William O'Brien (Royal Navy officer)

Admiral Sir William Donough O'Brien, KCB, DSC (13 November 1916 – 19 February 2016) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Western Fleet from 1970 to 1971.

Sir William O'Brien
Admiral Sir William O'Brien in 1970
Born(1916-11-13)13 November 1916
Faversham, Kent
Died19 February 2016(2016-02-19) (aged 99)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1930–1971
RankAdmiral
Commands heldWestern Fleet (1970–71)
Far East Fleet (1967–69)
Flag Officer, Aircraft Carriers (1966–67)
HMS Hermes (1961–64)
8th Destroyer Squadron (1958–59)
HMS Cheviot (1958–59)
HMS Manxman (1955–57)
HMS Venus (1948–49)
HMS Cottesmore (1943–44)
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (2)

Educated at the Royal Naval College Dartmouth, O'Brien was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1930.[1] He served in the Second World War, during which he served with the naval escort of the fateful PQ 17 convoy.[2]

In the early 1960s, O'Brien served as Director of Naval Plans at the Ministry of Defence under Lord Louis Mountbatten.[3] He was then appointed Naval Secretary in 1964.[4] He was appointed Flag Officer, Aircraft Carriers in 1966, Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet in 1967, and Commander-in-Chief of the Western Fleet in 1970.[1] He retired in 1971.[1]

Later life

In retirement, O'Brien became Chairman of the King George's Fund for Sailors.[1] In 1975 he was Chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889).[5] He became Chairman of the Kennet and Avon Canal and, after its re-opening by Queen Elizabeth II in 1990, he retired from this post.[6] He also held the posts of Rear-Admiral and then Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom. He died after a brief illness on 19 February 2016.[7]

Family

In 1943, O'Brien married Rita Micallef: they went on to have one son and two daughters.[1]

gollark: They covered the floor of their network floor in lava to prevent me from being there, even. I don't think they were very smart.
gollark: Just yesterday people were complaining lots about me merely hanging around their company's building. In Minecraft.
gollark: Something something survivorship bias, as they say.
gollark: Oh, I guess that makes more sense.
gollark: Anyway, this seems like a somewhat bad idea, since as far as my knowledge runs people mostly don't like you randomly doing things in their building to prove a point.

References
  1. Debrett's People of Today 1994
  2. Clarkson, Jeremy (2 January 2014). "PQ 17: An Arctic Convoy Disaster". BBC.
  3. Journal 20, Page 98 RAF Museum Historical Society
  4. Whitaker's Almanack 1965
  5. Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889).
  6. Day Out: From Cherhill to Devizes BBC News, 25 November 2009
  7. "O'Brien". The Telegraph. Retrieved 27 February 2016.
Military offices
Preceded by
John Hayes		 Naval Secretary
1964–1966		 Succeeded by
Anthony Griffin
Preceded by
Sir Frank Twiss		 Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet
1967–1969		 Succeeded by
Sir Derek Empson
Preceded by
Sir John Bush		 Commander-in-Chief Western Fleet
1970–1971		 Succeeded by
Sir Edward Ashmore
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Sir John Bush		 Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom
1979–1984		 Succeeded by
Sir Derek Empson
Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom
1984–1986
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