TheCommander-in-Chief South Atlantic was an operational commander of theRoyal Navy from 1939. The South American area was added to his responsibilities in 1960, and the post disestablished in 1967.
Immediately before the outbreak of theSecond World War, the designation ofCommander-in-Chief, Africa was changed to Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic, '..and theAdmiral transferred his flag from Simonstown to Freetown, Sierra Leone, and assumed general naval control over British movements in the whole of theSouth Atlantic Ocean. At the same time, the South American Division of theAmerica and West Indies Station, comprising the cruisers Exeter and Ajax, was transferred to the new South Atlantic Station.'[1] It was sometimes referred to as theSouth Atlantic Station.
On 2 October 1939,HMS Achilles, then operating with the linerOrduna north ofCallao off the west coast of South America, was instructed that after fuelling from the fleet tankerRFA Orangeleaf, she was to proceed south about to the South Atlantic. "TheAchilles was to show herself at Chilean ports as considered desirable and refuel at the Falkland Islands. The passage was to be made with moderate despatch and on arrival the cruiser was to come under the orders of theCommander-in-Chief, Africa."[6] ThusAchilles arrived in the South Atlantic and joined Commodore Harwood's force, later to take part in theBattle of the River Plate against theGraf Spee.[7]
the combined use of Simonstown by the Royal Navy and South African Navy in peace and in war (even if South Africa were neutral in some non-Communist war, a most remote contingency), on the understanding that the base would also be available in war to the allies of the United Kingdom;[8]
the gradual assumption of responsibility by the South African Navy for the operation and administration of the base for combined use;
the assumption by South Africa of responsibility in war for the operational and administrative control of a local sub-area of a South Atlantic Strategic Zone; and
that a Royal Navy officer would continue as Commander-in-Chief South Atlantic in peace, with headquarters and communications at the Cape, and that his designation in war would be Commander of the South Atlantic Strategic Zone.
In April 1957, the Simonstown base was handed over to theUnion of South Africa in accordance with the 1955 agreement.[10] On 24 May 1957,HMS Burghead Bay was recommissioned for service in the7th Frigate Squadron in the South Atlantic, sailing forSimon's Town in August.[11] She made calls in Brazil and Argentina, took part in squadron exercises in South Atlantic, and was also deployed in South African waters for joint exercises with theSouth African Navy. In early 1958, she visited ports in East Africa. In May she sailed for the Falklands for her third and final tour of duty as guard ship, departing in June and sailing to the UK via ports on west coast of South America, making calls in Chile and Peru before transiting thePanama Canal, and finally arriving at Devonport in August where she was decommissioned, put into Reserve, and on the Disposal List.[11] During this commission, she was commanded by CommanderStanley McArdle.[11]
In 1960, the post of Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies, was abolished, with the incumbent, Vice-Admiral SirJohn Eaton, becoming the NATO DeputySupreme Allied Commander Atlantic (SACLANT). The southern part of the former America & West Indies area was transferred to the South Atlantic, and that flag officer becoming Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic and South America (CINCSASA).[10] At about that time, CINCSASA, "flying his flag ashore at Wynberg inCape Province, had only two frigates and ..HMSProtector under his command, one of the frigates being permanently stationed in the West Indies."[12]
TheLeopard-class frigateLynx served as Vice Admiral Talbot's flagship in the 1960s. She was the last ship remaining on the station and returned home after April 1967 and the abolishing of the CINCSASA post.[13] It was planned that the Commander-in-Chief was to haul down his flag on 11 April 1967 and to leave Cape Town the following day.[14] The station was abolished/absorbed into theWestern Fleet that year, when Western Fleet assumed responsibility for all ships "West of Suez".[15]
After 11 April 1967, a Senior British Naval Officer South Africa with the rank of Commodore remained atAfrikander (at Youngsfield, a suburb just south ofCape Town),[16] who quickly became responsible to Commander-in-ChiefWestern Fleet. (Home Fleet was succeeded by Western Fleet on 5 June 1967.) By 1971, the post was at times filled by rear-admirals; Rear AdmiralNigel Cecil filled the post from 1971 to 1973.[17] Officers continued to be posted there until February 1976 when the post was disestablished andHMS Afrikander closed.[18] Commodore A F C Wemyss OBE was the last incumbent.[19]
^The Royal New Zealand Navy, Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War,Chapter 2: Outbreak of War: Cruise of HMS Achilles, Historical Publications Branch, Wellington, 1956 (hardcopy page 29).
A. Cecil Hampshire (1975).The Royal Navy Since 1945. London: William Kimber & Co. Ltd.ISBN0718300343.
Rear Admiral Allan du Toit, RAN, 'Simon's Town and the Cape Sea Route,' in Captain Peter Hore, RN (ed), 'Dreadnought to Daring: 100 Years of Comment, Controversy, and Debate in the Naval Review,' Seaforth Publishing, Barnsley, 2012.
United Kingdom
Royal Navy