Royal Naval College, Greenwich

The Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was a Royal Navy training establishment between 1873 and 1998, providing courses for naval officers. It was the home of the Royal Navy's staff college, which provided advanced training for officers. The equivalent in the British Army was the Staff College, Camberley and the equivalent in the Royal Air Force was the RAF Staff College, Bracknell.HistoryThe Royal Naval College, Greenwich, was founded by an Order in Council dated 16 January 1873. The establishment of its officers consisted of a President, who was always a Flag Officer; a Captain, Royal Navy; a Director of Studies; and Professors of Mathematics, Physical Science, Chemistry, Applied Mechanics, and Fortification. It was to take in officers who were already Sub-Lieutenants and to operate as "the university of the Navy". The Director of Studies, a civilian, was in charge of an Academic Board, while the Captain of the College was a naval officer who acted as chief of staff.The Royal Naval War College, which had been established at Portsmouth in November 1900, transferred its activities to the college at Greenwich in 1914. During the First World War the Royal Naval College was requisitioned as a barracks and for scientific experiments. The training of officers was not resumed until 1919.On 30 October 1939 the college began to train officers of the Women's Royal Naval Service. During the Second World War, the College increased the number of officers of both sexes trained for an expanded Navy. The College's major task was the training of fighting officers and around 35,000 men and women graduated during that period. In 1943, the beautifully floored and panelled "Admiral's House" on the north wing of King Charles Court was damaged by a direct hit from a German bomb; another hit the front of the building.