989. Since retirement he has been director or chairman of several companies.
Rear-Admiral Douglas (Morrison) DowCBDL (born 1 July 1935) - promoted 14 February 1989 and served as Director-General Naval Personal Services (1989–1992) . On retirement, appointed Director,
National Trust for Scotland 1992-97
Rear-Admiral Nick ([Nicholas] John) WilkinsonCB (born 14 April 1941) - promoted 2 January 1991 and served as DGNMT (1992–1994) and Commandant, Joint Services Defence College (JSDC) (1994–1997). On retirement, appointed Secretary of the
Defence, Press and Broadcasting Advisory Committee (the D Notice Committee) 1999–2004.[49]
Rear-Admiral (Frederick) Brian GoodsonCBCBE (1938–2015) - promoted 1 February 1993 and served as Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff (Logistics) (1993–1996). After retirement, appointed Chairman,
WiltshireSt John Council (1996–2005).
Rear-Admiral Mike [Michael] KimmonsCB (born 24 December 1953) - promoted 15 March 2005 and served as
Chief of Staff (Support) to
Commander-in-Chief Fleet and Chief Naval Logistics Officer. Retired 2008 and appointed Chief Executive Officer of St Philips Chambers,
Birmingham until early 2009; appointed Chief Executive, British
Orthopaedic Association in January 2010.[53][54][55][56]
Vice-Admiral Sir
David (George) SteelKBE DL (born 6 April 1961) - promoted 30 April 2010 and appointed
Naval Secretary on the staff of
Second Sea Lord in
Portsmouth; promoted Sep 2012 and appointed Second Sea Lord and continued to be Chief Naval Logistics Officer (CNLO) until retirement 10 March 2015 .[57][58]
The Pusser and His Men by Ben Warlow (Ministry of Defence (DFSD), 1984) - a short history of the Supply and Secretariat Branch of the Royal Navy
Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives online (King's College, London). It is particularly helpful in giving a brief outline of the earlier careers of some of the officers and a link is offered to readers
Who's Who 1998
"Notes on the Paymaster Branch" by Lt John H Beattie RN
The Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (OUP) - online version accessible free with a UK Public Library ticket