Stanley Colville Admiral Sir Stanley Cecil James Colville GCB GCMG GCVO ( 21 February 1861 – 9 April 1939 ) was a British Royal Navy officer . Colville was born in Eaton Place , London , the second son of Charles Colville , 10th Lord Colville of Culross , entitling him to the style " The Honourable " . His mother , Cecile , was the daughter of Robert Carrington , 2nd Baron Carrington . Colville was educated at Marlborough College and entered the training ship " Britannia " in July 1874 . In October 1876 he was promoted Midshipman and appointed to the battleship " Sultan " in the Mediterranean Fleet . In May 1878 he transferred to the battleship " Black Prince " in the Channel Fleet and in January 1879 to the corvette " Boadicea " at the Cape of Good Hope Station . Later that year he served on land during the Zulu War . In October 1880 he was commissioned Sub - Lieutenant and posted to Portsmouth for further training . In July 1882 he joined the battleship " Alexandra " , flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet . He was promoted Lieutenant in November 1882 for his services at the bombardment of Alexandria . In May 1883 he joined the corvette " Canada " on the North American Station , serving alongside Midshipman Prince George of Wales ( later King George V ) . In September 1884 he rejoined " Alexandra " and served ashore with the force attempting to relieve General Gordon at Khartoum . In October 1889 he joined the sloop " Buzzard " on the North America Station . In August 1890 he was appointed First Lieutenant of the Royal Yacht " Victoria and Albert " . He was promoted Commander in August 1892 and in May 1893 joined the battleship " Trafalgar " , now flagship of the Mediterranean Fleet . In 1896 he took command of the gunboat s of the Nile Flotilla in Sudan . He was badly wounded , promoted Captain in August 1896 , and appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath ( CB ) in November 1896 . From 1897 to 1898 he was Naval Adviser to the Inspector - General of Fortifications at the War Office in London . In September 1898 he took command of the battleship " Barfleur " as Flag Captain to Rear - Admiral Penrose Fitzgerald , second - in - command of the China Station . In March 1900 he was appointed Flag Captain to Vice - Admiral Sir Frederick Bedford in the cruiser " Crescent " on the North America and West Indies Station . In May 1902 he became Chief of Staff to Admiral Sir Compton Domvile , Commander - in - Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet , in the battleship " Bulwark " . He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order ( CVO ) in June 1902 . In December 1905 he took command of the battleship " Hindustan " in the Atlantic Fleet and was appointed an ADC to the King . Colville was promoted Rear - Admiral in November 1906 and hoisted his flag in the " Bulwark " , now in the Home Fleet . In February 1909 he was appointed to command the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the Channel Fleet in HMS " Drake " . In July 1909 he transferred his flag to the new battlecruiser " Indomitable " . He was promoted Vice - Admiral in April 1911 . In June 1912 he took command of the 1st Battle Squadron of the Home Fleet , flying his flag in HMS " Collingwood " and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath ( KCB ) . In September 1914 he was given shore command of the Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands and was shortly afterwards promoted Admiral . He held this vital command , responsible for the main support of the Grand Fleet at Scapa Flow and other bases , until February 1916 , when he was appointed Commander - in - Chief , Portsmouth . He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order ( GCVO ) in July 1915 and Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George ( GCMG ) in 1919 . In July 1919 he was appointed First and Principal Naval Aide - de - Camp to the King , a post he held until his retirement in April 1922 . He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath ( GCB ) in July 1921 . He was appointed to the honorary offices of Rear - Admiral of the United Kingdom in 1927 and Vice - Admiral of the United Kingdom and Lieutenant of the Admiralty in 1929 .