Admiral Sir Gerald C. Dickens, RN
Sir Gerald Charles Dickens Born October 13, 1879 - Died November 19, 1962A man who became very important for Holland during the war, was Rear-Admiral Gerald C. Dickens, who relieved Captain B.B. Schofield as Great Britain's naval attaché in The Hague in February 1940. Dickens had already spent most of his life in the navy, joining the naval college HMS Britannia in 1894. Retired in 1938, he was, like many other admirals, recommissioned in the Royal Navy with a lower rank, to serve in posts of lesser importance. During the German invasion of Holland, Dickens was the principal liaison to the Royal Navy. But this role did not end with the surrender on May 14. He evacuated to Britain by destroyer, where he was assigned as Principal Liaison Officer, Allied Navies. During this period, his efforts (and those of the Dutch naval attaché in London, Lt. Cdr. A. de Booy) were essential in forging a good working relationship between the Dutch and British Navy. After he was relieved by Vice-Admiral E.L.S. King in 1943, he became Flag Officer, Tunisia on March 20, 1943, and held this post until 1944. His assignment as Flag Officer, Netherlands came in September 1944. His responsibilities included sending much-needed supplies to Dutch ports to help the population. During September 1945, he resigned and was subsequently retired.
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Sources
"Who Was Who in World War II", Volume 6
J.S. Bax "Batterij gereed...Vuur!"
Ph.M. Bosscher "De Koninklijke Marine in de Tweede Wereldoorlog", vols. 1 and 3
London Gazette, March 16, 1945
Mark C. Jones "Friend and Advisor to the Allied Navies: The Royal Navy's Principal Liaison Officer and Multinational Naval Operations in World War II", The Journal of Military History. Volume 77, No.3, July 2013, pages 991-1023.
Thanks to Mark C. Jones and John Wilson for additional information
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