Varyl Begg

Admiral of the Fleet
Sir Varyl Begg
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Varyl Begg
	Rear Admiral Varyl Begg in 1957
Governor of Gibraltar
	In office; March 1969 – 3 October 1973
Monarch	Elizabeth II
Mayor	Joshua Hassan; William Thompson; Alfred J. Vasquez;
Preceded by	Gerald Lathbury
Succeeded by	John Grandy
Personal details
Born	Varyl Cargill Begg; 1 October 1908; Second World War Norwegian campaign; Suda Bay; Korean War Battle of Inchon; Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation

First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff in the late 1960s. In that role he vehemently opposed plans to introduce large new aircraft carriers and instead managed to persuade the British Government to develop the design for three small "through-deck cruisers"

.

Early career

Born the son of Francis Cargill Begg and Muriel Clare Begg (née Robinson), Begg was educated at St Andrew's School, Eastbourne and

China Station in October 1927 and then to the battleship HMS Marlborough in the Atlantic Fleet in April 1929.^[1] Promoted to sub-lieutenant on 1 November 1929^[3] and to lieutenant on 1 December 1930,^[4] he joined the cruiser HMS Shropshire in the Mediterranean Fleet in April 1931 before training as a gunnery specialist at the shore establishment HMS Excellent in 1934.^[1] After qualifying in gunnery, he was then made second gunnery officer of the battleship HMS Nelson, flagship of the Home Fleet, in December 1934 before returning to HMS Excellent in 1936.^[1] He was appointed flotilla gunnery officer in the destroyer HMS Cossack in November 1937 and, having been promoted to lieutenant commander on 1 December 1938,^[5] he became gunnery officer of the 6-inch (152 mm) gun cruiser HMS Glasgow in June 1939.^[1]

Second World War

It was on board the Glasgow that Begg first saw action in the

Admiralty, where he remained until after the war.^[6]

Senior command

After the war, Begg joined the cruiser

mentioned in despatches^[10] and appointed to the Distinguished Service Order on 3 October 1952.^[11]

Begg was given command of the shore establishment

Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1965 Birthday Honours and appointed an honorary Commander of the Malaysian Order of the Defender of the Realm,^[17]^[18] he went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in August 1965.^[6]

Begg was appointed

Knight of the Order of St John in March 1969.^[21]

Later career

In March 1969 Begg was appointed Governor of Gibraltar^[22] where a residential development is still named after him.^[23] He left Gibraltar in 1973 and retired to his home at Stockbridge in Hampshire.^[19] His interests included fishing, gardening and sports – during his naval career he had been President of the Combined Services Winter Sports Association and President of Royal Navy Cricket.^[2] He suffered from Alzheimer's disease and died on 13 July 1995.^[19]

Family

In 1943 he married Rosemary Cowan; they had two sons.^[6]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Heathcote, p. 27
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Obituary: Admiral of the Fleet Sir Varyl Begg". The Independent. 15 July 1995. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
^ "No. 33705". The London Gazette. 7 April 1931. p. 2301.
^ "No. 33768". The London Gazette. 3 November 1931. p. 7072.
^ "No. 34577". The London Gazette. 6 December 1938. p. 7689.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Heathcote, p. 28
^ ^a ^b "Battle of Cape Matapan: World War II Italian Naval Massacre". World War II Magazine. 12 June 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
^ "No. 38010". The London Gazette. 8 July 1947. p. 3136.
^ Edwards, p. 124
^ "No. 39272". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 June 1951. p. 3553.
^ "No. 39660". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 September 1952. p. 5207.
^ "No. 40020". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 November 1953. p. 6263.
^ "No. 40840". The London Gazette. 27 July 1956. p. 4343.
^ "No. 41589". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1958. p. 2.
^ "No. 42099". The London Gazette. 22 July 1960. p. 5074.
^ "No. 42552". The London Gazette. 29 December 1961. p. 2.
^ "No. 43667". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1965. p. 5472.
^ "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1965" (PDF).
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Heathcote, p. 29
^ "Obituary: Rear-Admiral John Adams". The Daily Telegraph. 9 November 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2012.
^ "No. 44815". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 March 1969. p. 3181.
^ "No. 44821". The London Gazette. 3 April 1969. p. 3570.
^ "Varyl Begg Estate, Gibraltar". Geonames. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

Sources

Edwards, Paul (2010). Historical Dictionary of the Korean War. Scarecrow Press.
ISBN 978-0810867734
.

Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd.
ISBN 0-85052-835-6
.

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Walter Couchman	Vice Chief of the Naval Staff 1961–1963	Succeeded by Sir John Frewen
New title Command re-established Post last held by Sir Henry Pownall in 1942	C-in-C Far East Command 1963–1965	Succeeded by Sir John Grandy
Preceded by Sir Wilfrid Woods	C-in-C Portsmouth 1965–1966	Succeeded by Sir Frank Hopkins
Preceded by Sir David Luce	First Sea Lord 1966–1968	Succeeded by Sir Michael Le Fanu
Government offices
Preceded by Sir Gerald Lathbury	Governor of Gibraltar 1969–1973	Succeeded by Sir John Grandy

[heath27-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Heathcote, p. 27

[inde-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f "Obituary: Admiral of the Fleet Sir Varyl Begg". The Independent. 15 July 1995. Archived from the original on 11 August 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

[3] "No. 33705". The London Gazette. 7 April 1931. p. 2301.

[4] "No. 33768". The London Gazette. 3 November 1931. p. 7072.

[5] "No. 34577". The London Gazette. 6 December 1938. p. 7689.

[heath28-6] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k Heathcote, p. 28

[ww2-7] "Battle of Cape Matapan: World War II Italian Naval Massacre". World War II Magazine. 12 June 2006. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

[8] "No. 38010". The London Gazette. 8 July 1947. p. 3136.

[9] Edwards, p. 124

[10] "No. 39272". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 June 1951. p. 3553.

[dso-11] "No. 39660". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 September 1952. p. 5207.

[12] "No. 40020". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 November 1953. p. 6263.

[13] "No. 40840". The London Gazette. 27 July 1956. p. 4343.

[cb-14] "No. 41589". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1958. p. 2.

[15] "No. 42099". The London Gazette. 22 July 1960. p. 5074.

[kcb-16] "No. 42552". The London Gazette. 29 December 1961. p. 2.

[gcb-17] "No. 43667". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1965. p. 5472.

[18] "Senarai Penuh Penerima Darjah Kebesaran, Bintang dan Pingat Persekutuan Tahun 1965" (PDF).

[heath29-19] Heathcote, p. 29

[20] "Obituary: Rear-Admiral John Adams". The Daily Telegraph. 9 November 2008. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

[kstj-21] "No. 44815". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 March 1969. p. 3181.

[22] "No. 44821". The London Gazette. 3 April 1969. p. 3570.

[23] "Varyl Begg Estate, Gibraltar". Geonames. Retrieved 11 September 2012.

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First Sea Lords of the Royal Navy
Senior Naval Lords (1689–1771)	Arthur Herbert Sir John Chicheley Edward Russell Henry Priestman Earl of Orford Sir George Rooke Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Sir John Leake Sir George Byng Matthew Aylmer Sir George Byng Sir John Jennings Sir John Norris Sir Charles Wager Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Harry Powlett Lord Archibald Hamilton Lord Vere Beauclerk Lord Anson Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen Sir William Rowley Edward Boscawen John Forbes Earl Howe Sir Charles Saunders Augustus Keppel Sir Peircy Brett Sir Francis Holburne
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First Sea Lords (1904–present)	Sir John Fisher Sir Arthur Wilson Sir Francis Bridgeman Prince Louis of Battenberg The Lord Fisher Sir Henry Jackson Sir John Jellicoe Sir Rosslyn Wemyss The Earl Beatty Sir Charles Madden, Bt Sir Frederick Field The Lord Chatfield Sir Roger Backhouse Sir Dudley Pound The Lord Cunningham of Hyndhope Sir John Cunningham The Lord Fraser of North Cape Sir Rhoderick McGrigor The Earl Mountbatten of Burma Sir Charles Lambe Sir Caspar John Sir David Luce Sir Varyl Begg Sir Michael Le Fanu Sir Peter Hill-Norton Sir Michael Pollock Sir Edward Ashmore Sir Terence Lewin Sir Henry Leach Sir John Fieldhouse Sir William Staveley Sir Julian Oswald Sir Benjamin Bathurst Sir Jock Slater Sir Michael Boyce Sir Nigel Essenhigh Sir Alan West Sir Jonathon Band Sir Mark Stanhope Sir George Zambellas Sir Philip Jones Sir Antony Radakin Sir Ben Key