Algernon Willis

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Algernon Usborne Willis (17 May 1889 – 12 April 1976) was a Royal Navy officer. He served in the First World War and saw action at the Battle of Jutland in May 1916. He also served in the Second World War as Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic in which capacity he led actions against German and Japanese raiding ships. He was Flag Officer commanding 3rd Battle Squadron and Second in command of the Eastern Fleet and then Flag Officer commanding Force H, which covered North African Operations, the Allied invasion of Sicily in July 1943 and then the Allied invasion of Italy in September 1943.

Willis spent the final years of the war as Commander-in-Chief, Levant, in which capacity he conducted naval operations in support of the Dodecanese Campaign, and then as Second Sea Lord, when he arranged the manpower for the campaign in the Pacific Ocean against the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the war he served as Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet, in which role he was faced with unrest in Mandatory Palestine, before he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.

Naval career

Early career Born the son of Herbert Bourdillon Willis and Edith Florence Willis (née Moore), Willis was educated at Eastbourne College before joining the training ship HMS Britannia as a cadet in 1903 and being promoted to midshipman on 15 September 1905. He was first appointed to the battleship HMS Hindustan in the Channel Fleet before transferring to the battleship HMS Glory in the Mediterranean Fleet in September 1907. and to lieutenant on 15 November 1909, he joined the armoured cruiser HMS Donegal in the Home Fleet in May 1910. Willis joined the directing staff at the Royal Naval Staff College in February 1930. After that he became captain of HMS Vernon in September 1935 and commanding officer of the battleship in the Mediterranean Fleet in April 1938. he became Commander-in-Chief, South Atlantic with acting rank of vice-admiral in 1941, leading actions against German and Japanese raiding ships. He then became Flag Officer commanding 3rd Battle Squadron and Second in command of the Eastern Fleet under Sir James Somerville with his flag in the battleship in February 1942. Promoted to the substantive rank of vice admiral on 12 April 1943, he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 2 June 1943.

Willis went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Levant in October 1943, he conducting naval operations in the Aegean Sea in support of the Dodecanese Campaign and then became Second Sea Lord in March 1944. and also awarded the Greek Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Phoenix with Swords, First Class and the Greek War Cross, Second Class. He was also twice mentioned in dispatches.

Later career Willis became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in April 1946, in which role he was faced with unrest in Mandatory Palestine but rewarded with advancement to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 12 June 1947. Appointed a Knight of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem on 5 January 1948, he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in July 1948 and was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 20 March 1949 before retiring in 1950. In retirement Willis lived in Petersfield in Hampshire. He became Deputy Lieutenant of Southampton and Chairman of the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum. He died at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar on 12 April 1976.

Family In September 1916 Willis married Olive Christine Millar, daughter of Henry Edward Millar and sister of Violet Helen Millar (who married Clement Attlee): they had two daughters.