Stephen Roskill
Encyclopedia
Captain Stephen Wentworth Roskill, CBE
, DSC
, FBA
, DLitt (1 August 1903 - 4 November 1982) was a career officer in the Royal Navy
, serving during the Second World War and, after his enforced medical retirement, served as the official historian of the Royal Navy from 1949 to 1960. He is now chiefly remembered as a prodigious author of books on British maritime history.
at Dartmouth. As a Midshipman he served on the light cruiser H.M.S. Durban
on the China Station before returning to practice gunnery at Greenwich and Portsmouth. In 1930, he married Elizabeth van den Bergh, with whom he had seven children. Roskill served at sea as gunnery officer of the carrier H.M.S. Eagle
on the China Station from 1933-1935. Afterwards he instructed at the gunnery school H.M.S. Excellent, and in 1936 he was given the prize gunnery appointment in the navy, that of the newly-reconstructed dreadnought
H.M.S. Warspite
till 1939, was a member of the Naval Staff, 1939–1941, then served as Commander of H.M.N.Z.S. Leander
in 1941-1944. On 13 July 1943 Leander was part of a task group of predominantly American warships off the Solomon Islands
, when they engaged a force of Japanese ships. During the action Leander was torpedoed and severely damaged. For his actions in helping keep the ship afloat, Roskill was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
. In March, 1944 he was promoted acting Captain and sent to join the British Admiralty Delegation in Washington, D.C.
as Chief Staff Officer for Administration and Weapons. He was the senior British observer at the Bikini Atomic tests
in 1946, and served as Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence
, 1946-48 before retiring as a captain, due to increasing deafness caused by exposure to gun detonations.
Historical Section to write the official naval history of the Second World War. His three volume work "The War at Sea"
was published between 1954 and 1961. In 1961, he was elected a Senior Research Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge
, where he was instrumental in the foundation of the Churchill Archives Centre
. The Centre holds 180 boxes of Roskill's personal and research papers. After retirement, he was a visiting lecturer at several universities, including being Lees Knowles Lecturer in 1961, the Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1965, and Richmond Lecturer at Cambridge University in 1967. He was elected a vice president of the Navy Records Society
in 1964 and an honorary vice president in 1974.
on 21 March 1944 as Commander in HMNZS Leander when she was torpedoed in the Pacific. In 1946 he was awarded the American Legion of Merit
. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1971 New Year Honours and received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from Cambridge University in 1970, from the University of Leeds
in 1971, and from Oxford University in 1980. He was an elected a Fellow of The British Academy
.
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...
, DSC
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
, FBA
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
, DLitt (1 August 1903 - 4 November 1982) was a career officer in 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...
, serving during the Second World War and, after his enforced medical retirement, served as the official historian of the Royal Navy from 1949 to 1960. He is now chiefly remembered as a prodigious author of books on British maritime history.
Naval career
The son of John Henry Roskill, K.C. a barrister, and Sybil Dilke, Stephen Roskill was born in London, England and joined the Royal Navy in 1917, attending the Royal Naval College at Osborne and then the Britannia Royal Naval CollegeBritannia 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...
at Dartmouth. As a Midshipman he served on the light cruiser H.M.S. Durban
HMS Durban (D99)
HMS Durban was a Danae-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy. She was launched from the yards of Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company on 29 May 1919 and commissioned on 1 November 1921.-Early career:...
on the China Station before returning to practice gunnery at Greenwich and Portsmouth. In 1930, he married Elizabeth van den Bergh, with whom he had seven children. Roskill served at sea as gunnery officer of the carrier H.M.S. Eagle
HMS Eagle (1918)
HMS Eagle was an early aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy. Ordered by Chile as the Almirante Cochrane, she was laid down before World War I. In early 1918 she was purchased by Britain for conversion to an aircraft carrier; this work was finished in 1924...
on the China Station from 1933-1935. Afterwards he instructed at the gunnery school H.M.S. Excellent, and in 1936 he was given the prize gunnery appointment in the navy, that of the newly-reconstructed dreadnought
Dreadnought
The dreadnought was the predominant type of 20th-century battleship. The first of the kind, the Royal Navy's had such an impact when launched in 1906 that similar battleships built after her were referred to as "dreadnoughts", and earlier battleships became known as pre-dreadnoughts...
H.M.S. Warspite
HMS Warspite (1913)
HMS Warspite was a Queen Elizabeth-class battleship of the British Royal Navy. During World War II Warspite gained the nickname "The Grand Old Lady" after a comment made by Admiral Sir Andrew Cunningham in 1943....
till 1939, was a member of the Naval Staff, 1939–1941, then served as Commander of H.M.N.Z.S. Leander
HMNZS Leander
HMNZS Leander was a light cruiser which served with the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II. She was the lead ship of a class of eight ships, the Leander class light cruiser and was initially named HMS Leander.- History :...
in 1941-1944. On 13 July 1943 Leander was part of a task group of predominantly American warships off the Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands
Solomon Islands is a sovereign state in Oceania, east of Papua New Guinea, consisting of nearly one thousand islands. It covers a land mass of . The capital, Honiara, is located on the island of Guadalcanal...
, when they engaged a force of Japanese ships. During the action Leander was torpedoed and severely damaged. For his actions in helping keep the ship afloat, Roskill was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross
Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
. In March, 1944 he was promoted acting Captain and sent to join the British Admiralty Delegation in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
as Chief Staff Officer for Administration and Weapons. He was the senior British observer at the Bikini Atomic tests
Bikini Atoll
Bikini Atoll is an atoll, listed as a World Heritage Site, in the Micronesian Islands of the Pacific Ocean, part of Republic of the Marshall Islands....
in 1946, and served as Deputy Director of Naval Intelligence
Director of Naval Intelligence
The Director of Naval Intelligence refers to either one of two posts, both related to naval intelligence:* The head of the Naval Intelligence Division of the British Admiralty; or* The head of the Office of Naval Intelligence in the United States....
, 1946-48 before retiring as a captain, due to increasing deafness caused by exposure to gun detonations.
Career as a Naval Historian
On retiring from active service in 1948, Roskill was appointed by the Cabinet OfficeCabinet Office
The Cabinet Office is a department of the Government of the United Kingdom responsible for supporting the Prime Minister and Cabinet of the United Kingdom....
Historical Section to write the official naval history of the Second World War. His three volume work "The War at Sea"
History of the Second World War
The History of the Second World War is the official history of Britain's contribution to the Second World War and was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office . This immense project was sub-divided into a number of areas to ease publication. Military operations are covered in the United Kingdom...
was published between 1954 and 1961. In 1961, he was elected a Senior Research Fellow of Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College, Cambridge
Churchill College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.In 1958, a Trust was established with Sir Winston Churchill as its Chairman of Trustees, to build and endow a college for 60 fellows and 540 Students as a national and Commonwealth memorial to Winston Churchill; its...
, where he was instrumental in the foundation of the Churchill Archives Centre
Churchill Archives Centre
The Churchill Archives Centre is one of the largest repositories in the United Kingdom for the preservation and study of modern personal papers. It is best known for housing the Churchill Papers, the massive archive of Sir Winston Churchill, as well as the private papers of Baroness Thatcher...
. The Centre holds 180 boxes of Roskill's personal and research papers. After retirement, he was a visiting lecturer at several universities, including being Lees Knowles Lecturer in 1961, the Distinguished Visiting Lecturer at the U.S. Naval Academy in 1965, and Richmond Lecturer at Cambridge University in 1967. He was elected a vice president of the Navy Records Society
Navy Records Society
The Navy Records Society was established in 1893 as a scholarly society to publish historical documents that illustrated the history of the Royal Navy. Professor Sir John Knox Laughton and Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge were the key leaders who organized the Society, basing it on the model of earlier...
in 1964 and an honorary vice president in 1974.
Honours and awards
Roskill was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)Distinguished Service Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Service Cross is the third level military decoration awarded to officers, and other ranks, of the British Armed Forces, Royal Fleet Auxiliary and British Merchant Navy and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.The DSC, which may be awarded posthumously, is...
on 21 March 1944 as Commander in HMNZS Leander when she was torpedoed in the Pacific. In 1946 he was awarded the American Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1971 New Year Honours and received an honorary Doctor of Literature degree from Cambridge University in 1970, from the University of Leeds
University of Leeds
The University of Leeds is a British Redbrick university located in the city of Leeds, West Yorkshire, England...
in 1971, and from Oxford University in 1980. He was an elected a Fellow of The British Academy
British Academy
The British Academy is the United Kingdom's national body for the humanities and the social sciences. Its purpose is to inspire, recognise and support excellence in the humanities and social sciences, throughout the UK and internationally, and to champion their role and value.It receives an annual...
.
Dates of Rank
| Midshipman | Sub-Lieutenant | Lieutenant | Lieutenant-Commander | Commander | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| 15 September 1921 | 30 July 1924 | 30 August 1925 | 30 August 1933 | 31 December 1938 | 30 June 1944 |
Reference list
- Barry M. GoughBarry M. GoughBarry Morton Gough is a Canadian maritime and naval historian. In more than a dozen books, and several hundred articles and reviews, he has worked to recast and reaffirm the imperial foundations of Canadian history...
, Historical Dreadnoughts: Arthur Marder, Stephen Roskill and Battles for Naval History. Seaforth/Pen and Sword, 2010.
Published works
- Escort. The battle of the Atlantic by Denys Arthur Rayner and edited by S. W. Roskill (1955)
- H.M.S. Warspite. The story of a famous battleship (1957)
- The Secret Capture. (On the capture of the German submarine U.110 during the second world war). (1959)
- The war at sea, 1939-1945 Three volumes (1954–61; 1994)
- The Navy at War, 1939-1945 Published in the USA as The White Ensign: The British Navy at War, 1939-1945(1960)
- The Strategy of Sea Power. Its development and application. Based on the Lees-Knowles Lectures ... 1961 (1962)
- A Merchant Fleet in War. Alfred Holt & Co., 1939-1945. (1962)
- The strategy of sea power (1962, 1984)
- The Art of Leadership (1964)
- Naval policy between the wars. Vol. 1, The period of Anglo-American antagonism, 1919-1929; Vol. 2, The period of reluctant rearmament, 1930-1939 (1968, 1976)
- Documents relating to the Naval Air Service (1969)
- The eventful history of the mutiny and piratical seizure of HMS Bounty, its causes and consequencesThe Eventful History of the Mutiny and Piratical Seizure of HMS BountyThe Eventful History of the Mutiny and Piratical Seizure of H.M.S. Bounty: Its Cause and Consequences by Sir John Barrow is considered the classic account of the mutiny on the Bounty...
by Sir John Barrow edited with an introduction by S.W. Roskill (1976) - Churchill and the admirals (1977, 2004)
- Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty: the last naval hero: an intimate biography (1980)
Sources
- Eugene L. Rasor, English/British Naval History since 1815. New York: Garland, 1990, pp. 38–41.