Second Sea Lord

{{short description|British Royal Navy senior admiral}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Office of the Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff

| body =

| nativename =

| insignia = Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg

| insigniasize = 150px

| insigniacaption = Ensign of the Royal Navy

| image = Second Sea Lords Connell and Hine (Martin Connell cropped).jpg

| imagesize = 180px

| incumbent = Vice Admiral Sir Martin Connell

| incumbentsince = 12 January 2022

| department = Ministry of Defence

| member_of = Admiralty Board
Navy Board

| reports_to = First Sea Lord

| nominator = Secretary of State for Defence

| appointer = Prime Minister

| appointer_qualified = Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council

| termlength = Not fixed (typically 4–5 years)

| inaugural = Rear Admiral George Dundas

| formation = Second Naval Lord, 1830–1904
Second Sea Lord from 1904

| website =

| abbreviation = 2SL/DCNS

}}

The Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff (formerly Second Sea Lord) is deputy to the First Sea Lord and the second highest-ranking officer currently to serve in the Royal Navy and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments. Originally titled Second Naval Lord in 1830, the post was restyled Second Sea Lord in 1904. They are based at Navy Command, Headquarters.

History

In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were assigned to each of the 'Naval' Lords, who were described as 'Professional' Lords, leaving to the 'Civil' Lords the routine business of signing documents.{{cite web|title=Sainty, JC, Lord High Admiral and Commissioners of the Admiralty 1660–1870', Office-Holders in Modern Britain: Volume 4: Admiralty Officials 1660–1870 (1975), pp. 18–31.|url=http://british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=16652| access-date =4 September 2009}} The Second Naval Lord was the second most senior Naval Lord on the Board of Admiralty and as Chief of Naval Personnel was responsible for handling all personnel matters for the Royal Navy. In 1917 the title was changed to the Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel by an order in council dated 23 October.{{cite web |last1=Harley |first1=Simon |last2=Lovell |first2=Tony |title=Second Sea Lord – The Dreadnought Project |url=http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org/tfs/index.php/Second_Sea_Lord |website=www.dreadnoughtproject.org |publisher=Harley and Lovell, 5 June 2018 |access-date=29 June 2018 }}

The posts of Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command (CINCNAVHOME) were amalgamated in 1994 in the reductions of the British Armed Forces following the end of the Cold War.[http://www.directart.co.uk/mall/profiles.php?SigID=1357 Admiral Sir Michael Layard, KCB, CBE] The original post of Commander-in-Chief, Naval Home Command had been created on 1 July 1969, as a result of the merger of the posts of Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth and Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth.[http://www.history.inportsmouth.co.uk/people/cinc-portsmouth.htm History in Portsmouth] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150627145452/http://www.history.inportsmouth.co.uk/people/cinc-portsmouth.htm |date=27 June 2015 }}

2SL is based in Portsmouth in a combined headquarters with the Fleet Commander on Whale Island.[http://www.armedforces.co.uk/navy/listings/l0009.html Royal Navy Command and Organisation] Until October 2012, he flew his flag from {{HMS|Victory}}, the world's oldest commissioned warship, which is preserved in dry dock in Portsmouth.[http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/operations-and-support/establishments/naval-bases-and-air-stations/hmnb-portsmouth/news/oscar-makes-99th-commanding-officer-for Oscar Makes 99th Commanding Officer for HMS Victory] The right to use HMS Victory as a flagship came from his position as CINCNAVHOME, who in turn acquired it from the Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth. Since October 2012, distinct Commander-in-Chief posts have been discontinued and full command responsibility is vested in the First Sea Lord, who now flies his flag from Victory; this change formed part of the Levene reforms which were implemented at that time.{{cite web|title=An independent report into the structure and management of the Ministry of Defence|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/27408/defence_reform_report_struct_mgt_mod_27june2011.pdf|date=1 June 2011|first=Lord|last=Levene of Portsoken|publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=15 June 2022}}

In 2016 the post was retitled Second Sea Lord & Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff and defined as "responsible for the delivery of the Naval Service’s current and future personnel, equipment and infrastructure".{{cite web|title=Second Sea Lord|url=http://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/our-organisation/senior-naval-staff/second-sea-lord|website=Royal Navy|access-date=17 June 2016}}

Second Naval Lords, 1830–1904

Second Naval Lords include:[http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Senior%20Royal%20Navy%20Appointments%201900-.pdf Senior Royal Navy Appointments] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315105247/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Senior%20Royal%20Navy%20Appointments%201900-.pdf |date=15 March 2012 }}

Second Sea Lords, 1904–1917

Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel 1917–1995

Second Sea Lords and Commanders-in-Chief Naval Home Command, 1995–2012

File:Admiralty-House.jpg

Second Sea Lords and Commanders-in-Chief include:

class="wikitable"
Rank

! Name

! Image

! In office

Admiral

| Sir Michael Boyce

| 90px

| 1995–1997

Admiral

| Sir John Brigstocke

| 90px

| 1997–2000

Vice-Admiral

| Sir Peter Spencer

|

| 2000–2003

Admiral

| Sir James Burnell-Nugent

|

| 2003–2005

Vice-Admiral

| Sir Adrian Johns

| 90px

| 2005–2008

Vice-Admiral

| Sir Alan Massey

| 90px

| 2008–2010

Vice-Admiral

| Sir Charles Montgomery

| 90px

| 2010–2012{{cite web|title=Government, People, Sir Charles Montgomery, Biography, Career|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/people/charles-montgomery|website=gov.uk|publisher=H.M. Government, UK|access-date=19 February 2017}}

Second Sea Lords and Chiefs of Naval Personnel and Training, 2012–2015

class="wikitable"
Rank

! Name

! Image

! In office

Vice Admiral

| Sir Charles Montgomery

| 90px

| 2012 (and see above)

Vice Admiral

| Sir David Steel

| 90px

| 2012–2015

Second Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff, 2015–present

See: Deputy Chief of the Naval Staff

class="wikitable"
Rank

! Name

! Image

! In office

Vice Admiral

| Sir Jonathan Woodcock

| 90px

| 2SL: 2015–2018, Deputy CNS: 2016–2018

Vice Admiral

| Tony Radakin

| 90px

| 2018–2019

Vice Admiral

| Nick Hine

| 90px

| 2019–2022

Vice Admiral

| Sir Martin Connell

| 90px

| 2022–present

Departments under the office

As of September 2020:{{cite web |url=https://www.royalnavy.mod.uk/-/media/royal-navy-responsive/documents/useful-resources/navy_directory.pdf?la=en-gb&hash=06EAE4D98ACBB12DD39B4D69D69EC90D |title=The Navy Directory 2019 |author= |date=1 January 2020 |website=royalnavy.mod.uk |publisher=Royal Navy |access-date=3 November 2020 }}{{cite web |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/920219/20200922-How_Defence_Works_V6.0_Sep_2020.pdf |title=How Defence Works Version 6.0 Sep2020 |author= |date=23 September 2020 |website=assets.publishing.service.gov.uk |publisher=UK MOD |access-date=3 November 2020 |quote=page 28}}

=Current=

  • Director People and Training, previously the Naval Secretary{{cite web|url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/706860/response/1693242/attach/3/2020%2012677%20Davis%20Response.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1|title=Freedom of Information Response|date=18 November 2020 |publisher=Ministry of Defence|access-date=17 December 2020}}
  • Director Development, previously the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Capability){{cite web |url=https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/703360/response/1672255/attach/3/2020%2012135%20Davis%20Response.pdf?cookie_passthrough=1 |title=Director Develop or Director Development in Navy Command |author= |date=10 November 2020 |publisher=whatdotheyknow.com |access-date=10 November 2020 |quote=n response toyour request,I can advise that the position of Director Develop is held by Rear Admiral Andrew Burns.}}
  • Office of the Assistant Chief (Policy)
  • Office of the Director of Personnel and Training & Office of the Naval Secretary
  • Director Navy Acquisition

=Former=

Included:{{cite web|last1=Archives|first1=The National|title=Records of the Surveyor of the Navy and successors|url=http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C712|website=discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk|publisher=National Archives, 1620–1979|access-date=2 June 2017}}{{cite web|last1=Hamilton|first1=Sir Vesey|title=Naval Administration – Part II. – Chapter II.|url=http://www.pdavis.nl/NA06.htm|website=pdavis.nl|publisher=Sir Vesey Hamilton, 1896|access-date=2 June 2017}}{{cite web|url=http://www.naval-history.net/xGW-RNOrganisation1939-45.htm#11|title=Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939–1945|last1=Watson|first1=Graham|website=www.naval-history.net|publisher=Gordon Smith, 19 September 2015|access-date=2 June 2017}}{{cite book|last1=Hamilton|first1=C. I.|title=The Making of the Modern Admiralty: British Naval Policy-Making, 1805–1927|year=2011|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=9781139496544|page=292|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8S4yyAkysYgC&q=department+of+naval+equipment+%2C+admiralty&pg=PA292}}

See also

References

{{reflist}}

{{Admiralty Board|state=collapsed}}

{{Navy Board (Royal Navy)|state=collapsed}}

{{Navy Command (Ministry of Defence)|state=collapsed}}

{{Naval Service (British)|state=collapsed}}

{{Admiralty Department|state=collapsed}}

{{Board of Admiralty|state=collapsed}}

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Category:Royal Navy appointments

Category:Admiralty during World War II