Trade Division (Royal Navy)

Trade Division
Agency overview
Formed	1914-1928, 1939-1961
Preceding agency	Naval Intelligence Department;
Superseding agency	Trade and Operations Division;
Jurisdiction	United Kingdom
Headquarters	Admiralty, London
Agency executive	Director of Trade Division;
Parent agency	Admiralty Naval Staff

The Trade Division ^[1] was a Directorate of the British Admiralty, Naval Staff responsible for all matters in relation to U.K. Trade Defence ^[2] from 1914 until 1928 and then again from 1939 to 1961.

History

Before to 1909 responsibility for Trade Protection lay with the Trade Division that was then part of the Naval Intelligence Department until August 1909 when following restructuring within that department the division was abolished.^[3] In February 1913 discussions took place to enquire about the setting up of a Trade Branch as part of the Operations Division^[4] of the Admiralty War Staff. Despite recommendations put forward as to its name and remit the First Lord of the Admiralty, Winston Churchill did not agree to its creation until April 1914; he referred to it at this point as the Trade Section ^[5] In August 1914 the division was formally established as part of the Admiralty War Staff when that department was abolished in May 1917 the division came under the responsibility of the Admiralty Naval Staff. In 1928 the Trade Division was abolished as part of cost savings measures with the Admiralty ^[6] and its functions were merged with the Plans Division.^[6] The Trade Division developed rapidly from very small beginnings to one of the largest organisations within the Naval Staff under its own Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff it first operated until 1928 when it was abolished. However the division was revived again with advent of World War II in May 1939 ^[6] and continued to operate through the Cold War period until 1961 when it was amalgamated with the Operations Division to form a new Trade and Operations Division (Royal Navy) in 1961.^[7]

Directors duties

Included:^[6]

Control all British Merchant Navy movements.
Direct the execution of arming and equipping of merchant ships during war.
Liaise with the Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Trade Protection).
Plan and implement defensive measures to protect British Trade.
Supervise arming and equipping of merchant ships in the event of war.
Superintend division staff.

Directors

Included:^[8]

Captain Richard Webb: August 1914-October 1917
Captain Alan G.Hotham: October 1917-May 1920
Captain Charles J, C, Little: May 1920-May 1922
Captain David T. Norris May 1922-April 1924
Captain Martin Dunbar-Nasmith: April 1924-January 1926
Captain Richard A.S. Hill: January 1926-May 1928

Division suspended from 1928 to 1939

Captain Maurice J. Mansergh: May 1939-April 1941
Captain Brian B. Schofield: April 1941-January 1943
Captain Reginald M. Servaes: January–February 1943
Captain William D. Stephens: July 1943-July 1945
Captain Peter Skelton: July 1945-May 1946
Captain Thomas L. Bratt: May 1946-April 1948
Captain Robert J. O.Otway-Ruthven: April 1948-May 1950
Captain Michael B. Laing: May 1950-June 1952
Captain George A.F. Norfolk: June 1952-June 1954
Captain Robert J. O.Otway-Ruthven: June 1954-January 1957
Captain Edmund T. Larken: January 1957-July 1958
Captain Charles W. Malins: July 1958-July 1961

Deputy directors

Included:^[9]

Captain George R.G. Allen: May 1939-August 1942
Captain Colin J.L. Bittleston: August 1942-June 1943
Captain Francis B. Lloyd: June–December 1943
Captain Peter Skelton: December 1943-July 1945

Timeline

Board of Admiralty, Naval Intelligence Department, Trade Division, (1901-1909).
Board of Admiralty, Admiralty War Staff, Trade Division, (1914-1917).
Board of Admiralty, Admiralty Naval Staff, Trade Division, (1917-1928)
Board of Admiralty, Admiralty Naval Staff, Plans Division, Trade Section, (1928-1939)
Board of Admiralty, Admiralty Naval Staff, Trade Division, (1939-1961).

References

^ Friedman, Norman (2014). Naval Anti-Aircraft Guns and Gunnery. Seaforth Publishing. p. 219. ISBN 9781473853089.
^ Haarr, Geirr H. (2013). The Gathering Storm: The Naval War in Northern Europe September 1939 - April 1940. Seaforth Publishing. p. 95. ISBN 9781473831315.
^ Seligmann, Matthew S. (2012). The Royal Navy and the German Threat 1901-1914: Admiralty Plans to Protect British Trade in a War Against Germany. OUP Oxford. p. 155. ISBN 9780199574032.
^ Seligmann, Matthew S. (2012). The Royal Navy and the German Threat 1901-1914: Admiralty Plans to Protect British Trade in a War Against Germany. OUP Oxford. p. 156. ISBN 9780199574032.
^ Seligmann, Matthew S. (2012). The Royal Navy and the German Threat 1901-1914: Admiralty Plans to Protect British Trade in a War Against Germany. OUP Oxford. p. 157. ISBN 9780199574032.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d Friedman, p. 219
^ Government, H.M. (April 1962). "Admiralty, Divisions of the Naval Staff". The Navy List. H.M. Stationery Office. p. 907.
^ Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, p34. Retrieved 6 August 2017.
^ Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments, from 1860". gulabin. Colin Mackie, 2011, p,34. Retrieved 6 August 2017.

Sources

Black, Nicholas (2009). The British Naval Staff in the First World War. Boydell Press. ISBN 9781843834427.
Friedman, Norman (2014). Naval Anti-Aircraft Guns and Gunnery. Seaforth Publishing. ISBN 9781473853089.
Mackie, Colin. (2011). "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865". gulabin.com. Colin Mackie.
Seligmann, Matthew S. (2012). The Royal Navy and the German Threat 1901-1914: Admiralty Plans to Protect British Trade in a War Against Germany. OUP Oxford. ISBN 9780199574032.