Historical branch of British Navy
Sea Transport Branch London, England
Branch executive Director of Sea Transport
The Sea Transport Branch of the British
Department of Admiralty
responsible for the provision of naval transportation services. It underwent numerous name changes throughout its complicated history with responsibility for sea transportation, known as the
Department of the Director of Transports from 1890.
According to[who? ] it was temporarily part of the responsibility of the Ministry of Shipping as its Transport Department from 1917 to 1921, though still under the auspice of the Admiralty. It was renamed the Sea Transport Department of the Board of Trade from 1921 to 1941. It then moved then back to the Ministry of Shipping from 1941 to 1946.
Responsibility for naval transportation then became part of the Ministry of War Transport as its Sea Transport Department until 1946, still with co-responsibility with the Admiralty. It continued with the Ministry of Shipping until 1967 when it was renamed the Sea Transport Division and in 1970 it was put under the control of the Board of Trade as the Sea Transport Branch . The branch was administered by the Director of Sea Transport.[1]
History
The origins of the branch began with the
In 1862 the Department of the Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services role was separated leading to the creation of a separate Transport Department. By 1890 it was renamed as the Department of the Director of Transports.Ministry of Shipping until 1921 when the ministry was abolished. During the previous period the Director of Transports was seconded by the Admiralty to the Ministry of Shipping as its representative restyled as the Director of Transport and Shipping under the
Shipping Controller .
[4] [5] [6] After the first world war the Transport Department was made part of the Board of Trade's, Mercantile Marine Department as its Sea Transport Department.
In order to deliver the requirements for the provision of naval transportation services for the Admiralty its Directors of the Transport were given joint roles he was appointed head of the Admiralty Department and made an officer of the Board of Trade.[7] [8] The Sea Transport Department remained as part of the Mercantile Marine Department of Board of Trade until 1941.
In 1939 the Ministry of Shipping was reconstituted and in May 1941 it was amalgamated with Ministry of Transport to form the Ministry of War Transport it assumed responsibility for the Sea Transport Department until May 1946.[9] The Ministry of Transport was reestablished in May 1946 at the Sea Transport Department remained a part of the Ministry of Transport under the auspice of Admiralty as stated in official documents until March 1968 when it was renamed the Sea Transport Division. In 1970 it moved back to the Board of Trade where it was renamed as the Sea Transport Branch.[10] [11]
Responsibilities
Ministry of War Transports (1941-1946)
The Sea Transport Department was responsible for all merchant shipping requirements of the armed forces, which gave it control of troop ships, supply ships, hospital ships, Fleet Auxiliaries including armed merchant cruisers, naval stores and munitions ships, rescue ships, ocean boarding vessels, and tugs. It also controlled the recruitment of civilian crewmen.
[12]
Admiralty administration
Included:[13] [14] [15] [16] [17]
Director of Transports
Rear-Admiral William R. Mends : April 1862-April 1883
Rear-Admiral Sir Francis W. Sullivan : April 1883-August 1888
Rear-Admiral Harry W. Brent : August 1888-October 1898 [18]
Captain Boverie F. Clark: October 1898 – 1899
Rear-Admiral Boverie F. Clark : October 1899 – 1901
Rear-Admiral George T.H. Boyes : 1902-1905
Vice-Admiral George T.H. Boyes : 1906-1907 (retd)
Vice-Admiral Robert L. Groome : November 1907-December 1911
Rear-Admiral Herbert W. Savory : December 1911-November 1914
Assistant Director of Transports
Included:[19] [20] [21] [22]
W. F. Baughan 1888-1894
S. J. Graff 1896-1906
Civil Assistant Director of Transports
S. J. Graff 1902-1906
Naval Assistant to the Director of Transports
Included:[23] [24] [25] [26]
Captain W. A. De V.Brownlow 1888-1896
Captain Francis J. Pitt 1896-1903
Captain W. Mac C. Maturin 1903-1906
Captain (retired) Hubert Stansbury, 1 April 1915 – early 1917
Commodore, Second Class George P. Bevan, 1 April 1918 – November, 1919
Consulting Officer for Indian Troop Service
Included:[27] [28]
Captain A. W. Chitty I.N. 1888-1892
Post was abolished by 1898.
Inspectors of Shipping
Included:[29] [30]
Edward G. Farrell and W. H. Johns R.N. 1888-1895
Chief Inspector of Shipping
Included:[31] [32]
Edward G. Farrell 1896-1906
Structure of the Transport Department
At various ports both in the United Kingdom and overseas responsibility for the provision of transportation service lay with appointed officials called a
these positions were often filled by a retired officer – as conditions required - though not always.
Ports and Stations
Avonmouth
Cape Town - Resident Transport Officer, Cape Town
Cardiff - Superintending Transport Officer at Cardiff
Dunkirk
Durban - Divisional Transport Officer, Durban
Dieppe
Liverpool - Admiralty Transport Officer, Liverpool
Principal Naval Transport Officer, Mudros
Newcastle
Newhaven
Port of London
Rouen
Principal Naval Transport Officer, Salonika
and a Divisional Transport Officer, Salonika.
Southampton - Admiralty Transport Officer, Southampton
Taranto
Ministry of Shipping administration
Director of Transport and Shipping
This officer was seconded by the Admiralty to the ministry of shipping as its representative under the Shipping Controller .[33] [34] [35]
Graeme Thompson, Esq., C.B. October, 1917-October 1918.
B. A. Kemball. Cook: October 1918 – 1921.
Board of Trade administration
Director of Sea Transport
This officer was seconded by the Admiralty to the ministry of shipping as its representative under the Board of Trade.
W. G. Hynard, Esq., C.B. CBE, 1939
Ministry of War Transport administration
Director of Sea Transport
Sir Ralph Metcalfe, 1941-1946
Naval Assistant to the Director of Sea Transport
Rear-Admiral A. Poland, 1945-1946
Professional Advisors to the Director of Sea Transport
Commodore, R. Harrison 1941-1946
Commodore Engineer, J. C. McGuire 1941-1946
Structure of department
As of July 1946 consisted of:[36]
Branches and Sections
Technical Branch under the superintendence of a Principal Technical Officer
Technical Costings Section under the superintendence of a Principal Technical Costings Officer
Security Branch under the superintendence of a Rear-Admiral (Rtd).
Transport Officers
These were Principal Sea Transport Officers holding the rank of Commodore through to Vice-Admiral some active serving officers others retired.[37] [38] [39]
Timeline
As listed under headings in Royal Navy Lists:
Navy Board, Transport Board, 1686-1817
Navy Board, Transport Branch, 1817-1832
Board of Admiralty, Comptroller of Victualling and Transport Services, 1832-1862
Board of Admiralty, Transport Department, 1862-1916
Ministry of Shipping, Transport Department, 1917-1921
Board of Trade, Mercantile Marine Department, Sea Transport Department, 1921–41
Ministry of War Transport, Sea Transport Department, 1941-1946
Ministry of Shipping, Sea Transport Department, 1946-1967
Ministry of Shipping, Sea Transport Division, 1968-1970
Board of Trade, Sea Transport Branch, 1970
References
^ "Records of Transport Departments" . nationalarchives.gov.uk . National Archives UK. 1773–1868. Retrieved 3 February 2019 .
^ Hamilton, Sir Vesey (1896). Naval Administration . London England: George Bell and Son. p. 112 .
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (June 1890). The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 300.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (October 1917). The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 1834.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (October 1918). The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 1834.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (July 1920). The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 1834.
^ The National Archive, catalogue for MT40
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (July 1939). "Mercantile Marine Department: Board of Trade: Sea Transport Department". The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 553.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (July 1946). "Ministry of Transport:Sea Transport Department". The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 1790.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (April 1968). "Ministry of Transport: Sea Transport Division". The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 561.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (February 1970). "Sea Transport Branch:Board of Trade". The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 548.
^ "History and Functions of The Sea Transport Services - This memorandum was originally written July 1992" . webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk . The National Archives UK. 7 March 2013. Archived from the original on 7 March 2013. Retrieved 5 February 2019 .
^ Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (17 October 2018). "Director of Transports (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project" . www.dreadnoughtproject.org . Harley and Lovell. Retrieved 3 February 2019 .
^ Navy List June 1890
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (March 1892). The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 348.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (October 1898). The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 348.
^ Admiralty, Great Britain (March 1896). The Navy List . London, England: HM Stationery Office. p. 424.
^ Whitaker, Joseph (1894). An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord ... London, England: J. Whitaker. p. 220.
^ Navy List June 1890
^ Navy List March 1892
^ Navy List March 1896
^ Navy List October 1898
^ Navy List June 1890
^ Navy List March 1892
^ Navy List March 1896
^ Navy List October 1898
^ Navy List June 1890
^ Navy List March 1892
^ Navy List June 1890
^ Navy List March 1892
^ Navy List March 1896
^ Navy List October 1898
^ Navy List 1917
^ Navy List 1918
^ Navy List 1920
^ The Navy List July 1946
^ Collins. I.N., Instructor Lt. D.J.E. (1939–1945). "HyperWar: The Royal Indian Navy (Chapter 11)" . www.ibiblio.org . HyperWar Foundation. Retrieved 5 February 2019 .
.
.
Sources
Admiralty, Great Britain (June 1890). The Navy List. London, England: HM Stationery Office.
Admiralty, Great Britain (March 1892). The Navy List. London, England: HM Stationery Office.
Admiralty, Great Britain (March 1896). The Navy List. London, England: HM Stationery Office.
Admiralty, Great Britain (October 1898). The Navy List. London, England: HM Stationery Office.
Brown, David (2013). The Royal Navy and the Mediterranean: Vol.I: September 1939 - October 1940. Oxford, England: Routledge. .
Hamilton, Sir Vesey (1896). Naval Administration. London England: George Bell and Son.
Harley, Simon; Lovell, Tony (2018). "Director of Transports (Royal Navy) - The Dreadnought Project". www.dreadnoughtproject.org. Harley and Lovell.
McMillan, Richard (2006). The British Occupation of Indonesia: 1945-1946: Britain, The Netherlands and the Indonesian Revolution. Oxford, England: Routledge. .
"Records of Transport Departments" (1773–1868). nationalarchives.gov.uk. National Archives UK.
Whitaker, Joseph (1894). An Almanack for the Year of Our Lord ... London, England: J. Whitaker.
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