Flag Officer, West Africa
| Flag Officer, West Africa | |
|---|---|
| Active | 1942-1945 |
| Country |  United Kingdom |
| Branch |  Royal Navy |
| Type | Fleet |
| Part of | Admiralty |
| Garrison/HQ | Freetown, Sierra Leone |
Military unit
The Flag Officer, West Africa (FOWA) was a military command of the British Royal Navy during the Second World War. It existed from 1942 to 1945.
During the 19th century, the West Africa Squadron was created, primarily as an anti-slavery effort. Later the Cape of Good Hope Station, homeported at Simonstown, South Africa, merged with the West Coast of Africa Station to create the Cape of Good Hope and West Africa Station for the periods 1857-1865 and 1867-1920.
- 1807: British slave trade illegal
- 1808: First RN anti-slavery patrol, West Africa Squadron, ships on "particular service"
- 1819: West African Station an independent command under a Commodore
- 1840: West African Station still independent, but not under a Commodore
- 1842: West African Station once more commanded by a Commodore
- 1857-1865: West African Station again combined with Cape of Good Hope Station
- 1866: West African Station an independent command again
- 1867 West Africa/Preventative Squadron is disbanded
- 1867-1920 Ships in West Africa under control of Commander-in-Chief, Cape of Good Hope Station and West Africa Station
- 1942-1945 Flag Officer, West Africa operated from Freetown, Sierra Leone
The Second World War
In 1941, escort forces began to be built up at Freetown.[1] The post of Flag Officer, West Africa was established in August 1942 as part of the Admiralty re-organisation of commands.[1] He initially controlled two corvettes and a few Free French ships.[1] This was due to the growing importance of Freetown as a major base for convoy escorts.[1] It existed until 1945.
Flag Officers, West Africa
Post holders included:[2]
| Rank | Flag | Name | Term | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flag Officer, West Africa | |||||
| 1 | Vice-Admiral |  | Frank Pegram | August, 1942 - May,1943 [2] | |
| 2 | Vice-Admiral | | Bernard Rawlings | May - November, 1943 [2] | |
| 3 | Vice-Admiral | | Arthur Peters | November, 1943 - 1945 [2] | |
Components
- Distribution of units attached to station included:[1]
| Unit | Date | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 18th Destroyer Flotilla | July 1941- January 1942 | 2 sloops, 18 corvettes [1] |
| 2 | 18th Destroyer Flotilla | January 1942 - August 1942 | 2 sloops, 24 corvettes [1] |
| 3 | 18th Destroyer Flotilla | August 1942 - July 1943 | 2 sloops, 23 corvettes [1] |
| 4 | 18th Destroyer Flotilla | July 1943 - February 1944 | 15 destroyers, 2 sloops, 15 corvettes [1] |
| 5 | 18th Destroyer Flotilla | February 1944 - September 1944 | 6 destroyers, 7 sloops & frigates, 7 corvettes [1] |
| 6 | 55th Escort Group | September 1944 - May 1945 | 4/5 escort destroyers [1] |
| 7 | 56th Escort Group | September 1944 - May 1945 | 4/5 escort destroyers [1] |
| 8 | 57th Escort Group | September 1944 - May 1945 | 4/5 escort destroyers [1] |
| 9 | 58th Escort Group | September 1944 - May 1945 | 4/5 escort destroyers, 15 corvettes [1] |
| 10 | 59th Escort Group | September 1944 - May 1945 | 4/5 escort destroyers [1] |
| 11 | 60th Escort Group | September 1944 - May 1945 | 4/5 escort destroyers [1] |
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p Watson, Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939-1945:West Africa Command". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 19 September 2015. Retrieved 21 March 2018.
- ^ a b c d Mackie, Colin. "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie, p.84. February 2018. Retrieved 16 February 2018.
External links
- Mackie, Colin. (2018) "Royal Navy Senior Appointments from 1865" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Scotland, UK.
- Watson, Dr Graham. "Royal Navy Organisation in World War 2, 1939-1945:West Africa Command". www.naval-history.net. Gordon Smith, 19 September 2015.
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