Derek Empson
{{short description|Royal Navy Admiral (1918-1997)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Admiral
| name = Sir Derek Empson
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GBE|KCB}}
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|10|29|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Sleaford, England[https://books.google.com/books?id=WKFYAAAAMAAJ&q=%22Empson,+Leslie+Derek%22+1918 Who's who in the World, Issues 1976–1977]
| death_date = {{death date and age|1997|09|20|1918|10|29|df=yes}}
| death_place = Hampshire, England
| placeofburial =
| allegiance = United Kingdom
| branch = Royal Navy
| serviceyears = 1940–1976
| rank = Admiral
| unit =
| commands = Naval Home Command (1974–75)
Far East Fleet (1969–71)
Flag Officer, Aircraft Carriers (1967–68)
Carrier Strike Group Two (1967–68)
{{HMS|Eagle|R05|6}} (1963–65)
{{HMS|Falcon|Hal Far, Malta|6}} (1952–54)
767 Naval Air Squadron (1946–48)
| battles = Second World War
| awards = Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
Admiral Sir Leslie Derek Empson, {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GBE|KCB}} (29 October 1918 – 20 September 1997) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy who served as Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command from 1974 to 1975.
Naval career
Educated at Eastbourne College,[http://www.anglo-chinese.com/E/EastbourneCollege.htm Eastbourne College] Empson joined the Royal Navy at {{HMS|St Vincent|Gosport shore establishment|6}} as a pilot 1940.[http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/EMPSON.shtml Sir Leslie Derek Empson] Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives He served in the Fleet Air Arm during the Second World War.
Empson was appointed Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord in 1957 and then became commanding officer of {{HMS|Eagle|R05|6}} in 1963. He went on to be Flag Officer, Aircraft Carriers in 1967 and then Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Operations and Air) in 1968. He was made Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet in 1969, was promoted to vice admiral on 21 April 1970,{{London Gazette |issue=45083 |date=17 April 1970 |page=4465 |supp=y|}} and became Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel in 1971. After promotion to full admiral on 1 August 1972,{{London Gazette |issue=45745 |date=7 August 1972 |page=9433 |supp=y|}} he became Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command and Flag Officer Portsmouth Area in 1974. He retired in 1975.
Later life
In retirement, Empson worked as a consultant for EMI.[https://books.google.com/books?id=ISUEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22Sir+Derek+Empson&pg=PT87 Asia / Pacific Conference Report] Billboard, 17 March 1979 He also held the posts of Rear-Admiral and then Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom.{{London Gazette | issue=50721 |page=14834 | date= 18 November 1986}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=Sir William O'Brien}}
{{s-ttl|title=Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet|years=1969–1971}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir Anthony Troup}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=Sir Andrew Lewis|rows=2}}
{{s-ttl|title=Second Sea Lord|years=1971–1974}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir David Williams}}
|-
{{s-ttl|title=Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command|years=1974–1975}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir Terence Lewin}}
|-
{{s-hon}}
{{s-bef|before=Sir William O'Brien|rows=2}}
{{s-ttl|title=Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom |years=1984–1986}}
{{s-aft|after=Sir Anthony Griffin|rows=2}}
|-
{{s-ttl|title=Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom |years=1986–1988}}
{{s-end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Empson, Derek}}
Category:People educated at Eastbourne College
Category:Fleet Air Arm aviators
Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
Category:Lords of the Admiralty
Category:Fleet Air Arm personnel of World War II