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Sir Ralph Edwards
Royal Navy Admirals at conference on HMS Liverpool 1952 IWM A 32077
Rear Admiral Edwards, second from right, at a conference with First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Rhoderick McGrigor and other Admirals aboard HMS Liverpool, 1952
Born (1901-03-31)31 March 1901
Died 4 February 1963(1963-02-04) (aged 61)
Allegiance Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom Royal Navy
Years of service 1914–1958
Rank Admiral
Commands held
Battles/wars
Awards

Admiral Sir Ralph (Alan Bevan) Edwards KCB CBE (31 March 1901 – 4 February 1963) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet.

Naval career[]

Edwards joined the Royal Navy in 1914[1] and served in the battlecruiser HMS Tiger in the Grand Fleet during World War I.[2]

He also served in World War II as Deputy Director and then as Director of the Operations Division for the Home Fleet.[2] He then became Chief of Staff for the Eastern Fleet and, from March 1945, was Captain of HMNZS Gambia.[1]

After the War he was made Captain of the aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious.[2] He became Assistant Chief of Naval Staff in 1948. In July, 1951, he returned to sea in command of the First Cruiser Squadron and as Flag Officer (Air), Mediterranean, hoisting his flag in his old ship the Gambia.[2] From November 1951 he was also Flag Officer, Second in Command of the Mediterranean Fleet. He then became Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy in 1953.[1] His last appointment was as Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in 1957.[1] He retired in 1958.[2]

Family[]

In 1932 he married Joan Le Fowne Hurt; they had one son and one daughter.[2]

References[]

Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Michael Denny
Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy
1953–1956
Succeeded by
Sir Peter Reid
Preceded by
Sir Guy Grantham
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
1957–1958
Succeeded by
Sir Charles Lambe
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