Admiral Sir Archibald Berkeley Milne, 2nd Baronet, GCVO, KCB (2 June 1855 – 4 July 1938) was a senior Royal Navy officer who commanded the Mediterranean Fleet at the outbreak of the First World War.
Milne was the son of distinguished admiral Sir Alexander Milne, 1st Baronet, and grandson of Vice-Admiral Sir David Milne. In 1879 he became aide-de-camp to Lord Chelmsford during the Zulu Wars, being fortunate enough to have been separated from the main army at the time of the massacre of British forces at the Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January 1879.
In 1891 with the rank of captain he accepted command of HMY Osborne, despite the normal rank for the officer in charge of such a ship being only 'commander'. While some officers only accepted short postings to royal yachts, fearing the effect on their careers of sinecure postings, Milne regarded it as a career path to flag rank. After a regular command of the cruiser Venus, which served on the Mediterranean Station, he was in December 1900 appointed in command of the pre-dreadnought battleship HMS Jupiter, of the Channel Fleet. In October 1902, he was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to the King. He was back in royal service when he became flag officer commanding H. M. Yachts from April 1903 to 1905, being promoted to rear admiral in 1904. During this time, he became a friend of King Edward VII and of Queen Alexandra, who called him "Arky-Barky". His hobbies were described as collecting rare orchids and entertaining royal ladies. Milne enjoyed the formal atmosphere of service in the royal squadron, with its emphasis on ceremony, spit and polish.
His next posting was as second in command of the Atlantic Fleet until 1906. From 1908 to 1910 Milne commanded the 2nd Division of the Home Fleets. Milne was made a full Admiral in 1911 and made Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet in November 1912. The appointment was made by Winston Churchill, First Lord of the Admiralty, taking into consideration the views of the King George V. Admiral Fisher, former First Sea Lord deplored Milne's appointment to such an important post, accusing Churchill of having betrayed the navy. At the outset of the First World War, the Mediterranean Fleet consisted of three dreadnought battle cruisers, four large armoured cruisers, four light cruisers and 16 destroyers.
When elected listed as: Captain Sir Archib ald B Milne