Michael Le Fanu

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Michael Le Fanu

Then Rear Admiral Michael Le Fanu
(Crown Copyright)
Nickname "Dry Ginger"
Born 2 August 1913(1913-08-02)
Lindfield, Sussex, England
Died 28 November 1970(1970-11-28) (aged 57)
London, England
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1926 – 1970
Rank Admiral of the Fleet
Commands held HMS Eagle
Battles/wars Second World War
- Norwegian Campaign
- Mediterranean
Aden Emergency
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Cross
Mentioned in Despatches
Legion of Merit (United States)

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Michael Le Fanu GCB, DSC (2 August 1913 – 28 November 1970) was a Royal Navy admiral and First Sea Lord.

Contents

Early life

Le Fanu was born at Lindfield, West Sussex, the son of Captain Hugh Barrington le Fanu RN. He was educated at Bedford School before joining Britannia Royal Naval College in 1926.[1]

Career

Le Fanu served as a Gunnery Officer on HMS Aurora and then HMS Howe during the Second World War. While aboard Aurora, he was Mentioned in Despatches for his services during the Norwegian Campaign in 1940,[2] and decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross in 1942.[3] He was promoted to commander on 31 December 1944.[4] From February to September 1945, Le Fanu was posted as the British Pacific Fleet Liaison Officer to the United States Fifth Fleet, and later the United States Third Fleet. For his services throughout this, he was awarded the United States Legion of Merit.[5]

Le Fanu was elevated to the rank of captain on 30 June 1949.[6] In 1957, he was given command of HMS Eagle and in 1958 went on to be Director-General, Weapons. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of 1960.[7] In 1961, he became Controller of the Navy and in 1965 Joint Commander of the three services in the Middle East during the evacuation of British Nationals during the Aden Emergency.[1] He served as First Sea Lord from 1968 to 1970.

On 3 July 1970, Le Fanu was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet,[8] and was selected for the post of Chief of the Defence Staff but never held the office because he was suddenly discovered to be terminally ill and died shortly after his retirement.

Le Fanu married Prudence Grace Morgan, daughter of Admiral Sir Llewellyn Vaughan Morgan; they had two sons and a daughter.[1]

Le Fanu is the subject of a biography entitled Dry Ginger by the author Richard Baker.

Honours and awards

Notes

  1. ^ a b c "Michael Le Fanu Information". http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_michael_lefanu.htm. Retrieved 2007-02-02. 
  2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 34953. p. 5710. 26 September 1940. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  3. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35466. p. 901. 24 February 1942. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  4. ^ London Gazette: no. 36880. p. 230. 5 January 1945. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  5. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37805. p. 5912. 3 December 1946. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  6. ^ London Gazette: no. 38658. p. 3300. 5 July 1949. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  7. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 42051. p. 3974. 11 June 1960. Retrieved 24 June 2009.
  8. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 43010. p. 4794. 30 June 1970. Retrieved 24 June 2009.

Further reading

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Peter Reid		 Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy
1961–1965		 Succeeded by
Sir Horace Law
Preceded by
Sir Varyl Begg		 First Sea Lord
1968–1970		 Succeeded by
Sir Peter Hill-Norton