| Honorific Prefix: | Sir |
| John Edelsten | |
| Birth Date: | 12 May 1891[1] |
| Death Date: | 10 February 1966 |
| Birth Place: | Enfield, Middlesex, England |
| Death Place: | Liphook, Hampshire |
| Allegiance: |  United Kingdom |
| Rank: | Admiral |
| Commands: | 1st Battle Squadron 4th Cruiser Squadron Mediterranean Fleet Portsmouth Command |
| Battles: | World War II |
| Awards: | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
Admiral Sir John Hereward Edelsten (12 May 1891 – 10 February 1966) was a senior Royal Navy officer who went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth.[2]
Edelsten was born 12 May 1891 in Enfield, Middlesex, England the third son to John Jackson Edelsten and Jessica Gooding.[3] John Jackson Edelsten owned a tea broker business.[4]
Edelsten joined the Royal Navy in 1908.[5] He served in World War I and then became Deputy Director of Plans in 1938.[5]
He also served in World War II initially as Senior Naval Officer during operations against Italian Somaliland before becoming chief of staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station in 1941.[5] He was made Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff (U-boat Warfare and Trade) in 1942 and Rear Admiral (Destroyers) for the British Pacific Fleet in 1945.[5]
After the War he commanded 1st Battle Squadron and then 4th Cruiser Squadron before becoming Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in 1947.[5] He was made Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in 1950; this post was dual hatted from 1952 as NATO Commander Allied Forces Mediterranean.[5]
In this capacity he conducted a two-day visit to Israel. His last post was as Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth and NATO Allied Naval Commander-in-Chief, Channel Command in 1952; he retired in 1954.[5]
He was also First and Principal Naval Aide-de-Camp to the Queen from 1953 to 1954.
Edelsten was appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order in the 1953 Coronation Honours.
On 14 December 1926, Edelsten married Frances Anne Hoile Masefield at the Holy Trinity Church in London.[6] Frances was born 14 October 1900 in Broughty Ferry, Forfarshire, Scotland to Henry Valentine Masefield and Caroline Gordon.[6]
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