Charles Forbes (Royal Navy officer)


Sir Charles Forbes

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Forbes
Born(1880-11-22)22 November 1880
Died28 August 1960(1960-08-28) (aged 79)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
BranchRoyal Navy
Service years1894–1943
RankAdmiral of the Fleet
CommandsPlymouth Command
Home Fleet
1st Battle Squadron
HMS Iron Duke
HMS Queen Elizabeth
HMS Galatea
ConflictsFirst World War

Second World War

AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Order of Saint Stanislaus, 2nd Class with Swords (Russia)
Legion of Honour (France)

Admiral of the Fleet Sir Charles Morton Forbes, GCB, DSO (22 November 1880 – 28 August 1960) was a Royal Navy officer. He served in the First World War, seeing action in the Dardanelles campaign and at the Battle of Jutland and, as captain of a cruiser, was present at the surrender of the German fleet. During the Second World War, he served as Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet: his fleet suffered heavy losses including the aircraft carrier HMS Glorious and nine destroyers during the Norwegian campaign in Spring 1940. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth in May 1941 and in that capacity he organised the defence of Plymouth from air attack, prosecuted attacks on enemy shipping using the harbour at Brest as well as other ports along the French coast, and also initiated the St Nazaire Raid in March 1942 before retiring in August 1943.