Charles Morton Forbes

Admiral of the Fleet SIR Charles Morton Forbes, G.C.B., D.S.O., Royal Navy (22 November, 1880 – 28 August, 1960) was an officer of the Royal Navy.

Early Life & Career

Forbes was born at Colombo 22 November 1880, the second son of James Forbes, broker, and his wife, Caroline Delmege. Educated at Dollar Academy and Eastman's, Southsea, he joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in the Britannia on 15 July, 1894. On passing out two years later he obtained five first class certificates and gained twelve months' seniority. After serving in the flagships of the Channel and Pacific fleets he was promoted Lieutenant in 1901 and in the following year became a specialist in gunnery. For the next eleven years he served as gunnery officer in various cruisers and battleships, and at the gunnery schools, until his promotion to Commander in 1912, at which time he was serving as First Fieutenant and gunnery officer of the battleship Superb in the Home Fleet.

Soon after the outbreak of war in 1914 Forbes was appointed to the newly commissioned battleship Queen Elizabeth which bombarded the Gallipoli forts in the initial attack on the Dardanelles in 1915. Later in the same year he joined the staff of Sir John (later Earl) Jellicoe [q.v.] , commander-in-chief of the Grand Fleet, as flag commander in the Iron Duke. He was present at the battle of Jutland and was appointed to the D.S.O. After Sir David (later Earl) Beatty [q.v.] succeeded to the command of the fleet in 1916 Forbes was appointed to the staff of the second-in-command, Sir Charles Madden [q.v.] , where he continued in the same duties until his promotion to captain in 1917. He was then appointed to the command of the cruiser Galatea, in which he was present at the surrender of the German High Seas Fleet in November 1918. He thus served afloat throughout the whole war and shortly before its end he was awarded the Russian Order of St. Stanislaus.

Thereafter, Forbes's Service life alternated between appointments at the Admiralty and Naval Staff College and in one of the two main fleets—Home or Mediterranean. His first Admiralty appointment was as naval member of the Ordnance Committee in 1919, to which duty he returned in 1925–8 as director of naval ordnance. On the staff side, he was deputy director of the Naval Staff College at Greenwich from 1921 to 1923. The remainder of his service in the rank of captain was spent in sea-going appointments, first as flag captain to the commander-in-chief, Atlantic Fleet, Sir John De Robeck [q.v.] , in the Queen Elizabeth, and secondly as flag captain to the second-in-command, Mediterranean Fleet, (Sir) H. D. R. Watson, in the Iron Duke.

Forbes was promoted rear-admiral in 1928 and in 1930–31 commanded the destroyer flotillas of the Mediterranean Fleet. He then returned to the Admiralty as third sea lord and controller—an appointment generally recognized as one calling for exceptional qualities of technical knowledge and ability in committee. He was promoted vice-admiral in 1933.

In 1934 Forbes was again appointed to the Mediterranean, as vice-admiral commanding the first battle squadron, and second-in-command, Mediterranean Fleet; it was during this period of his service that the Abyssinian crisis occurred and a period of such strained relations with Italy that in preparation for hostilities the fleet transferred from Malta to Alexandria. In 1935 Forbes was appointed K.C.B. and in 1936 promoted admiral.

In April 1938 he was appointed commander-in-chief, Home Fleet, with his flag in Nelson, at a time of increasing international tension culminating in the outbreak of war in September 1939. The fleet was ready but the bases were not, and Forbes had the anxiety and responsibility of maintaining constant vigil and readiness for action with bases lacking anti-aircraft defence or anti-submarine protection. Their vulnerability was quickly demonstrated by a German air attack on Rosyth on 16 October, the sinking of the Royal Oak by a U-boat which penetrated Scapa Flow on 14 October, and the damage sustained by the flagship Nelson herself in December from a mine laid by a U-boat in Loch Ewe. Nevertheless, under Forbes's capable command, the fleet carried out its duty successfully during those testing months of 1939 and 1940 when the full effects of mass air power in modern war were being learnt the hard way. Opportunities for offensive action were few, but they came with the German invasion of Norway in April 1940, and with it the successful destroyer battles of Narvik. But this campaign also included the ill-fated military expedition for the defence of Norway, which started too late to be effective, and after only two months had to be withdrawn, after considerable loss. During these operations, Forbes's temporary flagship, Rodney, was damaged by air attack. The fleet suffered a number of losses, the principal ones being the aircraft carrier Glorious and nine destroyers; the German losses and damage were very much greater. It was this fact which rightly convinced Forbes that they would not attempt a seaborne invasion of England that year in the face of the over-whelming superiority of the British Fleet and the failure of the German air force to defeat the R.A.F.

In December 1940, seven months after being promoted admiral of the fleet and G.C.B., Forbes was succeeded in the command of the Home Fleet by Sir John (later Lord) Tovey, and in May 1941 he was appointed commander-in-chief, Plymouth, which the enemy was then making a target for most savage air attacks. Nevertheless, the operational work of the command was prosecuted with vigour by the cruisers, light forces, and coastal craft under Forbes's orders. Chief among these were the many successful attacks in co-operation with Coastal Command on U-boats leaving and returning to their base at Brest; the interception of enemy armed merchant vessel raiders trying to get back to Germany; and raids on the enemy destroyers and shipping passing along the French coast. The gallant and successful attack on St. Nazaire was also mounted.

During the final months of his command preparation for the reception and disposition of the American naval and military forces who would take part in the invasion of France in 1944 was well advanced, but Forbes's period of command terminated before their arrival. His flag was hauled down for the last time 24 August 1943.

An officer of great experience of the world and of men, Forbes was a master of his profession and had the very great faculty of recognizing instantly all the factors in any problem with which he was faced, and in grappling competently with all difficulties. No man ever saw him rattled: he had full confidence in himself and he inspired it in those under him. His reserves of power, clear vision, sound judgement, and strong sense of proportion were a tower of strength to those who, working under him, shared his burdens though not his responsibilities. Modest and unassuming in demeanour, and with an attractive, dry sense of humour, he never feared to speak his mind, even though in conflict with the views of his superiors.

In his younger days he was fond of horses and hunting. He was also a keen golfer and played on several occasions in the ‘Admirals v. Generals’ match. He was most generous in his hospitality, and never failed to impress by the courtly grace and charm with which he habitually welcomed his guests.

After relinquishing his last appointment he returned to live at his home, Cawsand Place, Wentworth, Surrey. From 1946 until shortly before his death Forbes was a member of the councils of the Association of Retired Naval Officers and the National Association for the Employment of Regular Sailors, Soldiers, and Airmen, in whose work he was keenly interested. He died in London 28 August 1960.

He was twice married: first, in 1909, to Agnes Millicent (died 1915), younger daughter of J. A. Ewen, J.P., of Potters Bar, by whom he had one daughter and one son; and secondly, in 1921, to Marie Louise, daughter of Axel Berndtson, of Stockholm, by whom he had one daughter.

His portrait, by Sir Oswald Birley, is in the Greenwich Collection.

Bibliography

• "Sir Charles M. Forbes" (Obituaries). The Times. Tuesday, 30 August, 1960. Issue 54863, col F, pg. 15.

Service Record

• The National Archives. ADM 196/45.