Arthur Power

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Arthur John Power (12 April 1889 – 28 January 1960) was a Royal Navy officer. He took part in the First World War as a gunnery officer and saw action in the Dardanelles campaign. During the inter-war years he commanded the gunnery school at and then the aircraft carrier . During the Second World War he played a leading role in the planning for the Allied invasion of Sicily and for the Allied invasion of Italy and then commanded the naval forces for the actual landing of V Corps at Taranto in Italy in September 1943. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief of the East Indies Fleet in the closing stages of the war and conducted naval strikes on the Imperial Japanese Army in Borneo and Malaya. After the War he became Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel, Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet and then Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.

Naval career Early career Born the son of Edward John Power and Harriet Maud Power (née Windeler), Power joined the training ship HMS Britannia as a cadet in 1904 and, having won the King's medal as best cadet of his year, he was promoted to midshipman on 15 September 1905. He was promoted to acting sub-lieutenant on 15 January 1909 and to lieutenant on 15 April 1910 on his appointment to the battlecruiser HMS Indomitable in the Home Fleet.

Power served as a gunnery officer throughout the First World War, initially in the battleship HMS Magnificent, then in the cruiser HMS Royal Arthur and next in the monitor HMS Raglan.

After the war Power joined the directing staff at HMS Excellent. he became an assistant to the Director in the Naval Ordnance Department at the Admiralty in January 1923 and, after attending the Royal Naval Staff College, he became Executive Officer on HMS Hood, flagship of the battlecruiser squadron in the Atlantic Fleet in 1925. he joined the Ordnance Committee at the Royal Arsenal. He went on to be commanding officer of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in September 1937, and in that capacity, also became Flag Captain to the Flag Officer commanding aircraft carriers in the Home Fleet in July 1939. he became commander of the 15th Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet with his flag in the cruiser in August 1942. he led the planning for the Allied invasion of Italy and then commanded the naval forces for the actual landing of V Corps at Taranto in September 1943. Power became commander of the 1st Battle Squadron and second in command of the Eastern Fleet with his flag in the battlecruiser in January 1944.

Later career Power was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1946 and became Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel in February 1946. Promoted to full admiral on 6 May 1946, he proceeded to manage the run-down in naval manpower after the War. he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in September 1950. and was double-hatted as NATO Allied Commander-in-Chief, Channel and Southern North Sea Command from 1952. and was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 22 April 1952.

Power retired in September 1952 and became a Deputy Lieutenant of Southampton on 27 April 1953 shortly before attending the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953. He died at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar on 28 January 1960.