Ships
- HMS Phoebe (43) Commander from 17 September 1941 · Relieved on 10 March 1942
Frank Arthur Ballance had HMS Phoebe from 17 September 1941 until 10 March 1942. He was a commander. She was under repair in the United States for most of that time, after the torpedo hit off Bardia on 27 August 1941. Captain Charles Peter Frend relieved him on 10 March 1942. He died on 6 February 1978.
Unithistories and uboat.net both give his birth as 16 November 1902 and his death as 6 February 1978. Neither page gives a birthplace or a place of death. He married Marie Arundell Maitland on 21 June 1930.
Unithistories says he entered the Royal Navy on 15 May 1916. The same table gives lieutenant on 15 November 1924, lieutenant-commander on 15 November 1932, commander on 30 June 1939, captain on 30 June 1943, and rear admiral on 8 January 1953, with retirement on 21 November 1956. Earlier appointments on that page are printed only as gaps. He was a commander when he joined Phoebe.
Uboat.net lists Guy Grantham as commanding officer from 10 June 1940 until 17 September 1941, and Ballance from that day until 10 March 1942. The command lines use those dates. Unithistories compiles him as commanding officer from 4 October 1939 until January 1942, and then as executive officer until about April 1942. The October 1939 date is not used. Phoebe was not completed until September 1940, and Grantham is the officer named for the ship through 17 September 1941. The Greek withdrawal of April 1941 and the Bardia torpedo of 27 August 1941 fall in Grantham's time on the uboat.net list. Unithistories dates a mention in despatches to 11 November 1941 for the Greek withdrawal.
After Phoebe, the same compilation has a blank for June 1942, then executive officer of HMS Gosling, the new-entry establishment at Risley, from 1 July 1942 until about June 1943. Another blank is marked for August 1943. From 16 August 1943 until 1944 he was naval assault group commander of Group J1. In 1944 he was senior officer of Assault Group G2 for Operation Neptune, and the Distinguished Service Order dated 14 November 1944 is attached to that duty, with the investiture on 1 May 1945. From 31 July 1944 until about July 1945 he was Deputy Director of Radio Equipment (R) at the Admiralty.
He was promoted rear admiral on 8 January 1953 and made a Companion of the Bath in the Coronation List of 1 June 1953, invested on 7 July 1953. He retired on 21 November 1956. He died on 6 February 1978.