Montague Browning
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Montague Edward Browning GCB
GCMG
GCVO
(1863–1947) was a senior Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
.
in 1876. He served in the Anglo-Egyptian War and then became Secretary to the Parliamentary Committee on Water Tube Boilers in 1900. He became Chief of Staff
for the Channel Fleet
in 1908 and Inspector of Target Practice in 1911.
He served in World War I
as Commander of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet and then, from 1916, as Commander-in-Chief North America and West Indies. He commanded 4th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet from 1918.
After the War he became President of the Allied Naval Armistice Commission and had the task of dismantling the German Fleet
.
He then became Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
in 1919. In this capacity he also sought to dismantle the Royal Canadian Navy
but this time faced determined and successful opposition from Rear Admiral
Walter Hose
. His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
from 1920. He also became First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King
in 1925 and retired in 1926.
He was also Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom from 1929 to 1939 and then Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom from 1939 to 1945.
He lived at Crawley
near Winchester
.
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...
GCMG
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....
GCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
(1863–1947) 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...
.
Military career
Browning joined the Royal NavyRoyal 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 1876. He served in the Anglo-Egyptian War and then became Secretary to the Parliamentary Committee on Water Tube Boilers in 1900. He became Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
for the Channel Fleet
Channel Fleet
The Channel Fleet was the Royal Navy formation of warships that defended the waters of the English Channel from 1690 to 1909.-History:The Channel Fleet dates back at least to 1690 when its role was to defend England against the French threat under the leadership of Edward Russell, 1st Earl of...
in 1908 and Inspector of Target Practice in 1911.
He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
as Commander of the 3rd Cruiser Squadron of the Grand Fleet and then, from 1916, as Commander-in-Chief North America and West Indies. He commanded 4th Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet from 1918.
After the War he became President of the Allied Naval Armistice Commission and had the task of dismantling the German Fleet
German Navy
The German Navy is the navy of Germany and is part of the unified Bundeswehr .The German Navy traces its roots back to the Imperial Fleet of the revolutionary era of 1848 – 52 and more directly to the Prussian Navy, which later evolved into the Northern German Federal Navy...
.
He then became 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 1919. In this capacity he also sought to dismantle the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy
The history of the Royal Canadian Navy goes back to 1910, when the naval force was created as the Naval Service of Canada and renamed a year later by King George V. The Royal Canadian Navy is one of the three environmental commands of the Canadian Forces...
but this time faced determined and successful opposition from Rear Admiral
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
Rear Admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to Commodore and is subordinate to Vice Admiral. It is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7....
Walter Hose
Walter Hose
Walter Hose was a Canadian Admiral. He was the founder of the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve.Hose was born on a ship in the Indian Ocean and joined the Royal Navy when he was 14. Hose transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy in 1912, serving in a variety of commands during World War I...
. His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
from 1920. He also became First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King
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....
in 1925 and retired in 1926.
He was also Rear Admiral of the United Kingdom from 1929 to 1939 and then Vice Admiral of the United Kingdom from 1939 to 1945.
He lived at Crawley
Crawley, Hampshire
Crawley is a small village in Hampshire, England, United Kingdom. It is a few miles from the county town of Winchester. It is a civil parish within the City of Winchester local government district. The village is the location of Crawley Court, currently the headquarters of broadcast company Arqiva....
near Winchester
Winchester
Winchester is a historic cathedral city and former capital city of England. It is the county town of Hampshire, in South East England. The city lies at the heart of the wider City of Winchester, a local government district, and is located at the western end of the South Downs, along the course of...
.
Honours and awards
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
- Commander of the Légion d'honneurLégion d'honneurThe Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
(France) - Grand Gordon of the Order of the Sacred TreasureOrder of the Sacred TreasureThe is a Japanese Order, established on January 4, 1888 by Emperor Meiji of Japan as the Order of Meiji. It is awarded in eight classes . It is generally awarded for long and/or meritorious service and considered to be the lowest of the Japanese orders of merit...
(Japan) - Distinguished Service Medal (United States)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...
- Grand Cordon of the Order of the Excellent Crop (Republic of China)