Alban Curteis retired after a demanding sequence that included the Home Fleet, Operation Harpoon, and the America and West Indies Station. The Navy had only a limited number of appointments at each flag rank, so retaining every admiral would block promotion for officers proving themselves below. There was no obvious higher wartime post for Curteis. The accumulated strain of those commands had probably exhausted him as well. His case ties retirement to personal stamina and the need to renew the senior command pool.
Notable Point · 19:29-20:32
Retirement kept flag-rank promotion moving
Finite flag appointments meant worn-out senior officers sometimes had to leave so successful officers below them could advance.