Early career Born the son of Edward John Power and Harriet Maud Power (née Windeler), Power joined the training ship
HMS Britannia as a
cadet in 1904 and, having won the King's medal as best cadet of his year, he was promoted to
midshipman on 15 September 1905. He was promoted to acting
sub-lieutenant on 15 January 1909 and to
lieutenant on 15 April 1910 on his appointment to the
battlecruiser HMS Indomitable in the
Home Fleet. Power served as a gunnery officer throughout the
First World War, initially in the
battleship HMS Magnificent, then in the
cruiser HMS Royal Arthur and next in the
monitor HMS Raglan. After the war Power joined the directing staff at HMS
Excellent. he became an assistant to the Director in the Naval Ordnance Department at the
Admiralty in January 1923 and, after attending the
Royal Naval Staff College, he became Executive Officer on
HMS Hood, flagship of the battlecruiser squadron in the
Atlantic Fleet in 1925. he joined the Ordnance Committee at the
Royal Arsenal. He went on to be commanding officer of the
aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal in September 1937, and in that capacity, also became Flag Captain to the Flag Officer commanding aircraft carriers in the Home Fleet in July 1939. he became commander of the
15th Cruiser Squadron in the
Mediterranean Fleet with his flag in the cruiser in August 1942. he led the planning for the
Allied invasion of Italy and then commanded the naval forces for the actual landing of
V Corps at
Taranto in September 1943. Power became commander of the 1st Battle Squadron and second in command of the
Eastern Fleet with his flag in the battlecruiser in January 1944.
Later career Power was appointed a
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire on 1 January 1946 and became
Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel in February 1946. Promoted to full
admiral on 6 May 1946, he proceeded to manage the run-down in naval manpower after the War. he became
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in September 1950. and was double-hatted as
NATO Allied Commander-in-Chief, Channel and Southern North Sea Command from 1952. and was promoted to
Admiral of the Fleet on 22 April 1952. Power retired in September 1952 and became a
Deputy Lieutenant of
Southampton on 27 April 1953 shortly before attending the
coronation of
Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953. He died at the
Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar on 28 January 1960. ==Family==