Cedric Swinton Holland CB (13 October 1889 – 11 May 1950) was an officer of the Royal Navy who saw service during the First and Second World Wars, rising to the rank of vice-admiral.

He saw out the war aboard battleships in home water and the Mediterranean, punctuated with time ashore, and with a special interest in signalling and naval communications.

His distinguished service brought him a number of accolades; he was twice Mentioned in Despatches, was appointed a Commander of the Legion of Merit, a Knight of the Order of the Crown of Italy and a Companion of the Bath.

[4][5][6] He served at this rank aboard the armoured cruiser HMS Shannon, part of the Grand Fleet, based at Scapa Flow.

[4] Holland served as flag lieutenant to Rear-Admiral Mark Kerr aboard HMS Queen between June 1916 and May 1917, during her time in the Mediterranean as flagship of the British Squadron in the Adriatic.

[8] He continued an active career at sea, being promoted to lieutenant-commander on 31 August 1919 and serving as Squadron Wireless Officer aboard HMS Revenge, based in the Mediterranean in 1920 during the Turkish War of Independence.

[4] Ark Royal participated in a number of key theatres of the war, and Holland commanded it during Operation Alphabet, the transport of troops from Narvik to Britain, numerous convoy escort missions through the Mediterranean, bombing raids on the Italian mainland, and the search for the German raiders Scharnhorst and Gneisenau.

Twenty minutes after his arrival the British attacked, sinking several ships, badly damaging others and causing the death of 1300 French seamen.

He was promoted to rear-admiral on 6 February 1942, early in this posting, and on stepping down as director, became principal administrative officer for the navy in South-East Asia.

[4] During his time in the Far East he was involved in planning and carrying out Operation Tiderace, the re-occupation of Singapore, flying his flag aboard HMS Sussex.

[4] The American government appointed him a Commander of the Legion of Merit for 'distinguished services to the Allied Cause', and he was invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1945.