The Plans Division was the former war preparation and wartime strategic planning arm of the Admiralty Department from 1917 to 1964, The division originally became the main policy advisory and formulating body to the Chief of the Naval Staff. It later came under the supervision of the Assistant-Chief of the Naval staff (Policy).
When it transferred to the Navy Department (Ministry of Defence) it was renamed the Plans and Resources Division until 1971 it then became the Directorate of Naval Plans.
History
The Plans Division was established on 28 September 1917 it evolved out of the earlier Plans Section (Section 16) of the Operations Division of the Naval Staff. Admiral Sir John Jellicoe, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff whose view was that plans and operations as functions should be separate and distinct. The division existed until 1964 when the Admiralty department was abolished and its functions merged within a new Ministry of Defence and re-emerged as the Plans and Resources Division that was headed by the Director of Plans and Resources.
Responsibilities
The Plans Division would cover a far wider remit than devising the making of operational plans. Long-term policy in regards to the composition of all commands, fleets and squadrons were within its responsibility, continual projecting of naval construction programs were also another duty, however the procedures for planning was always in a constant state of modification due to the significance of changes from one aspect of the war at sea to another.
The business of the plans division was also closely coordinated with that of the Intelligence Division as vital information about the enemy's perceived intentions or actions adversely affected both the preparation of and execution of all plans. This usually consisted of the day-to-day, even hour-to-hour communiques, reports and assessments regarding the actions and movements of every one of the enemy's assets. The scale and complexity was enormous in that it had to cover all the oceans and seas of the world, and that it might affect every British and Allied warships and merchantmen at sea this information in turn passed to the division who had to anticipate and plan contingencies for these types of changes.
Although the division prepared all naval plans the director was also a member of the (Joint Planning Committee) that included the directors of plans from the Army and Air force, they collectively advised the Chiefs of Staff on all inter-Service planning problems. Only a low percentage of plans created received, for one reason or another, the Board of Admiralty's and First Sea Lord's approval; however strategic planning to anticipate every conceivable outcome had to be conducted, because a sudden requirement for an emergency plan might arise, this was particularly the case during both world wars.
Directors duties
As of 1917: Preparation of naval plans at home and abroad. Consideration of and proposals for the use of new weapons and material. Building programmes to cut out approved policy Liaise with Director Operations Division before submission of proposals to (C.N.S.) and (D.C.N.S.).
Directors of Plans
Included: Rear-Admiral Roger J. B. Keyes, September 1917-January 1918 Captain Cyril Fuller, January 1918-May 1920 Captain Barry E. Domvile, May 1920-May 1922 Captain Arthur Dudley P. R. Pound, May 1922-March 1925 Captain Wilfrid A. Egerton, March 1925-January 1928 Captain Roger M. Bellairs, January 1928-December 1930 Captain John H. D. Cunningham, December 1930-December 1932 Captain Henry R. Moore, December 1932-November 1933 Captain Edward L. S. King, November 1933-August 1935 Captain Tom S. V. Phillips, August 1935-April 1938 Captain Victor Danckwerts, April 1938–March 1940 Captain Charles S. Daniel, March 1940-July 1941 Captain E. Gerald H. Bellars, July 1941-March 1942 Captain Charles E. Lambe, March 1942-April 1944 Captain Guy Grantham, April 1944-January 1946 Captain John F. Stevens, January 1946-January 1948 Captain Thomas M. Brownrigg, January 1948-January 1950 Captain R. Dymock Watson, January 1950-April 1952 Captain Deric Holland-Martin, April 1952-November 1953 Captain Hector C.D. MacLean, November 1953-January 1956 Captain E. Duncan G. Lewin, January 1956-December 1957 Captain Richard M. Smeeton, December 1957-April 1959 Captain John F. D. Bush, April 1959-November 1960 Captain Edward B. Ashmore, November 1960-December 1961 Captain Andrew M. Lewis, December 1961-September 1963 Captain Peter W. B. Ashmore, September 1963-January 1966