Promoted to the substantive rank of vice admiral on 12 April 1943, he was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath on 2 June 1943. Willis went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Levant in October 1943, in which capacity he conducted naval operations in the Aegean Sea in support of the Dodecanese Campaign, and then became Second Sea Lord in March 1944. In this capacity he arranged the manpower for the campaign in the Pacific Ocean against the Imperial Japanese Navy, earning promotion to full admiral on 16 October 1945. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 18 December 1945 and also awarded the Greek Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Phoenix with Swords, First Class and the Greek War Cross, Second Class. He was also twice mentioned in dispatches. Later career Willis became Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in April 1946, in which role he was faced with unrest in Mandatory Palestine but rewarded with advancement to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath on 12 June 1947. Appointed a Knight of the Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem on 5 January 1948, he became Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth in July 1948 and was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 20 March 1949 before retiring in 1950. He attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953. In retirement Willis lived in Petersfield in Hampshire. He became Deputy Lieutenant of Southampton and Chairman of the Trustees of the Imperial War Museum. He died at the Royal Naval Hospital, Haslar on 12 April 1976. Family In September 1916 Willis married Olive Christine Millar, daughter of Henry Edward Millar and sister of Violet Helen Millar (who married Clement Attlee): they had two daughters. References Sources External links Papers of Admiral Sir Algernon U. Willis held at Churchill Archives Centre Additional documents held by the National Archives |- |- |- |- 1889 births 1976 deaths People from Hampstead People from Petersfield Lords of the Admiralty Royal Navy officers of World War I Royal Navy personnel of the Russian Civil War Royal Navy admirals of World War II Royal Navy admirals of the fleet Knights Companion of the Order of the Bath Companions of the Distinguished Service Order Admiralty personnel of World War II Military personnel from London Graduates of the Royal Naval College, Greenwich