Sir James Eberle

Admiral Sir James Henry Fuller Eberle, GCB (31 May 1927 – 17 May 2018) was a senior officer in the Royal Navy who served as Commander-in-Chief Fleet from 1979 until 1981.

Educated at Clifton College and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, Eberle was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1941. He served in the Second World War.

Eberle was promoted to rear admiral in 1971 and was appointed Assistant Chief of Fleet Support the following year. He became Flag Officer Sea Training in 1974, Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers and Amphibious Ships in 1975 and Chief of Fleet Support in 1977. He was promoted to vice admiral on 25 January 1977, and to full admiral on 4 May 1979 as he was appointed Commander-in-Chief Fleet. He then became Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command in 1981, and retired in 1982.

In retirement Eberle became Director of the Royal Institute for International Affairs. He was also Rear Admiral and then Vice-Admiral of the United Kingdom and became Master of the Britannia Beagles hunt.

In 1950 Eberle married Ann Patricia Thompson; they went on to have one son, Peter, and two daughters, Susan and Sarah. Eberle died in May 2018 at the age of 90.