Charles Donnison Roper
Captain Charles Donnison Roper (12 January, 1876 – 13 November, 1921) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the First World War.
Life & Career
Born in Richmond, Yorks.
Roper was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1897.[1]
Roper was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1908.[2]
On 8 May, 1909, Roper was loaned to the Canadian government for two years.[3]
Roper was appointed in command of the destroyer Cameleon on 27 November, 1912.[4]
Great War
On 17 December, 1914, Broke and Bellona collided; "Incurred TL displeasure." Roper was also blamed for damaging jetties and tugs at Leith when he backed Broke out of a dock in March, 1915.[5]
Roper was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1915.[6]
In July, Roper assumed command of the destroyer Fearless. He was in her, acting as Captain (D) of the First Destroyer Flotilla during the Battle of Jutland, screening the Fifth Battle Squadron. Poor Fearless proved unable to keep up with her charges, failing to take station in a submarine screen and getting in the way of the Battle Fleet. She eventually had to consort with other small fry on the disengaged side.[7]
In seeking to balance out destroyer forces after losses in the Battle, Roper was to be moved to Fourth Destroyer Flotilla, and then to move to Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla when it was fully formed.[8]
On 30 July, Roper was determined to be suffering from nervous tension (or "lesion"?). On 4 August, 1916, he was admitted to Haslar due to a "Debacle[?] of Nervous System." He was given six weeks time to recover and was belatedly replaced in command of Ithuriel at the end of August. On 22 September, he was deemed fit, but only for shore duty. This pronouncement would prove to spell the end of his sea-going naval career. Two days later, he was appointed temporarily to work in the Operations Division. Roper worked in Operations from 24 September 1916 until 25 February, 1918. He then moved to work at the D.I.R. through December of 1918.[9]
Post-War
On 4 December 1918, Roper was appointed as additional to the old battleship Queen as S.N.O. of Taranto.[10]
He ceased work at Taranto on 2 March and was placed on the Retired List as medically unfit on 14 April, 1919.[11]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Hugh J. Tweedie |
Captain of H.M.S. Cameleon 27 Nov, 1912[12] |
Succeeded by Harold V. Dundas |
| Preceded by Charles J. Wintour |
Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla 1914[13] |
Succeeded by Edward O. Gladstone |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of H.M.S. Broke 9 Oct, 1914[14] |
Succeeded by Harold E. Sulivan |
| Preceded by William F. Blunt |
Captain of H.M.S. Fearless 25 Jul, 1915[15] – after 1 Jun, 1916[16] |
Succeeded by Charles J. C. Little |
| Preceded by William F. Blunt |
Captain (D), First Destroyer Flotilla before 31 May, 1916 |
Succeeded by Brien M. Money |
| Preceded by ? |
Captain (D), Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla mid 1916[17][Fact Check] |
Succeeded by Walter L. Allen |
Footnotes
- ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
- ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
- ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 291.
- ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
- ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
- ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 242,243.
- ↑ At The National Archives. ADM 137/1645. p. 41.
- ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 887.
- ↑ Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 288.
- ↑ The National Archives. ADM 137/1645, p. 41.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 392n.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 394d.
- ↑ Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 46.
- ↑ The National Archives. ADM 137/1645, p. 41.
