William Davis (Royal Navy officer)

Sir William Davis
Born 11 October 1901
Shimla, India
Died 29 October 1987 (1987-10-30) (aged 86)
Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1917–1960
Rank Admiral
Commands held HMS Mauritius
Home Fleet
Battles/wars World War I
World War II
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order

Admiral Sir William Wellclose Davis GCB DSO (11 October 1901 29 October 1987) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff.

Educated at Summer Fields School in Oxford, the Royal Naval College at Osborne and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth,[1] Davis joined the Royal Navy in 1917 towards the end of World War I.[2]

He also served in World War II initially as Executive Officer on the battlecruiser HMS Hood and then, from 1940, as Deputy Director of Plans at the Admiralty and then, from 1943, as Commander of the cruiser HMS Mauritius in which capacity he was involved in the Sicily landings, the Normandy landings and the action at Audierne Bay.[2]

After the War he was made Director of Underwater Weapons at the Admiralty and then, from 1948, Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet.[2] He became Naval Secretary in 1950 and Flag Officer, Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet in 1952.[2] He went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in 1954 and Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet and Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Atlantic Area in 1958.[2] He was First and Principal Naval Aide-de-camp to the Queen from 1959 to 1960.[2] He retired in 1960.[2]

Family

On 28 April 1934 he married Lady Gertrude Elizabeth Phipps, daughter of Constantine Phipps, 3rd Marquess of Normanby; they went on to have two sons and two daughters.[3]

References

Military offices
Preceded by
Peveril William-Powlett
Naval Secretary
19501952
Succeeded by
Richard Onslow
Preceded by
Sir Guy Grantham
Vice Chief of the Naval Staff
19541957
Succeeded by
Sir Caspar John
Preceded by
Sir John Eccles
Commander in Chief, Home Fleet
1958–1960
Succeeded by
Sir Wilfrid Woods
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Sir Guy Grantham
First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp
19591960
Succeeded by
Sir Caspar John
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