Peter Buchanan (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Sir Peter William Buchanan KBE
(born 14 May 1925) is a former Royal Navy
officer who became Naval Secretary
.
, West Sussex
, he was the son of Lieutenant Colonel
Francis Buchanan and Gwendolen Isobel (née Hunt). He was educated at Malvern College
.
in 1968. He proved that the route now known as the Buchanan Passage
can be used to reach Marguerite Bay
from the North. He became Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord
in 1970 and, having been promoted to Rear Admiral, became Naval Secretary
in 1976. Following promotion to Vice Admiral, he was appointed Chief of Staff, Allied Naval Forces Southern Europe (ANFSE) in 1979. He retired in 1982.
In 1996 he became Master of the Guild of Freemen of the City of London
.
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 Peter William Buchanan 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...
(born 14 May 1925) is a former 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 became Naval Secretary
Naval Secretary
The Naval Secretary is the Royal Navy appointment of which the incumbent is responsible for policy direction on personnel management for members of the RN. It is a senior RN appointment, held by an officer holding the rank of Rear-Admiral. The Naval Secretary's counterpart in the British Army is...
.
Early Life
Born in MidhurstMidhurst
Midhurst is a market town and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England, with a population of 4,889 in 2001. The town is situated on the River Rother and is home to the ruin of the Tudor Cowdray House and the stately Victorian Cowdray Park...
, West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
, he was the son of Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
Francis Buchanan and Gwendolen Isobel (née Hunt). He was educated at Malvern College
Malvern College
Malvern College is a coeducational independent school located on a 250 acre campus near the town centre of Malvern, Worcestershire in England. Founded on 25 January 1865, until 1992, the College was a secondary school for boys aged 13 to 18...
.
Naval career
Buchanan was given command of HMS EnduranceHMS Endurance (1967)
HMS Endurance was a Royal Navy ice patrol vessel that served from 1967 to 1991. She came to public notice when she was involved in the Falklands War of 1982.-Service history:...
in 1968. He proved that the route now known as the Buchanan Passage
Buchanan Passage
Buchanan Passage is a marine channel separating Liard Island from Adelaide Island at the north end of Hanusse Bay. It was discovered and first charted by the French Antarctic Expedition, 1908–10, under Jean-Baptiste Charcot, and named by the UK Antarctic Place-Names Committee for Captain Peter...
can be used to reach Marguerite Bay
Marguerite Bay
Marguerite Bay or Margaret Bay is an extensive bay on the west side of the Antarctic Peninsula, which is bounded on the north by Adelaide Island and on the south by Wordie Ice Shelf, George VI Sound and Alexander Island. The mainland coast on the Antarctic Peninsula is Fallières Coast. Islands...
from the North. He became Naval Assistant to the Second Sea Lord
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 1970 and, having been promoted to Rear Admiral, became Naval Secretary
Naval Secretary
The Naval Secretary is the Royal Navy appointment of which the incumbent is responsible for policy direction on personnel management for members of the RN. It is a senior RN appointment, held by an officer holding the rank of Rear-Admiral. The Naval Secretary's counterpart in the British Army is...
in 1976. Following promotion to Vice Admiral, he was appointed Chief of Staff, Allied Naval Forces Southern Europe (ANFSE) in 1979. He retired in 1982.
In 1996 he became Master of the Guild of Freemen of the City of London
City of London
The City of London is a small area within Greater London, England. It is the historic core of London around which the modern conurbation grew and has held city status since time immemorial. The City’s boundaries have remained almost unchanged since the Middle Ages, and it is now only a tiny part of...
.