Deric Holland-Martin
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Sir Douglas Eric "Deric" Holland-Martin GCB
DSO
DSC
(1906–1977) was a senior Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
.
, Holland-Martin joined the Royal Navy
in 1920. He commanded successively the destroyer
s HMS Tartar
, HMS Holderness, HMS Nubian
and HMS Faulknor
.
He served in World War II
and then became Naval attaché
to Argentina
, Paraguay
and Uruguay
. He was appointed Commander of the destroyer HMS Agincourt
in 1949 and then Director of Plans at the Admiralty
in 1952. He took command of the aircraft carrier
HMS Eagle
in 1954 and then became Flag Officer, Flotillas, Mediterranean in 1955.
He was made Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
in 1957 and Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
in 1961. His final post was as Commandant of the Imperial Defence College
in 1964. He retired in 1966.
In retirement he became Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
and later served as Lord-Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester
.
(later Dame Rosamund Holland-Martin, DBE, DL, Chaiman of the NSPCC); the couple had two children, a son and a daughter.
Admiral (United Kingdom)
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...
Sir Douglas Eric "Deric" Holland-Martin GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
(1906–1977) was a senior Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer who went on to be Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
.
Naval career
Educated at West Downs SchoolWest Downs School
West Downs School, Romsey Road, Winchester, Hampshire, was an English independent preparatory school, which was established in 1897 and closed in 1988.-History:...
, Holland-Martin joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1920. He commanded successively the destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s HMS Tartar
HMS Tartar (F43)
HMS Tartar was a Tribal-class destroyer of the Royal Navy that saw service in most of the naval theatres of World War II. She had an eventful career, eventually receiving the nickname 'Lucky Tartar' due to her numerous escapes from dangerous situations...
, HMS Holderness, HMS Nubian
HMS Nubian (F36)
HMS Nubian was a Tribal-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw much distinguished service in World War II.She won 13 battle honours, a record only exceeded by one other ship, and matched by two others....
and HMS Faulknor
HMS Faulknor (H62)
HMS Faulknor was a F class destroyer flotilla leader of the British Royal Navy in commission from 1934. The ship had a particularly active operational role during World War II, being awarded 11 battle honours, and was known as "The hardest worked destroyer in the Fleet"...
.
He served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and then became Naval attaché
Attaché
Attaché is a French term in diplomacy referring to a person who is assigned to the diplomatic or administrative staff of a higher placed person or another service or agency...
to Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Paraguay
Paraguay
Paraguay , officially the Republic of Paraguay , is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to the east and northeast, and Bolivia to the northwest. Paraguay lies on both banks of the Paraguay River, which runs through the center of the...
and Uruguay
Uruguay
Uruguay ,officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay,sometimes the Eastern Republic of Uruguay; ) is a country in the southeastern part of South America. It is home to some 3.5 million people, of whom 1.8 million live in the capital Montevideo and its metropolitan area...
. He was appointed Commander of the destroyer HMS Agincourt
HMS Agincourt (D86)
HMS Agincourt was a later or 1943 Battle-class fleet destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was named in honour of the Battle of Agincourt, fought in 1415 during the Hundred Years' War. Agincourt was built by R. & W. Hawthorn, Leslie & Company Limited on the River Tyne...
in 1949 and then Director of Plans at the Admiralty
Admiralty
The Admiralty was formerly the authority in the Kingdom of England, and later in the United Kingdom, responsible for the command of the Royal Navy...
in 1952. He took command of the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
HMS Eagle
HMS Eagle (R05)
HMS Eagle was an aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy, in service 1951-1972. With her sister ship , she is one of the two largest British aircraft carriers yet built....
in 1954 and then became Flag Officer, Flotillas, Mediterranean in 1955.
He was made Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
in 1957 and Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
Mediterranean Fleet
Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...
in 1961. His final post was as Commandant of the Imperial Defence College
Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies
The Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies was a UK senior serving military officer between 1972 and 2001. The post rotated through the three branches of the armed forces in turn. In 1971 the old Imperial Defence College became the Royal College of Defence Studies...
in 1964. He retired in 1966.
In retirement he became Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
The Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom is an honorary office generally held by a senior Royal Navy admiral. Despite the title, the Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom is usually a full admiral. He is the official deputy to the Lord High Admiral, an honorary office vested in the Sovereign from...
and later served as Lord-Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester
Lord Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester
The office of Lord-Lieutenant of Hereford and Worcester was created when the county of Hereford and Worcester was formed in 1974 through the merger of the former counties of Herefordshire and Worcestershire...
.
Family
In 1951 he married Rosamund Mary HornbyRosamund Holland-Martin
Dame Rosamund Mary Holland-Martin, DBE, DL , née Hornby, was a long-term leader and fund-raiser for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children.-NSPCC:...
(later Dame Rosamund Holland-Martin, DBE, DL, Chaiman of the NSPCC); the couple had two children, a son and a daughter.