Commander-in-Chief, Western Approaches

Admiral Martin Dunbar-Nasmith, who had been Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth, also took over responsibility for the Western Approaches from the start of World War II. After the fall of France in June 1940, the main North Atlantic convoy routes were diverted around the north of Ireland through the north-western approaches. By late 1940, the location of the Combined Operations headquarters at Plymouth was increasingly awkward and the decision was taken to move the Combined Operations headquarters to Liverpool. Derby House was designated HMS Eaglet; shore establishments were often given ship ("stone frigate") names to meet the requirement that their Navy personnel be borne upon the books of a…