Admiral of the Fleet Sir George Astley Callaghan (21 December 1852 – 23 November 1920) was an officer in the Royal Navy. During the Boxer Rebellion he served as commander of a naval brigade sent ashore to form an element of a larger expedition under Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred Gaselee: the expedition entered Peking and rescued the legations which had been held hostage there. He came to prominence again when, as Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet, he assisted with the provision of aid to survivors of the Messina earthquake, which had caused the loss of approximately 123,000 lives.
Callaghan became Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet in November 1911 and was advised in December 1913 that his tenure would be extended for another twelve months. With increasing international tension he started preparing his fleet for war. At the outbreak of the First World War in July 1914, Callaghan set sail in his flagship for his war station at Scapa Flow. There he met his successor-designate Sir John Jellicoe who had received orders from First Lord of the Admiralty Winston Churchill to relieve the ageing Callaghan of command of his fleet. Callaghan was bitterly disappointed not to command his fleet in the war he had completely readied it for. He went on to be Commander-in-Chief, The Nore.
Naval career
Early career
Born the grandson of Daniel Callaghan MP, and the son of Captain Frederic Marcus Callaghan (an Irish landowner) and Georgina Frances Callaghan (née Hodgson), Callaghan joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in the training ship in January 1866. Promoted to midshipman on 15 October 1867, he joined the screw frigate at Liverpool later that month. He then transferred to the corvette on the East Indies Station in October 1870. he joined the corvette on the East Indies Station in June 1877. he became executive officer in the battleship , flagship of the North America and West Indies Station in 1888. he became naval advisor to the Inspector-General of Fortifications at the War Office later that year.
Higher rank
thumb|left|The carnage after the [[1908 Messina earthquake|Messina earthquake; Callaghan assisted with the provision of aid to survivors]]
Callaghan became commanding officer of the cruiser and commanded her in manoeuvres in Summer 1901 before becoming commanding officer of the battleship on the Mediterranean Station in December 1901. He was appointed naval aide-de-camp to the King on 25 April 1904. Promoted to rear-admiral on 1 July 1905, he became Second-in-Command, Channel Fleet, with his flag in the battleship , in 1906 and commander of the 5th Cruiser Squadron, with his flag in the armoured cruiser , in 1907. he went on to be Second-in-Command of the Mediterranean Fleet with his flag in the battleship in 1908. and appointed a Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy on 15 April 1912. Promoted to vice-admiral on 27 April 1910, he became Second-in-Command of the Home Fleet, with his flag in the battleship later that month.
Callaghan became Commander-in-Chief of the Home Fleet, with his flag in the battleship and with the acting rank of admiral in November 1911. and, after a separate visit by the President Raymond Poincaré of France in 1913, he was also awarded the Grand Cordon of the French Legion of Honour. He was promoted to the substantive rank of full admiral on 17 May 1913 and was advised in December 1913 that his tenure would be extended for another twelve months. With increasing international tension he started preparing his fleet for war. and became Commander-in-Chief, The Nore in January 1915. and was promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 2 April 1917.
Retirement and Later Life
Callaghan retired in March 1918 and became King of Arms of the Order of the Bath in May 1919.
He was a member of the Bath and County Club.
thumb|right|Sir George Callaghan as Second-in-Command of the [[Home Fleet]]
Family
In 1876, Callaghan married Edith Saumarez; they had one son and three daughters.