Charles Lambe

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Edward Lambe, (20 December 1900 – 29 August 1960) was a senior Royal Navy officer. He fought in the Second World War in command of a cruiser, as Director of Naval Plans and then in command of an aircraft carrier. He served as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff from 1959 until 1960 when he was forced to retire early because of a heart condition. He died only a few months later.

Naval career Born the son of Henry Edward Lambe and Lilian Hope Lambe (née Bramwell), Lambe was educated at the Royal Naval College, Osborne. He joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1914 and was posted as a midshipman to the battleship on 15 August 1917; he remained with her until the end of the First World War. he joined the battleship in the Mediterranean Fleet in August 1923. he joined the staff of the Flag Officer, Destroyer Flotillas in the Mediterranean Fleet before returning home to become Commander of HMS Vernon. having been promoted to captain on 31 December 1937 and appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on 28 September 1938, he was given command of the cruiser in January 1939. and was also awarded the American Legion of Merit for his service during the war.

After the war, Lambe served as Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (Air) from August 1945. He was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King on 8 January 1947. Promoted to rear admiral on 8 July 1947, he became Flag Officer, Flying Training in September 1947 and commander of the 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron in the Home Fleet in September 1949.

Promoted to vice admiral on 1 December 1950, Lambe became Flag Officer, Air (Home) at Lee-on-Solent in March 1951 and took part in the funeral of King George VI in February 1952. He was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1953 New Year Honours, before becoming Commander-in-Chief, Far East Station in March 1953. he became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet as well as NATO Commander, Allied Forces Mediterranean in November 1957. He died at his home at Newport-on-Tay in Fife on 29 August 1960.

Family In 1940, Lambe married Lesbia Rachel Mylius (née Corbet); they had one son and one daughter.