Fifth Sea Lord

The Fifth Sea Lord was formerly one of the Naval Lords and members of the Board of Admiralty that controlled the Royal Navy.

History
In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were assigned to each of the 'Naval' Lords, who were described as 'Professional' Lords, leaving to the 'Civil' Lords the routine business of signing documents.

During World War I it was one of four additional Sea Lords created during the war to manage the Navy. The only officer to hold the title during World War I was Commodore Godfrey Paine. Commodore Paine simultaneously held the title of Director of Naval Aviation. After the Air Force Bill received the Royal Assent in November 1917, the Air Council was created on 3 January 1918 which included Paine.

The post of Fifth Sea Lord then lapsed until 1938 when the Admiralty regained responsibility for naval aviation: the post was reestablished and was the Chief of Naval Air Services, responsible for preparation and management of all of the Royal Navy's aircraft and air personnel.

The post was abolished in 1965. The modern equivalent of the Chief of Naval Air Services is titled Rear Admiral: Fleet Air Arm, and is a dual-hatted post (held by a Navy official in conjunction with another unrelated post).

Fifth Sea Lords 1917–1956

 * Rear Admiral Sir Godfrey Paine 1917
 * Note: with the transfer of naval aviation to the Royal Air Force in 1918, the appointment lapsed was not revived until 1938


 * Admiral The Hon. Sir Alexander Ramsay 1938–1939
 * Vice Admiral Sir Guy Royle 1939–1941
 * Rear Admiral Sir Lumley Lyster 1941–1942
 * Note: the title was in abeyance from 1942 to 1943 although Admiral Sir Frederic Dreyer was Chief of Naval Air Services


 * Vice Admiral Sir Denis Boyd 1943–1945
 * Rear Admiral Sir Thomas Troubridge 1945–1946
 * Admiral Sir Philip Vian 1946–1948
 * Vice Admiral Sir George Creasy 1948–1949
 * Vice Admiral Sir Maurice Mansergh 1949–1951
 * Vice Admiral Sir Edmund Anstice 1951–1954
 * Vice Admiral Sir Alexander Bingley 1954–1956

Deputy Chiefs of the Naval Staff and Fifth Sea Lords 1957–1965

 * Vice Admiral Sir Manley Power 1957–1959
 * Admiral Sir Laurence Durlacher 1959–1962
 * Vice Admiral Sir Peter Gretton 1962–1963
 * Vice Admiral Sir Frank Hopkins 1963–1965