Guy Russell
Encyclopedia
Admiral
Sir Guy Herbrand Edward Russell GBE
, KCB
, DSO
(14 April 1898 – 25 September 1975) was a British
naval commander.
. Educated at Stonehouse School, Russell entered the Royal Navy
in 1911 and attended Royal Naval College, Osborne
and Dartmouth
. During World War I
, he went to sea as a midshipman
aboard HMS Implacable
, which supported the Dardanelles landings
. He would later serve aboard Royal Oak during the Battle of Jutland
, and was mentioned in despatches for his war service.
Russell saw service on a variety of ships, destroyer
s, cruiser
s, battleship
s, shore training establishments, and on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean, before his relatively early promotion to commander
in 1931. This well-rounded record was combined with a reputation for adaptiveness and innovation. He completed the naval staff course at Royal Naval College, Greenwich in 1931 and became executive officer
of Queen Elizabeth, flagship of the Mediterranean fleet under Sir William Fisher
. Russell continued to excel in this position, and was promoted to captain
in 1936. After further studies at the Imperial Defence College, Russell became Assistant Director of Plans in 1938.
On the outbreak of World War II
, Russell first commanded the net layer HMS Protector
, and then the cruiser HMS Cumberland
. In late 1941, Russell became naval liaison officer to the Governor of Gibraltar
, Viscount Gort
, and subsequently followed Gort to Malta
as his chief of staff. After the relief of the island by Operation Stone Age
, Russell would move on to command HMS Nelson
and then HMS Duke of York
, flagship of the Home Fleet. It was under his command that Duke of York sank the Scharnhorst
at the Battle of North Cape
, and he was appointed to the DSO
as a result, having already been twice mentioned in despatches during the war. A year later, he was appointed to a staff position, naval assistant to the Second Sea Lord
, and promoted rear admiral
in 1945. In addition to his DSO, he was made a CBE
in 1943.
Russell returned to the Imperial Defence College from 1946 until 1948 (becoming a CB
that year), and then spent a year commanding the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of Home Fleet, earning the respect of the then Commander-in-Chief, Sir Rhoderick McGrigor
. With the reserves until 1951, he was then appointed Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet and made a KCB
. He served on that station until 1953, taking part in the Korean War
, and was promoted admiral
in 1952. Returning from the Far East, he was made a GBE
and served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
until 1955. Russell's acute intelligence and bluff but kindly manner, combined with his broad experience, served him well in this position. He was Commandant of the Imperial Defence College
from 1956 until his retirement in 1958.
After retiring, Russell devoted himself to education and the training of young people, at Wellington College
, Cranleigh School
, Gordon Boys' School, and Radley College
. An excellent oarsman (like his father), avid golfer and good shot, he died at his home in Wisborough Green
in 1977.
, in 1939. They had two sons and a daughter:
Admiral (United Kingdom)
Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, which equates to the NATO rank code OF-9, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet...
Sir Guy Herbrand Edward Russell GBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(14 April 1898 – 25 September 1975) was a British
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
naval commander.
Naval career
Russell was the second son of Oliver Russell, 2nd Baron Ampthill, and his wife MargaretMargaret Russell, Baroness Ampthill
Margaret Russell, Baroness Ampthill, GCVO, CI, GBE was the daughter of the 6th Earl Beauchamp.Born as Margaret Lygon, she married the 2nd Baron Ampthill, in Madresfield, Worcestershire on 6 October 1894 .She was a Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Mary, and in 1918 was made a Dame Grand Cross of the...
. Educated at Stonehouse School, Russell entered the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1911 and attended Royal Naval College, Osborne
Osborne House
Osborne House is a former royal residence in East Cowes, Isle of Wight, UK. The house was built between 1845 and 1851 for Queen Victoria and Prince Albert as a summer home and rural retreat....
and Dartmouth
Britannia Royal Naval College
Britannia Royal Naval College is the initial officer training establishment of the Royal Navy, located on a hill overlooking Dartmouth, Devon, England. While Royal Naval officer training has taken place in the town since 1863, the buildings which are seen today were only finished in 1905, and...
. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he went to sea as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
aboard HMS Implacable
HMS Implacable (1899)
HMS Implacable was a Formidable-class battleship of the British Royal Navy, the second ship of the name.-Technical Description:HMS Implacable was laid down at Devonport Dockyard on 13 July 1898 and launched on 11 March 1899 in a very incomplete state to clear the building way for construction of...
, which supported the Dardanelles landings
Naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign
The naval operations in the Dardanelles Campaign of the First World War were mainly carried out by the Royal Navy with substantial support from the French and minor contributions from Russia and Australia. The Dardanelles Campaign began as a purely naval operation...
. He would later serve aboard Royal Oak 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...
, and was mentioned in despatches for his war service.
Russell saw service on a variety of ships, destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s, cruiser
Cruiser
A cruiser is a type of warship. The term has been in use for several hundreds of years, and has had different meanings throughout this period...
s, battleship
Battleship
A battleship is a large armored warship with a main battery consisting of heavy caliber guns. Battleships were larger, better armed and armored than cruisers and destroyers. As the largest armed ships in a fleet, battleships were used to attain command of the sea and represented the apex of a...
s, shore training establishments, and on the staff of the Commander-in-Chief Mediterranean, before his relatively early promotion to commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1931. This well-rounded record was combined with a reputation for adaptiveness and innovation. He completed the naval staff course at Royal Naval College, Greenwich in 1931 and became executive officer
Executive officer
An executive officer is generally a person responsible for running an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization.-Administrative law:...
of Queen Elizabeth, flagship of the Mediterranean fleet under Sir William Fisher
William Wordsworth Fisher
Admiral Sir William Wordsworth Fisher, GCB, GCVO was a Royal Navy officer who captained a battleship at the Battle of Jutland and became Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet...
. Russell continued to excel in this position, and was promoted to captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
in 1936. After further studies at the Imperial Defence College, Russell became Assistant Director of Plans in 1938.
On the outbreak of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Russell first commanded the net layer HMS Protector
HMS Protector (A146)
HMS Protector was an Antarctic patrol vessel of the Royal Navy.She was laid down as a fast net layer by Yarrow Shipbuilders in Glasgow in August 1935, launched in August 1936 and commissioned on 30 December 1936. She served in the South Atlantic and in the Norwegian Campaign during World War II...
, and then the cruiser HMS Cumberland
HMS Cumberland (57)
HMS Cumberland was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw action during the Second World War.-Career:Cumberland served on the China Station with the 5th Cruiser Squadron from 1928 until 1938, returning to the UK in March 1935 for a refit...
. In late 1941, Russell became naval liaison officer to the Governor of Gibraltar
Governor of Gibraltar
The Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The Governor is appointed by the British Monarch on the advice of the British Government...
, Viscount Gort
John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
Field Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort, VC, GCB, CBE, DSO & Two Bars, MVO, MC , was a British and Anglo-Irish soldier. As a young officer in World War I he won the Victoria Cross at the Battle of the Canal du Nord. During the 1930s he served as Chief of the...
, and subsequently followed Gort to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
as his chief of staff. After the relief of the island by Operation Stone Age
Operation Stone Age
During World War II, Operation Stone Age or Stoneage was the passage of MW13, the convoy of four merchant ships that reached Malta from Egypt on 20 November 1942 from Alexandria. Its arrival is considered to have broken the siege of that island...
, Russell would move on to command HMS Nelson
HMS Nelson (1925)
HMS Nelson was one of two Nelson-class battleships built for the Royal Navy between the two World Wars. She was named in honour of Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson the victor at the Battle of Trafalgar...
and then HMS Duke of York
HMS Duke of York (17)
HMS Duke of York was a King George V-class battleship of the Royal Navy. Laid down in May 1937, the ship was constructed by John Brown and Company at Clydebank, Scotland, and commissioned into the Royal Navy on 4 November 1941, subsequently seeing service during the Second World War.In...
, flagship of the Home Fleet. It was under his command that Duke of York sank the Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
at the Battle of North Cape
Battle of North Cape
The Battle of the North Cape was a Second World War naval battle which occurred on 26 December 1943, as part of the Arctic Campaign. The German battlecruiser , on an operation to attack Arctic Convoys of war materiel from the Western Allies to the USSR, was brought to battle and sunk by superior...
, and he was appointed to the DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
as a result, having already been twice mentioned in despatches during the war. A year later, he was appointed to a staff position, naval assistant to the Second Sea Lord
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
, and promoted rear admiral
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
in 1945. In addition to his DSO, he was made a CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
in 1943.
Russell returned to the Imperial Defence College from 1946 until 1948 (becoming a CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
that year), and then spent a year commanding the 2nd Cruiser Squadron of Home Fleet, earning the respect of the then Commander-in-Chief, Sir Rhoderick McGrigor
Rhoderick McGrigor
Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick Robert McGrigor GCB was a Royal Navy officer and the British First Sea Lord from 1951 to 1955. During his years as professional head of the Royal Navy, he is most remembered as a leading proponent of carrier-based air power.-Early life:Rhoderick Robert McGrigor...
. With the reserves until 1951, he was then appointed Commander-in-Chief, Far East Fleet and made a KCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
. He served on that station until 1953, taking part in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, and was promoted admiral
Admiral
Admiral is the rank, or part of the name of the ranks, of the highest naval officers. It is usually considered a full admiral and above vice admiral and below admiral of the fleet . It is usually abbreviated to "Adm" or "ADM"...
in 1952. Returning from the Far East, he was made a GBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and served as Second Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Personnel
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
until 1955. Russell's acute intelligence and bluff but kindly manner, combined with his broad experience, served him well in this position. He was Commandant of the Imperial Defence College
Commandant Royal College of Defence Studies
The Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies was a UK senior serving military officer between 1972 and 2001. The post rotated through the three branches of the armed forces in turn. In 1971 the old Imperial Defence College became the Royal College of Defence Studies...
from 1956 until his retirement in 1958.
After retiring, Russell devoted himself to education and the training of young people, at Wellington College
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
, Cranleigh School
Cranleigh School
Cranleigh School is an independent English boarding school in the village of Cranleigh, Surrey. It was founded in 1865 as a boys' school and started to admit girls in the early 1970s. It is now co-educational. The current headmaster is Guy de W...
, Gordon Boys' School, and Radley College
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
. An excellent oarsman (like his father), avid golfer and good shot, he died at his home in Wisborough Green
Wisborough Green
Wisborough Green is a village and civil parish in the Chichester district of West Sussex, England miles west of Billingshurst on the A272.Newbridge where the A272 crosses the River Arun mile east of the village was the highest point of the Arun navigation, and the southern end of the Wey and Arun...
in 1977.
Family
He married Hon. (Helen) Elizabeth Blades, daughter of Rowland Blades, 1st Baron EbbishamRowland Blades, 1st Baron Ebbisham
Rowland Blades, 1st Baron Ebbisham, GBE was an English Conservative politician, printer, and Lord Mayor of London from 1926 to 1927.Blades was born in Sydenham and educated at King's College School...
, in 1939. They had two sons and a daughter:
- Dr. James Rowland Russell (b. 28 March 1940)
- Oliver Henry Russell (b. 7 May 1942)
- Margaret Elizabeth Russell (b. 11 October 1945)