THE BRITISH FLEET

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21774, 13 October 1932, Page 9

THE BRITISH FLEET

CHANGES IN COMMAND «

BIG LIST OF RETIREMENTS,

LONDON, October 11,

Admiral Sir Hubert Brand has retired at his own request to facilitate promotion resulting from various flag appointments, including Vice-admiral P. H HallThompson, who ,has been promoted to admiral. ... ... , •" It is the biggest post-war list of retirements. “ ■Fourteen captains are' promoted, of whom 12 are being retired,- including several famous war-time figures. The retirements are due to the Admiralty’s desire for a lower age at which captains will reach flag-, rank. Admiral Sir Hubert Brand is a sou of the second Viscount Hampden, and he entered the navy in 1883. He was naval attache at Tokio- from 1912 to 1914, and for the first two year's of the war he was; naval assistant to the Second Sea Lord at the Admiralty. He then became Chief of Staff to Sir David Beatty, commanding the Battle Cruiser Fleet, and was Captain of the Fleet from 1910 to 1919. He wgs promoted a vice-admiral in 1924, and after a term as Naval Secretary to the First Sea Lord and as Second Sea Lord, he was given the command of the Atlantic Fleet. He was appointed an admiral in 1928, and has since been Commander-in-chief at Plymouth. Admiral Hall-Thompson was -Naval Adviser to the New Zealand Government from 1919 to 1921, and was first naval member of the Royal Australian Naval Board from 1923 to 1920. Then followed command of the Third Battle Squadron of the Atlantic Fleet, and later command of the Reserve Fleet.