Fleet in January 1945 and was awarded the United States Legion of Merit for his actions. He was also invited to attend the signing of the Japanese Instrument of Surrender in the USS Missouri on 2 September 1945. After the War Le Fanu served on the experimental staff at the shore establishment HMS Excellent and in 1948 he became executive officer in the cruiser HMS Superb. He was promoted to captain on 30 June 1949 and became Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord at the Admiralty. He was given command of the frigate as Captain (F) of the Third Training Squadron in October 1951, and returned to the Admiralty to join the staff of the Chief Scientist in 1952. He attended the Imperial Defence College in 1953 and became commanding officer of the training establishment HMS Ganges at Harwich in December 1954. He was given command of the aircraft carrier in February 1957 and was promoted to rear admiral on 7 July 1958 on appointment as Director-General, Weapons at the Admiralty. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1960 Birthday Honours. He became Flag Officer Second in Command Far East Fleet in July 1960 and was promoted to vice admiral on 25 October 1961 on appointment as Controller of the Navy. Advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1963 Birthday Honours and promoted to full admiral on 29 September 1965, he became Commander-in-Chief, Middle East in December 1965. In that role he served as Joint Commander of the three services in the Middle East during the evacuation of British Nationals during the Aden Emergency. Advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1968 New Year Honours, Le Fanu became First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff in August 1968. In the face of economic difficulties he worked hard to reshape the Navy as an anti-submarine force operating primarily in the Atlantic Ocean. He was nominated for the post of Chief of the Defence Staff but never held the office because he was suddenly discovered to be terminally ill with Chronic Lymphocytic Leukaemia (CLL). He was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 3 July 1970, on his retirement, and died in London on 28 November 1970. Family In 1943 Le Fanu married Prudence Grace Morgan, daughter of Admiral Sir Llewellyn Vaughan