| Sir William O'Brien | |
|---|---|
| Born | 13 November 1916 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1930 - 1971 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands held |
Far East Fleet Western Fleet |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Cross |
Admiral Sir William Donough O'Brien KCB DSC (born 13 November 1916) was Commander-in-Chief of the Western Fleet.
[]
Educated at the Royal Naval College Dartmouth, O'Brien was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1930.[1] He served in World War II.[1] In the early 1960s he served as Director of Naval Plans at the Ministry of Defence under Lord Louis Mountbatten.[2] He was then appointed Naval Secretary in 1964.[3] He was appointed Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers in 1966, Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet in 1967 and Commander-in-Chief of the Western Fleet in 1970.[1] He retired in 1971.[1]
In retirement he became Chairman of the King George's Fund for Sailors.[1] In 1975 he was Chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889).[4] He became Chairman of the Kennet and Avon Canal and after its re-opening by HM Queen Elizabeth in 1990, he retired from this post.[5] He also held the posts of Rear-Admiral and then Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom.
Family[]
In 1943 he married Rita Micallef: widow of Stephen Hebblethwaite. She had a daughter Louise. They went on to have one son, Timothy and a daughter Susan.[1]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 Debrett's People of Today 1994
- ↑ Journal 20, Page 98 RAF Museum Historical Society
- ↑ Whitaker's Almanack 1965
- ↑ Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889).
- ↑ Day Out: From Cherhill to Devizes BBC News, 25 November 2009
The original article can be found at William O'Brien (Royal Navy officer) and the edit history here.