Background
The second son of Major J.C.A.
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Edmund Anstice
Edit Profileaviator navy officer Flag Officer
Education
On attachment to the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force (all naval aviation was under the control of the Royal Air Force at that time), he attended Number.
Career
Early life and training
Anstice, he joined the Royal Navy in August 1914, and was trained at the Royal Naval Colleges at Osborne and Dartmouth before seeing service in World War I. He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant on 15 January 1918. In 1919 he was stationed at HMS President while attending a course at Cambridge University, receiving promotion to lieutenant on 15 February 1920. Naval aviator
1 Flying Training School at Netheravon, Wiltshire, from June 1924 until January 1925 before being posted to Number.
462 Flight, Fleet Air Arm, aboard the aircraft carrier Furious in the Atlantic Fleet, receiving the Royal Air Force rank of flight lieutenant on 1 July 1927.
On 1 September 1927 he became Flight Commander of Number. 464 Flight, Federal Aviation Administration, aboard the carrier Courageous.
He was promoted to lieutenant commander on 15 February 1928, and in October 1929 transferred to the battlecruiser Renown. Anstice returned to Courageous in November 1930 to serve as Flight Commander of Number.
463 Flight for the next two years.
He was promoted to Navy commander on 31 December 1932, and to the Royal Air Force rank of squadron leader on 1 January 1933, and from 26 September was attached to the Directorate of Training at the Air Ministry. On 19 June 1936 he returned to Courageous once more, this time as Senior Federal Aviation Administration Officer and Squadron Aviation Officer, receiving promotion to wing commander on 1 July. On 28 July 1937 he was appointed Executive Officer of the heavy cruiser Shropshire in the Mediterranean Fleet, remaining there until receiving promotion to the rank of captain on 30 June 1939.
World World War II
Anstice spent the early part of World World War II, from October 1939, serving at the Admiralty, and was appointed Deputy Director of the Naval Air Division in February 1941.
He returned to sea duty in August 1942 serving briefly as Commanding Officer of the escort carrier Striker, before taking command of Fencer until 19 January 1944. Post-war flag officer
Anstice was appointed Commanding Officer of Royal Naval Air Station Lee-on-Solent (HMS Daedalus) as a commodore (2nd class) on 30 October 1945.
Promoted on 10 July 1948 to rear admiral, he served as Flag Officer of the Training Squadron, then from 26 August 1949 as Flag Officer of Flying Training based at Royal Naval Air Service Donibristle, Fife (HMS Merlin). Promoted to vice admiral on 15 September 1951, he served on the Board of Admiralty, as Fifth Sea Lord and Deputy Chief of Naval Staff (Air).
Vice Admiral Anstice retired on 16 September 1954.
He died on 30 August 1979.
Achievements
Membership
In November 1946 he was appointed Director of Naval Aviation Planning for the Royal Australian Navy, and in October 1947 as appointed to the newly created post of Fourth Member of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board to advise the board on all matters related to naval aviation.
