Nickname(s) Deric Years of service 1920–1966 Died 1977 Rank Admiral | Allegiance United Kingdom Name Deric Holland-Martin Service/branch Royal Navy | |
Admiral Sir Douglas Eric "Deric" Holland-Martin (10 April 1906 – 6 January 1977) was a Royal Navy officer who became the Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel.
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Naval career
Educated at West Downs School, Holland-Martin entered the Royal Naval College, Osborne, in 1920. He played cricket for the Royal Navy between 1928 and 1933.
On the outbreak of World War II he was executive officer of the destroyer HMS Tartar when his captain was taken ill and he was given the command. Later in the war he commanded the destroyers Holderness, Nubian and Faulknor.
After the war he became Naval attaché to Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. He was appointed Commander of the destroyer Agincourt in 1949 and then Director of Plans at the Admiralty in 1952. He took command of the aircraft carrier Eagle in 1954 and then became Flag Officer, Flotillas, Mediterranean in 1955.
He was made Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel in 1957 and Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet and NATO Commander Allied Forces Mediterranean in 1961. His final post was as Commandant of the Imperial Defence College in 1964. He retired in 1966.
In retirement he was appointed to the honorary post of Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom for a term and also served as a Deputy Lieutenant (DL) in Hereford and Worcester.
Family
In 1951 he married Rosamund Mary Hornby, daughter of St John Hornby. As Lady Holland-Martin she became chairman of the NSPCC and was appointed DBE in 1983 (however, she continued to style herself Lady Holland-Martin, rather than Dame Rosamund). The couple had a son and a daughter.