George Atkinson-Willes

Admiral Sir George Lambart Atkinson-Willes KCB (13 July 1847–25 December 1921) was a Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station.

Naval career

Educated at Leamington College and at Burney's Royal Naval Academy in Gosport, Atkinson-Willes joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1861 and took part in the Abyssinian Expedition in 1868.

Promoted to Captain in 1886, he commanded HMS Comus, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Agamemnon, HMS Hero and then HMS Howe. He was appointed commodore commanding the Training Squadron in 1895 and then commanded the Dockyard Reserve at Chatham from 1898. In 1901 he assumed the additional surname of Willes in compliance with the will of his uncle Admiral Sir George Ommanney Willes. Later the same year he was promoted to rear admiral, and in May 1902 he became Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet. He hoisted his flag on board the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Resolution on 7 May 1902, as his flagship during the Coronation Fleet Review for King Edward VII. After the end of the maneuvers, he transferred on 16 September to HMS Empress of India, which became flagship to the Home Squadron, the permanent sea-going nucleus of the Home Fleet. The following year, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief, East Indies Station. He was at the head of a squadron of three ships which took part in the Somaliland Campaign in 1904. He retired in 1912.