Cedric Holland

Cedric Swinton Holland CB (13 October 1889 – 11 May 1950) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the First and Second World Wars, rising to the rank of vice-admiral.

Holland was born the son of an admiral, and he followed his father into the navy, rising through the ranks and serving on a number of ships. He was serving at the rank of lieutenant on a cruiser at the start of the First World War. He saw out the war aboard battleships in home water and the Mediterranean, punctuated with time ashore, and with a special interest in signalling and naval communications. He was promoted to lieutenant-commander after the war, and was in the Mediterranean during the Turkish War of Independence. He graduated to his own commands shortly after, commanding a cruiser on the China Station, then a destroyer in the Mediterranean. He became a naval attaché in Paris shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, and remained in the position until April 1940.

Recalled to Britain at the fall of France, Holland assumed command of the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, which he commanded during several actions and operations. He was prominent in the negotiations in the run up to the Attack on Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, when the French fleet refused to agree to terms to either surrender or disarm to keep their fleet out of German hands. Holland left Ark Royal in 1941 to become chief of staff to Lord Gort, and later director of naval communications at the Admiralty. He spent the last years of the war as principal administrative officer with the Eastern Fleet, having been promoted to rear-admiral and then vice-admiral. His distinguished service brought him a number of accolades; he was twice Mentioned in Despatches, was appointed a Commander of the Legion of Merit, a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy and a Companion of the Bath. Holland retired from naval service in 1946, and died in 1950.