This book should be widely read because it explains exactly why the quality of RN officers made the Royal Navy dominant in two World Wars. One of the mysteries of military history is why so few can name senior naval officers, who made significant contributions to the war effort, but know the names of land forces commanders who often made rather less effective contributions. – Most Highly Recommended
NAME: Churchill's Admiral in Two World Wars, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Keyes of Zeebrugge & Dover FILE: R3246 AUTHOR: Jim Crossley PUBLISHER: Pen & Sword BINDING: hard back PRICE: £25.00 GENRE: Non Fiction SUBJECT: Royal Navy, RN Officers, sailing warships, destroyers, coastal forces, commando raids, Zeebrugge Raid, submarines, WWI, World War I, World War One, First World War, The Great War, WWII, World War II, World War 2, World War Two, Second World War, Gallipoli, strategies, tactics, naval warfare ISBN: 1-52674-839-8 PAGES: 200 IMAGE: B3246.jpg BUYNOW: tinyurl.com/y4cl3fmr LINKS: DESCRIPTION: This book should be widely read because it explains exactly why the quality of RN officers made the Royal Navy dominant in two World Wars. One of the mysteries of military history is why so few can name senior naval officers, who made significant contributions to the war effort, but know the names of land forces commanders who often made rather less effective contributions. – Most Highly Recommended
Roger Keyes was typical of Royal Navy officers of the 19th and 20th Century. The Royal Navy was supreme after the Napoleonic Wars and so much was expected of its officers. In this environment, Roger Keyes rose to the highest service rank of Admiral of the Fleet. His record during WWI was outstanding and he was amongst the first to hurl themselves against the enemy. He was a senior officer during the Gallipoli Campaign, was a senior commander of the Dover Patrol and both planned and led the impressive Zeebrugge Raid, the first commando raid, to be emulated, under his guidance, by others during WWII.
Keyes was never a politician but he did form a strong association with Winston Churchill that survived Keyes’ total lack of political acumen and his intemperate language. He was never afraid to criticise failings in others where he believed it necessary.
At the start of WWII, he begged for an active command. Churchill recognized the Keyes was too old for active command at sea and he understood the dangers of Keyes’ brutal honesty which was likely to make him very unpopular in official circles. However, Churchill also saw Keyes strengths and the two men maintained their personal friendship and admiration.
The author has told the story honestly and sympathetically and it is a very worthy story, supported by an interesting photo-plate section.