Conolly Abel Smith

Vice-Admiral Sir Edward Michael Conolly Abel Smith, (3 December 1899 – 3 December 1985) was a Royal Navy officer who served during the First and Second World Wars.

Family Conolly Abel Smith (as he was usually known) was the second son of Eustace Abel Smith, JP, a banker of Longhills House, Branston, Lincolnshire, and Aileen Geta Katherine Conolly, the daughter of Colonel John Augustus Conolly, VC.

Naval career Abel Smith entered the Royal Naval College, Osborne, in September 1912, at the age of 13, continuing his training at Royal Naval College, Dartmouth. From 1915 he served aboard the battlecruiser , receiving promotion to sub-lieutenant on 15 May 1918, and to lieutenant on 15 May 1920.

On 16 June 1924 Abel Smith was attached to the Royal Air Force, who were in control of all naval aviation at that time, with the rank of flying officer, to attend No. 1 Flying Training School at Netheravon, Wiltshire. From 23 October 1925 he was stationed at HMS Columbine, the naval base at Port Edgar in the Firth of Forth, then from 3 April 1926 served as the Flight Commander of No. 403 Flight FAA aboard the carrier on the China Station, receiving promotion to flight lieutenant on 1 January 1928 and to lieutenant-commander on 15 May 1928. From 3 March 1929 he served aboard the heavy cruiser , and from 20 March 1930 on the carrier in the Mediterranean Fleet, firstly as the Flight Commander of No. 408 Flight, then as Squadron Commander of Fighter Squadron 802 FAA. He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 January 1933 and commander on 30 June 1933. receiving promotion to vice-admiral on 1 September 1952.

Awards and honours Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB), 7 June 1951 Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO), 1 January 1958 Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO), 25 May 1954 Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO), 13 June 1946 Also: Commander 1st class of the Order of the Dannebrog (Denmark), May 1957 Grand Cross of the Military Order of Aviz (Portugal), February 1957 Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav (Norway), June 1955