Charles Donnison Roper

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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

  1. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  2. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  3. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  4. The Navy List. (April, 1914). p. 291.
  5. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  6. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  7. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. pp. 242,243.
  8. At The National Archives. ADM 137/1645. p. 41.
  9. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  10. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 887.
  11. Roper Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/151. f. 169.
  12. The Navy List. (October, 1914). p. 288.
  13. The National Archives. ADM 137/1645, p. 41.
  14. The Navy List. (April, 1915). p. 392n.
  15. The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 394d.
  16. Battle of Jutland Official Despatches. p. 46.
  17. The National Archives. ADM 137/1645, p. 41.


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