# Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber

The Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber was a Royal Navy officer who administered naval forces located at Immingham and Grimsby, Lincolnshire, England. His formation was sometimes known as the Humber Station or Humber Area. In World War I it was a sub-command of the Admiral of Patrols from 1914 to 1916, then came under the Commander-in-Chief at the Nore until 1921. In World War II the FOIC was responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.

## History

Prior to World War I an Admiral of Patrols was appointed to command the destroyer and torpedo boat patrol flotillas that were formed and operating from different bases down the east coast of Britain, from the Forth to the Humber. Immingham was headquarters for 7th Destroyer Flotilla from August 1914 to November 1918. In 1915 The Auxiliary Patrol a component force under the (ADMP) based at Grimsby was designated Auxiliary Patrol Area IX, during this period HMNB Immingham was also a submarine base for British D class submarine. During World War II the Humber Force received shore support from this station from 1939 to 1940. In 1941 various mine-laying and mine-seeping flotillas and groups were under the command.

## Administration world war one

| Name | Base/Flag Ship |
| Humber Station | HMS Wallington, (1917-1920), HMS Pembroke VII (1919-1920), HMS Pembroke VIII (1920-1921) |

### Senior Naval Officer, Grimsby

Post holders included:
| | Rank | Name | Term | Notes/Ref |
| Senior Naval Officer, Grimsby ||||||
| 1 | Commander | Charles. S. Forbes | November 1916 – 9 March 1919 | (& Mobilising Officer, Humber District) |
| 2 | Captain | Francis H. Pollen | 9 March 1919 – 15 June 1920 | (Acting Cpt & Mobilising Officer, Humber District) |

### Commanding Officer, Humber Area

Post holders included:
| | Rank | Insig | Name | Term | Notes/Ref |
| Commanding Officer, Humber Area ||||||
| 1 | Captain | | Stephen. H. Radcliffe | August 1920 – January, 1921 | (as Commanding Officer, Humber Area) |

## Administration world war two

| Name | Base/Flag Ship |
| Humber Station | HMS Beaver (1939-1945) |

### Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber

:Post holders included:
| | Rank | Name | Term | Notes/Ref |
| Flag Officer-in-Charge, Humber ||||||
| 1 | Rear-Admiral | Arthur Francis Pridham | September 1939 - 1 October 1940 | (as Flag Officer, Humber Area) |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | Reginald V. Holt | 1 October 1940 - 15 October 1942 | (retd) |
| 3 | Rear-Admiral | Cosmo M. Graham | 15 October 1942 - July 1945 | |

#### Flag Captain, Chief Staff Officer and in command of HM Naval Base Immingham

Post holders included:
| | Rank | Insig | Name | Term | Notes/Ref |
| Flag Captain, Chief Staff Officer, Humber, and Commander HMNB Immingham ||||||
| 1 | Captain | | Edwin Mansergh Palmer | 22 December 1941 - July 1945 | (retd) |

## Naval formations in this command

Various units that served in this command included:
| Naval Units | Based at | Date | Notes |
| 4th Destroyer Flotilla | Humber | August - December, 1916 | transfer from Grand Fleet allocated to Humber Force, 1 Cruiser (L) 1 depot ship, 10 - 15 destroyers |
| 7th Destroyer Flotilla | Humber | August 1914 - November 1918 | 11 torpedo boat destroyers (Admiral of Patrols) |
| 20th Destroyer Flotilla | Immingham | 1914 - 1918 | 40th Division - 6 ships under Captain (D), Nore |
| 20th Destroyer Flotilla | Immingham | 1941 | a specialist mine laying flotilla inc 13 ships |
| 4th Minesweeping Flotilla | Immingham | 1939 - 1941 | 8 ships |
| 5th Motor Torpedo Boat Flotilla | Immingham | 1939 - 1941 | 8 ships |
| 2nd Submarine Flotilla | Immingham | August 1916 - February 1917 | C class for coastal defence |
| 3rd Submarine Flotilla | Immingham/Humber | September 1916 - 1918 | D class for offensive patrols & C class for coastal defence |
| 6th Submarine Flotilla | Humber | August 1914 - August 1916 | C class for coastal defence |

## Naval formations receiving shore support from this command

Various units that served in this command included:
| Naval Units | Based at | Date | Notes |
| Humber Force | Humber | August - December, 1916 | |
| East Coast Force | Humber (Admiral of Patrol) | August 1914 - November 1918 | |