The North American Station was an area of operation of the UK's Royal Navy's squadron stationed in North American waters from at least 1792 until the 1950s. During some periods of 19th century the North American Station was combined with the West Indies station.
The main role of the station was to keep the trade routes open to North America and the Caribbean. Generally, several cruisers and smaller ships were kept on this station. During war time the squadron operated in cooperation with the Royal Canadian Navy.
In 1910, the Royal Navy in North American waters was replaced by the Royal Canadian Navy, and the station headquarters shifted south to Bermuda. In 1926 the appointment was redesignated Commander-in-Chief, America and West Indies, which was the title until the 1950s. The station covered the area from southern Brazil to Greenland during World War II. Its Commander-in-Chief, Vice Admiral Sir William G. Andrewes, was the initial Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic after World War II (circa 1952 and afterwards).1 On 29 October 1956, the command became Senior Naval Officer West Indies (SNOWI), which was finally disbanded on 1 April 1976. SNOWI served as Island Commander Bermuda in the NATO chain of command, reporting to Commander-in-Chief, Western Atlantic as part of SACLANT.2
From c.1931-33 - at least 1939 the South American Division of the station was active, under Commodore R.H.O. Lane-Poole, O.B.E., R.N., on formation, and then Commodore Henry Harwood at the Battle of the River Plate.
^ Sean M. Maloney, 'To Secure Command of the Sea: NATO Command Organization and Naval Planning for the Cold War at Sea, 1945-54,' MA thesis, University of New Brunswick, 1991, p.198 and Chapter 4 generally, and http://www.bermuda-online.org/rnd.htm.
^ Stout, Neil R. The Royal Navy in America, 1760-1775: A Study of Enforcement of British Colonial Policy in the Era of the American Revolution. Naval Institute Press, Annapolis, MD, 1973, p.199 via Gaspee Virtual Archives: Research Notes on Admiral John Montagu
