Andrew Gordon (naval historian)
Encyclopedia
Andrew Gordon is a British naval historian
.
Dr. Gordon has a BSc in Economics from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
and a PhD in War Studies from King's College London
, University of London
. Gordon is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
and worked as consultant during the drafting of British Maritime Doctrine (BR 1806), and Fighting Instructions. He was formerly a Lieutenant Commander at HMS President, the London unit of the Royal Naval Reserve
, and works as the Conservative Party
's researcher on naval matters. Currently he is on loan to the United States Naval Academy from his position as reader in maritime history at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham, near Swindon.
At present, he is writing a biography of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay
. He is best known for his 1996 book The Rules of the Game, a critical study of the Grand Fleet
's leadership during the Battle of Jutland
.
History Today
magazine in summer 2006, published an article by Brian James describing how three military historians, Drs Christina Goulter
and Gary Sheffield
as well as Dr Gordon, who teach on the higher command and staff course at Shrivenham have concluded that it was the Royal Navy, and not the RAF, that prevented a German invasion in 1940. The article quotes Andrew Gordon stating "It really is time to put away this enduring myth. To claim that Germany failed to invade in 1940 because of what was done by phenomenally brave and skilled young men of Fighter Command is hogwash. The Germans stayed away because while the Royal Navy existed they had not a hope in hell of capturing these islands. The navy had ships in sufficient numbers to have overwhelmed any invasion fleet." This article did, not unexpectedly, raise some controversy at time of publication. Gordon later issued a rebuttal, arguing that his holistic view of British defences had been seriously misrepresented.
Naval history
Naval history is the area of military history concerning war at sea and the subject is also a sub-discipline of the broad field of maritime history....
.
Dr. Gordon has a BSc in Economics from the University of Wales, Aberystwyth
University of Wales, Aberystwyth
Aberystwyth University is a university located in Aberystwyth, Wales. Aberystwyth was a founding Member Institution of the former federal University of Wales. As of late 2006, the university had over 12,000 students spread across seventeen academic departments.The university was founded in 1872 as...
and a PhD in War Studies from King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
. Gordon is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society
Royal Historical Society
The Royal Historical Society was founded in 1868. The premier society in the United Kingdom which promotes and defends the scholarly study of the past, it is based at University College London...
and worked as consultant during the drafting of British Maritime Doctrine (BR 1806), and Fighting Instructions. He was formerly a Lieutenant Commander at HMS President, the London unit of the Royal Naval Reserve
Royal Naval Reserve
The Royal Naval Reserve is the volunteer reserve force of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. The present Royal Naval Reserve was formed in 1958 by merging the original Royal Naval Reserve and the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve , a reserve of civilian volunteers founded in 1903...
, and works as the Conservative Party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
's researcher on naval matters. Currently he is on loan to the United States Naval Academy from his position as reader in maritime history at the Joint Services Command and Staff College at Shrivenham, near Swindon.
At present, he is writing a biography of Admiral Sir Bertram Ramsay
Bertram Ramsay
Admiral Sir Bertram Home Ramsay KCB, KBE, MVO was a British admiral during World War II. He was an important contributor in the field of amphibious warfare.-Early life:...
. He is best known for his 1996 book The Rules of the Game, a critical study of the Grand Fleet
British Grand Fleet
The Grand Fleet was the main fleet of the British Royal Navy during the First World War.-History:It was formed in 1914 by the British Atlantic Fleet combined with the Home Fleet and it included 35-40 state-of-the-art capital ships. It was initially commanded by Admiral Sir John Jellicoe...
's leadership during the Battle of Jutland
Battle of Jutland
The Battle of Jutland was a naval battle between the British Royal Navy's Grand Fleet and the Imperial German Navy's High Seas Fleet during the First World War. The battle was fought on 31 May and 1 June 1916 in the North Sea near Jutland, Denmark. It was the largest naval battle and the only...
.
History Today
History Today
History Today is an illustrated history magazine. Published monthly in London since January 1951, it is the world's leading, and possibly oldest, history magazine. Its successful mission has always been to present serious and authoritative history to as wide a public as possible...
magazine in summer 2006, published an article by Brian James describing how three military historians, Drs Christina Goulter
Christina Goulter
Dr Christina Goulter is a New Zealand-born and educated British military historian who is currently a senior lecturer in the Defence Studies Department of King's College London...
and Gary Sheffield
Gary Sheffield (historian)
Professor Gary Sheffield is an English academic at the University of Birmingham and a military historian. He has published widely, especially on the First World War, and contributes to many newspapers, journals and magazines. He frequently broadcasts on television and radio.Sheffield studied...
as well as Dr Gordon, who teach on the higher command and staff course at Shrivenham have concluded that it was the Royal Navy, and not the RAF, that prevented a German invasion in 1940. The article quotes Andrew Gordon stating "It really is time to put away this enduring myth. To claim that Germany failed to invade in 1940 because of what was done by phenomenally brave and skilled young men of Fighter Command is hogwash. The Germans stayed away because while the Royal Navy existed they had not a hope in hell of capturing these islands. The navy had ships in sufficient numbers to have overwhelmed any invasion fleet." This article did, not unexpectedly, raise some controversy at time of publication. Gordon later issued a rebuttal, arguing that his holistic view of British defences had been seriously misrepresented.
Work
- British Sea power and Procurement between the Wars: a Reappraisal of Rearmament, Basingstoke: Macmillan Press, 1988
- The Rules of the Game: Jutland and British Naval Command, London: John Murray, 1996, paperback 2000.