Nicholas Copeman
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Sir Nicholas Alfred Copeman KBE
CB
DSC
(1906–1969) was a Royal Navy
officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic and South America Station
.
and was deployed to Norway
1940. In 1948 he was appointed Deputy Director of Torpedo, Mining and Anti-Submarine Warfare at the Admiralty
. He went on to be Captain in charge of the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla in 1950 and joined the Admiralty Interview Board in 1952. He was made Commanding Officer of the torpedo
school HMS Vernon
in 1953 and Commander of the 4th Destroyer Squadron in 1955. He became Vice Controller of the Navy in 1956 and Fourth Sea Lord
in 1958. He was made Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic and South America Station
in 1960 and was based in Freetown
before leaving his post and retiring in 1963.
In retirement he served as Commandant of the Sunningdale Park (Civil Defence) Staff College
from 1966 to 1969.
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
Sir Nicholas Alfred Copeman KBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
CB
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...
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...
(1906–1969) was a 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 Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic and South America Station
South Atlantic Station
The South Atlantic Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formed from the former Cape of Good Hope Station.-History:...
.
Naval career
Copeman served in World War IIWorld 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 was deployed to Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
1940. In 1948 he was appointed Deputy Director of Torpedo, Mining and Anti-Submarine Warfare 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...
. He went on to be Captain in charge of the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla in 1950 and joined the Admiralty Interview Board in 1952. He was made Commanding Officer of the 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 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...
in 1953 and Commander of the 4th Destroyer Squadron in 1955. He became Vice Controller of the Navy in 1956 and Fourth Sea Lord
Fourth Sea Lord
The 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:...
in 1958. He was made Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic and South America Station
South Atlantic Station
The South Atlantic Station was one of the geographical divisions into which the British Royal Navy divided its worldwide responsibilities. It was formed from the former Cape of Good Hope Station.-History:...
in 1960 and was based in Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
before leaving his post and retiring in 1963.
In retirement he served as Commandant of the Sunningdale Park (Civil Defence) Staff College
Sunningdale Park
Sunningdale Park is a meeting and conference venue in Sunningdale, Berkshire that is run by De Vere Venues.In grounds of there is a Grade II listed neo-georgian mansion called Northcote House which was built in 1930 and in which notable features include the grand staircase and front portico...
from 1966 to 1969.