Vice-Admiral Sir Fabian Malbon, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Guernsey

Vice-Admiral Sir Fabian Malbon, who has died aged 79, became Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Guernsey after a successful naval career.

Fabian Malbon was born on October 1 1946 and educated in Brighton, Hove and Sussex Grammar School. He was fiercely proud of being a “grammar-school kid”, fond of saying: “There was no limit to what anyone could achieve.”

His school also had a strong Combined Cadet Force, led by bemedalled teachers as its officers. Malbon became the leading cadet in the Naval section, happily sailing wooden Heron dinghies between Brighton piers in often challenging weather, and he finished his final year as the senior cadet.

Years later he hosted a dinner for his CCF officers, when they and the school’s headmaster took huge pride that “their” boys included four admirals: Vice-Admiral Sir Anthony Dymock, Vice-Admiral Sir Peter Spencer, Rear-Admiral John Lippiett, and Malbon. Many years later, Malbon rounded off his association with the CCF by becoming the president of its national organisation (2003-08).​

Meanwhile, Malbon entered the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, in 1965. As a midshipman at sea and still under training he served in the then brand-new landing ship Fearless on a deployment to the Far East; she supported operations in Aden in 1966, and he spent some time in the Radfan mountains in Yemen with the Royal Marines. Later, Fearless extracted British troops from Swaziland through Durban, and she also visited Hiroshima just 20 years after the dropping of the first atomic bomb.

Returning to Dartmouth as senior sub-lieutenant in his final term, Malbon was awarded the Queen’s sword.

In 1969 Malbon joined the frigate Salisbury, where he was made the SLJO or “silly little jobs officer”. An early indication of his charm was observed at lunch in Oporto when he sat next to a Mr Cockburn, and the next day a case of port was delivered to the ship – wine which was promptly confiscated by the first lieutenant for the wardroom.

Malbon was first lieutenant of the minesweeper Glasserton, based at Portland from 1972 to 1973, before undertaking the year-long course to become a warfare officer and specialise in navigation; he was awarded a sextant as top student.

In 1974-76, during the Third Cod War, he was the navigator in the frigate Andromeda when the British attempted to protect fishing vessels from having their nets cut by Icelandic gunboats. On December 28 1975, the Icelandic Týr rammed Andromeda, causing superficial damage, and 10 days later, when the Thor rammed Andromeda, she was obliged to return to Devonport with a 12ft dent in her thin hull.

Malbon commanded the frigate Torquay (1982-84), briefly served in the “Mad House” – the MoD – in 1984, and was Commander Sea Training at Portland (1985-87). He commanded the frigate Brave (1987-88) and was Director of Naval Service Conditions in the MoD (1988-90), before attending the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1991.

Malbon commanded the aircraft carrier Invincible in 1992 and 1993, during Orient 92, a major deployment to the Far East which included exercises with other navies. In South Korea, after dinner with senior Korean officers ended with the expected toasts and speeches, the British officers were challenged at karaoke – and, when their repertoire began to fail, face was saved by Malbon’s rendition of his school’s anthem Absque Labore Nihil (Nothing Without Effort).

Invincible was one of the first major British warships to incorporate Wrens: there were 75 of them, who, Malbon recalled were “absolutely brilliant” manning the radars and radios in the operations room. Later, during the Bosnian War, Invincible and her Harrier jump-jets provided air-to-air combat, close air support and photo-reconnaissance over Bosnia-Herzegovina in 1993 as part of Operation Deny Flight.

Promoted to flag rank, in 1996-98 Malbon was Naval Secretary and chief executive of the Naval Manning Agency which had been newly rusticated from London to Portsmouth, and he was Deputy Commander-in-Chief Fleet from 1999 to 2001, when he was appointed KBE.

As Director of Tomorrow’s Personnel Management System, or TOPMAST (2001-02), Malbon led a team which endeavoured to address the future balance of naval staffing and careers, and to design a system which reconciled the fleet operational requirements with the individual’s professional training and personal needs. While recognising that operational demands could override any guarantee, TOPMAST aimed to offer approximately one year ashore for every two years at sea.

He claimed to have become Governor of Guernsey by answering an advertisement in The Daily Telegraph. His tenure, from 2005 to 2011, was happy and successful. He displayed impeccable judgment in dealing with UK government ministers and senior civil servants, but once briefed, he could be bold and decisive, while steadfastly maintaining the constitutional requirement that, as Her Majesty’s representative, he was not to involve himself in local political issues. The people of Guernsey, Alderney and Sark appreciated his excellent communication, his sense of fun, and the relaxed manner with which he supported local charities and associations.

In his second year as governor, he joined the annual charity walk around Guernsey’s coastline, walking half the 40-mile route. In his third year he did the entire walk, before being admitted to St Thomas’ in London three months later for a quadruple heart bypass. In his fourth year he was back on the annual walk, accomplishing half of it.

At other times he rode a scooter wearing a Guernsey sweater and a full-faced helmet, which allowed him to get out and about unnoticed. He also enjoyed photography and did work experience with the Guernsey press photographer, Adrian Miller. He hosted two royal visits, by the Princess Royal in 2007 and by the then Earl and Countess of Wessex in 2009.

He enjoyed meeting fishermen at the White Rock Café in St Peter Port – his visits were so frequent that some thought that it was an alternative seat of the island’s parliament. When he retired to live in Weymouth he helmed a fishing boat owned by scallop divers, who would leave him top-side while they were gathering scallops by hand: they loved having a retired aircraft carrier captain at the helm, and he dieted on king scallops.

In 2011-19 Malbon was second in a succession of three admirals who were chairman of the Union Jack Club. Joining the council in 2009, he worked hard with his predecessor and his successor to restore the club’s finances and turn it into first-class facilities for service men and women. He loved being in the club, engaging with its members, both serving and veteran, and was never happier than when at lunch or dinner with his colleagues on the board. They respected his light touch as chairman and shared his passion to make the club the best possible “home from home” for service personnel and their families.

Malbon was clear-sighted, straightforward, thoroughly professional, a much-admired leader who enjoyed life and ensured that those around him could share in his fun.

He married Susan Thomas in 1969; she survives him with their three sons.

Vice-Admiral Sir Fabian Malbon, born October 1 1946, died January 17 2026

[Source: Daily Telegraph]