# Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord

The Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord also known as the Executive Assistant to the First Sea Lord was a senior appointment of the Royal Navy established in 1905 until 2014. The post holder was responsible for assisting the First Sea Lord in the discharging of his duties and responsible for administrative and secretarial work within the private office of the First Sea Lord.

## History

Prior to 1905, the Sea Lords were without a specific naval officer responsible for secretarial duties within their respective offices, that particular duty was undertaken by random secretaries selected from within the secretarial pool at the Admiralty. The first incumbent was Captain, Charles E. Madden. The post holder was primarily responsible for administrative and secretarial duties within the private office of the First Sea Lord. Occasionally they were referred to as the Executive Assistant to the First Sea Lord. They were occasionally in attendance with 1SL at Navy Board meetings. The final incumbent was Commander, David J.D. Dominy.
Until 2010, the naval assistant usually held the rank of Captain later Commander.

## Naval assistants

Included:
* Captain Charles E. Madden: December 1905-August 1907
* Captain Archibald G.H.W. Moore: August 1907-December 1908
* Captain Henry F. Oliver: December 1908-January 1912
* Captain Charles M. de Bartolome: January 1912-August 1914
* Captain T. Percy H. Beamish: August–October 1914
* Captain Thomas E. Crease: October 1914-May 1915
* Captain A. Dudley P.R. Pound: January–October 1915
* Captain Allan F. Everett: July 1915-December 1916
* Captain Edward M. Phillpotts: December 1916-October 1917
* Captain John P.R. Marriott: April 1918-November 1919
* Captain Roger M. Bellairs: November 1919-October 1925
* Captain Sidney R. Bailey: October 1925-November 1927
* Captain William M. James: November 1927-March 1929
* Captain Herbert Fitzherbert: March 1929-? 1930
* Captain Guy Grantham: June 1939-May 1940
* Captain Cecil C.A.Allen: May 1940-May 1941
* Captain John W.A. Waller: May 1941-March 1942
* Captain Francis H.W. Goolden: March 1942-February 1943
* Captain Geoffrey Thistleton-Smith: February 1943-January 1945
* Captain George K. Collett: January 1945-February 1946
* Captain Sir Charles E. Madden, Bt.: February 1946-July 1947
* Captain Walter A. Adair: July 1947-September 1948
* Captain Christopher T. Jellicoe: September 1948-September 1950
* Captain Peter W. Gretton: September 1950-May 1952
* Captain Charles W. Malins: May 1952-April 1954
* Captain F. Brian P. Brayne-Nicholls: April 1954-December 1955
* Captain Peter N. Howes: December 1955-December 1957
* Captain L. Derek Empson: December 1957-August 1959
* Captain J. Anthony R. Troup: August 1959-August 1961
* Captain David Williams: August 1961-January 1964
* Captain David G. Roome: January 1964-March 1966
* Captain Michael R. Collins: March 1966-April 1968
* Captain Martin La T. Wemyss: April 1968 – 1970
* Captain John F. Cadell: 1970-August 1972
* Captain David G. Armytage: August 1972-July 1974
* Captain Richard G.A. Fitch: July 1974-May 1976
* Captain D. Benjamin Bathurst: May 1976-June 1978
* Captain John F. Coward: June 1978-June 1980
* Captain George M. Tullis: June 1980-January 1983
* Captain John F.S. Trinder: January 1983-September 1984
* Captain Thomas M. Le Marchand: September 1984-August 1986
* Captain Peter M. Franklyn: August 1986-April 1988
* Captain William C. McKnight: April–December 1988
* Captain R. John Lippiett: December 1988 – 1990
* Captain Michael G. Wood: 1991-1992
* Captain A. James G. Miller: 1993-1998
* Captain Ian F. Corder: 1999-2001
* Captain James A. Morse: 2002-November 2004
* Captain Jeremy J.F. Blunden: November 2004-November 2006
* Commander William N. Entwisle: 2007-2008
* Captain James D. Morley: 2009-2010
* Commander Iain S. Lower: 2010-2011
* Commander David J.D. Dominy: September 2012-September 2014

### Additional Naval Assistants to the First Sea Lord

Included:
* Captain Sydney S. Hall, 31 October 1914 – 8 February 1915
* Captain Dudley Pound, 20 March 1915 – 24 October 1915
* Paymaster-in-Chief Hamnet H. Share, 4 December 1916 – October, 1917
* Commander Ralph F. Seymour, 3 November 1919 – 22 March 1920