The Admiralty Navy War Council[1] was a temporary war planning and naval strategy advising committee of the Admiralty established in October, 1909 under
Admiral Fisher[2] it existed until 1911 when it was later replaced by the
Admiralty War Staff.
History
In May 1909, the
Director of Naval Intelligence, Rear-Admiral
Alexander E. Bethell, submitted a written report for the creation of a "Navy War Council" following the outcome of the
Beresford Inquiry and recommendations that followed; it was to be made up of the following personnel: the
First Sea Lord as president; the Director of Naval Intelligence acting as vice-president; an "Assistant Director for War"; the President, and the Captain of the Royal Naval War College; the Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord. The head of the War Division of the
Naval Intelligence Department's and the Commander of the
Royal Naval War College acting as Joint Secretaries. Other
Admiralty department heads could be summoned, to act as members of the council as and when their expertise was required.[3] Its role acted as a precursor to the establishment of a professional naval staff function; it would initially devise on naval war plans, and also given an advisory role on
naval strategy matters [4]
The council held a series of nine meetings between 13 October 1909 and 10 June 1911 [5] before it was abolished and replaced by the Admiralty War Staff in January 1912.
Primary source for this article is by *Harley, Simon and Lovell, Tony (2015).Navy War Council, dreadnoughtproject.org, Harley and Lovell.
Sources
Grimes, S. (2012). Probes into Admiralty War Planning, 1908–9. In Strategy and War Planning in the British Navy, 1887-1918, Boydell and Brewer,
ISBN9781843836988.
The Admiralty Navy War Council[1] was a temporary war planning and naval strategy advising committee of the Admiralty established in October, 1909 under
Admiral Fisher[2] it existed until 1911 when it was later replaced by the
Admiralty War Staff.
History
In May 1909, the
Director of Naval Intelligence, Rear-Admiral
Alexander E. Bethell, submitted a written report for the creation of a "Navy War Council" following the outcome of the
Beresford Inquiry and recommendations that followed; it was to be made up of the following personnel: the
First Sea Lord as president; the Director of Naval Intelligence acting as vice-president; an "Assistant Director for War"; the President, and the Captain of the Royal Naval War College; the Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord. The head of the War Division of the
Naval Intelligence Department's and the Commander of the
Royal Naval War College acting as Joint Secretaries. Other
Admiralty department heads could be summoned, to act as members of the council as and when their expertise was required.[3] Its role acted as a precursor to the establishment of a professional naval staff function; it would initially devise on naval war plans, and also given an advisory role on
naval strategy matters [4]
The council held a series of nine meetings between 13 October 1909 and 10 June 1911 [5] before it was abolished and replaced by the Admiralty War Staff in January 1912.
Primary source for this article is by *Harley, Simon and Lovell, Tony (2015).Navy War Council, dreadnoughtproject.org, Harley and Lovell.
Sources
Grimes, S. (2012). Probes into Admiralty War Planning, 1908–9. In Strategy and War Planning in the British Navy, 1887-1918, Boydell and Brewer,
ISBN9781843836988.