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Frederick Field (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Admiral of the Fleet
Sir Frederick Laurence Field GCB
KCMG
(18 April 1871 – 24 October 1945) was a British
Royal Navy
Admiral of the Fleet
who served as First Sea Lord
from 1930 to 1933. He served during the Battle of Jutland
in 1916 and was a notable commander of HMS Hood
.
regiment, and his wife, Catherine who was the daughter of Colonel Charles Darrall. He was born in Killarney
, County Kerry
, Ireland
on 18 April 1871, the fifth of ten children. He was educated privately.
He entered the Royal Navy in 1884 as a naval cadet, on the training ship HMS Britannia
. He was promoted to Lieutenant
in 1893. In the Boxer rebellion
in 1900, Field, who was then torpedo lieutenant of HMS Barfleur. He led a small raiding party, landing at Tientsin/Tianjin
and he was given the task of repairing damaged trains. He earned a special mention in dispatches for carrying out strenuous work, under continuous heavy fire.
He received the China medal and Relief of Peking clasp. Later during the capture of Tientsin city, he was wounded in the head by a bullet which, although it left a permanent scar, did no fatal damage. In 1902, Field was promoted to Commander
, serving onboard HMS Albion until 1904. He was then to HMS Vernon
, the principal torpedo
school, at Portsmouth
. In 1907 he left the Vernon and was given command of the Defiance, the branch torpedo school at Devonport
. Five years later, in December 1907, he was promoted to the rank of Captain
. He was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1910, as the flag captain to Admiral Martyn Jerram
onboard HMS Duncan, returning home two years later to be appointed the superintendent of the Royal Navy
signal schools. He held this appointment until September 1914, when he returned as commander of HMS Vernon
and earned commendation from the Admiralty for the design and production of special wireless signaling apparatus for torpedo ships.
HMS King George V
at the Battle of Jutland
in May 1916. He was mentioned in dispatches for ‘the great skill with which he handled the King George V, as leader of the line, under very difficult conditions’. From November 1916 to April 1918 he took the position of chief of staff to Sir Charles Madden, who was commanding the 1st battle squadron. By the end of the First World War, he had established his reputation as a torpedo expert while in the Vernon and Defiance and soon June 1918 he was appointed director of torpedoes and mines at the Admiralty. Over the course of the war, he was again Mentioned in Dispatches and also received a C.B., C.M.G., 2nd Class of Russian Order of St Anne with Swords, Order of Crown of Romania
, Legion of Honour and the American DSM
.
in February 1919. He soon joined the Board of Admiralty as the Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy
in March 1920. In 1923, he went to sea again and was given the command of the Royal Navy battle-cruiser squadron
with HMS Hood
as his flagship. He was given the acting title of Vice Admiral
and took the squadron on a 'show the flag' world tour. The squadron consisted of not only the Hood, the largest warship then afloat, but also another battlecruiser, HMS Repulse, together with the light cruisers HMS Delhi, Dauntless, Danae, Dragon, and Dunedin. Field left the Battle Cruiser Squadron and became the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, a post he held until 1928. He was also made a Lord commissioner of the Admiralty. He was promoted to the rank of a full Admiral
in April of that year and subsequently served as Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
.
of the Admiralty and Chief of Naval Staff in 1930. That same year he was made Admiral of the Fleet
and received the GCB. He arrived just after the London naval conference in 1930, headed by Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
. The conference facilitated a settlement with the United States
and agreed to restrict the British cruiser force to a maximum of fifty ships. Although he fulfilled the treaty obligations, he also ordered a fleet review, which in turn led to a new building programme. It was primarily Field's work in the committee of Imperial Defence, that led to the abandonment in 1932, of the ‘ten year rule’. This had been an attempt by the treasury to control defence expenditure, by requesting the Foreign Office declare whether there was any risk of war during that period. The greatest crisis faced by Field at the Admiralty was the pay crisis that soon followed. With the ongoing effects of worldwide depression and budget restrictions, a 25% pay cut was introduced across the fleet and one shilling was taking from every naval man. The sailors of the Atlantic Fleet at Invergordon
, left their ships and refused duty. At King George V's
insistence, Admiral Sir J. D. Kelly, who was popular with the fleet, was brought out of retirement to take command of the admiralty, and the cabinet hurriedly reconsidered its budget. The pay cuts were restricted to 10 per cent rather than 25%. During this time of trouble, Field suffered a perforated ulcer. Admiral Field retired as First Sea Lord
in 1933 as was given the rank of Admiral of the Fleet
.
He was restored to the active list in 1940 and served other functions after his retirement. He was Chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 and 1785 (United 1889) for the years 1935 to 1937.
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Admiral of the Fleet
An admiral of the fleet is a military naval officer of the highest rank. In many nations the rank is reserved for wartime or ceremonial appointments...
Sir Frederick Laurence Field 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...
KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(18 April 1871 – 24 October 1945) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
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...
Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
who served as First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
from 1930 to 1933. He served during the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
in 1916 and was a notable commander of HMS Hood
HMS Hood
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Hood after several members of the Hood family, who were notable Navy officers: was a 91-gun second-rate ship of the line, originally laid down as HMS Edgar, but renamed in 1848 and launched in 1859. She was used for harbour service from 1872 and was...
.
Early Career in the Royal Navy
He was born into a military family and was the second son of Colonel Spencer Field, 6th Royal WarwickshireWarwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
regiment, and his wife, Catherine who was the daughter of Colonel Charles Darrall. He was born in Killarney
Killarney
Killarney is a town in County Kerry, southwestern Ireland. The town is located north of the MacGillicuddy Reeks, on the northeastern shore of the Lough Lein/Leane which are part of Killarney National Park. The town and its surrounding region are home to St...
, County Kerry
County Kerry
Kerry means the "people of Ciar" which was the name of the pre-Gaelic tribe who lived in part of the present county. The legendary founder of the tribe was Ciar, son of Fergus mac Róich. In Old Irish "Ciar" meant black or dark brown, and the word continues in use in modern Irish as an adjective...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
on 18 April 1871, the fifth of ten children. He was educated privately.
He entered the Royal Navy in 1884 as a naval cadet, on the training ship HMS Britannia
HMS Prince of Wales (1860)
HMS Prince of Wales was one of six 121-gun screw-propelled first-rate three-decker line-of-battle ships of the Royal Navy. She was launched on 25 January 1860...
. He was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1893. In the Boxer rebellion
Boxer Rebellion
The Boxer Rebellion, also called the Boxer Uprising by some historians or the Righteous Harmony Society Movement in northern China, was a proto-nationalist movement by the "Righteous Harmony Society" , or "Righteous Fists of Harmony" or "Society of Righteous and Harmonious Fists" , in China between...
in 1900, Field, who was then torpedo lieutenant of HMS Barfleur. He led a small raiding party, landing at Tientsin/Tianjin
Tianjin
' is a metropolis in northern China and one of the five national central cities of the People's Republic of China. It is governed as a direct-controlled municipality, one of four such designations, and is, thus, under direct administration of the central government...
and he was given the task of repairing damaged trains. He earned a special mention in dispatches for carrying out strenuous work, under continuous heavy fire.
He received the China medal and Relief of Peking clasp. Later during the capture of Tientsin city, he was wounded in the head by a bullet which, although it left a permanent scar, did no fatal damage. In 1902, Field was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
, serving onboard HMS Albion until 1904. He was then to HMS Vernon
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
HMS Vernon was a shore establishment or 'stone frigate' of the Royal Navy. Vernon was established on 26 April 1876 as the Royal Navy's Torpedo Branch and operated until 1 April 1996, when the various elements comprising the establishment were split up and moved to different commands.-Foundation...
, the principal torpedo
Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
school, at Portsmouth
Portsmouth
Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...
. In 1907 he left the Vernon and was given command of the Defiance, the branch torpedo school at Devonport
HMNB Devonport
Her Majesty's Naval Base Devonport , is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy . HMNB Devonport is located in Devonport, in the west of the city of Plymouth in Devon, England...
. Five years later, in December 1907, he was promoted to the rank of Captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
. He was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in 1910, as the flag captain to Admiral Martyn Jerram
Martyn Jerram
Admiral Sir Martyn Jerram GCMG KCB was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, China Station.-Naval career:Jerram joined the Royal Navy in 1871....
onboard HMS Duncan, returning home two years later to be appointed the superintendent of 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...
signal schools. He held this appointment until September 1914, when he returned as commander of HMS Vernon
HMS Vernon (shore establishment)
HMS Vernon was a shore establishment or 'stone frigate' of the Royal Navy. Vernon was established on 26 April 1876 as the Royal Navy's Torpedo Branch and operated until 1 April 1996, when the various elements comprising the establishment were split up and moved to different commands.-Foundation...
and earned commendation from the Admiralty for the design and production of special wireless signaling apparatus for torpedo ships.
First World War
He saw service during the First World War. As flag Captain to Admiral Jerram, he was appointed command of the BattleshipBattleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
HMS King George V
HMS King George V (1911)
The first HMS King George V was a King George V-class of 1911 dreadnought, with a displacement of 23,400 tonnes and an armament of ten 13.5 inch guns in twin gun turrets and a secondary armament of sixteen 4 inch guns and had a crew complement of 870, though this increased...
at the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
in May 1916. He was mentioned in dispatches for ‘the great skill with which he handled the King George V, as leader of the line, under very difficult conditions’. From November 1916 to April 1918 he took the position of chief of staff to Sir Charles Madden, who was commanding the 1st battle squadron. By the end of the First World War, he had established his reputation as a torpedo expert while in the Vernon and Defiance and soon June 1918 he was appointed director of torpedoes and mines at the Admiralty. Over the course of the war, he was again Mentioned in Dispatches and also received a C.B., C.M.G., 2nd Class of Russian Order of St Anne with Swords, Order of Crown of Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Legion of Honour and the American DSM
Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
The Distinguished Service Medal is the highest non-valorous military and civilian decoration of the United States military which is issued for exceptionally meritorious service to the government of the United States in either a senior government service position or as a senior officer of the United...
.
Admiral in the Royal Navy
While director of torpedoes at the Admiralty, he was promoted to the rank of Rear AdmiralRear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in February 1919. He soon joined the Board of Admiralty as the Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy
Third Sea Lord
The Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy was formerly the Naval Lord and member of the Board of Admiralty responsible for procurement and matériel in the British Royal Navy...
in March 1920. In 1923, he went to sea again and was given the command of the Royal Navy battle-cruiser squadron
Battlecruiser Squadron (United Kingdom)
The Battlecruiser Squadron was a Royal Navy squadron of battlecruisers that saw service from 1919 to the early part of the Second World War.- Formation :...
with HMS Hood
HMS Hood
Three ships of the Royal Navy have been named HMS Hood after several members of the Hood family, who were notable Navy officers: was a 91-gun second-rate ship of the line, originally laid down as HMS Edgar, but renamed in 1848 and launched in 1859. She was used for harbour service from 1872 and was...
as his flagship. He was given the acting title of Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral
Vice admiral is a senior naval rank of a three-star flag officer, which is equivalent to lieutenant general in the other uniformed services. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral...
and took the squadron on a 'show the flag' world tour. The squadron consisted of not only the Hood, the largest warship then afloat, but also another battlecruiser, HMS Repulse, together with the light cruisers HMS Delhi, Dauntless, Danae, Dragon, and Dunedin. Field left the Battle Cruiser Squadron and became the Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, a post he held until 1928. He was also made a Lord commissioner of the Admiralty. He was promoted to the rank of a full Admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in April of that year and subsequently served as 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...
.
First Sea Lord
He was reassigned as First Sea LordFirst Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
of the Admiralty and Chief of Naval Staff in 1930. That same year he was made Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
and received the GCB. He arrived just after the London naval conference in 1930, headed by Prime Minister Ramsay MacDonald
Ramsay MacDonald
James Ramsay MacDonald, PC, FRS was a British politician who was the first ever Labour Prime Minister, leading a minority government for two terms....
. The conference facilitated a settlement with the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and agreed to restrict the British cruiser force to a maximum of fifty ships. Although he fulfilled the treaty obligations, he also ordered a fleet review, which in turn led to a new building programme. It was primarily Field's work in the committee of Imperial Defence, that led to the abandonment in 1932, of the ‘ten year rule’. This had been an attempt by the treasury to control defence expenditure, by requesting the Foreign Office declare whether there was any risk of war during that period. The greatest crisis faced by Field at the Admiralty was the pay crisis that soon followed. With the ongoing effects of worldwide depression and budget restrictions, a 25% pay cut was introduced across the fleet and one shilling was taking from every naval man. The sailors of the Atlantic Fleet at Invergordon
Invergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
, left their ships and refused duty. At King George V's
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
insistence, Admiral Sir J. D. Kelly, who was popular with the fleet, was brought out of retirement to take command of the admiralty, and the cabinet hurriedly reconsidered its budget. The pay cuts were restricted to 10 per cent rather than 25%. During this time of trouble, Field suffered a perforated ulcer. Admiral Field retired as First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
in 1933 as was given the rank of Admiral of the Fleet
Admiral of the Fleet (Royal Navy)
Admiral of the fleet is the highest rank of the British Royal Navy and other navies, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-10. The rank still exists in the Royal Navy but routine appointments ceased in 1996....
.
He was restored to the active list in 1940 and served other functions after his retirement. He was Chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 and 1785 (United 1889) for the years 1935 to 1937.
Death
He died on 24 October 1945, aged 74, from cancer at his home, Escrick Park, Escrick, Yorkshire. He was buried in Escrick.See also
- Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
- Second Sea LordSecond Sea LordThe 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...
- Third Sea LordThird Sea LordThe Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy was formerly the Naval Lord and member of the Board of Admiralty responsible for procurement and matériel in the British Royal Navy...
- Fourth Sea LordFourth Sea LordThe Fourth Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Supplies was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty which controlled the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom.-History:...
- Fifth Sea LordFifth Sea LordThe Fifth Sea Lord was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty that controlled the Royal Navy.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were assigned to each of the 'Naval' Lords, who were described as 'Professional' Lords, leaving to the 'Civil' Lords...
Further reading
- Heathcote, T. A. (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 - 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6
- Murfett, Malcolm H.(1995). The First Sea Lords from Fisher to Mountbatten. Westport. ISBN 0-275-94231-7
External links
- A good biographical article of Field can be found here on the HMS Hood website
- Royal Navy Club of 1765 and 1785 (United 1889) web site
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