News, Articles and Comment

Ed. The author examines the leadership styles of Vice Admiral Sir Peter Gretton, Captain Donald Macintyre, and Captain Frederick ‘Johnny’ Walker during their Battle of the Atlantic convoy commands. Cultivating a high degree of trust among well-trained officers and crews enabled battle-winning delegation and initiative to develop. A 40 minute read.

Ed. The author reflects on Admiral Sir Henry Leach’s extensive career, highlighting his perseverance during the Second World War and the Falklands War, and his zeal for the tenacious defence of his particular corner, despite personal and national tragedies. A 15 minute read.

Ed. In a June 1946 article for the Commonwealth and Empire Review, Admiral Sir Frederic Dreyer detailed the vital importance of anti-submarine warfare for the protection of Britain’s merchant shipping. An expanded version of the article was published in the NR [34/3, p. 243], with Admiral Dreyer taking to task the ‘bomber mafia’ who had favoured the strategic destruction of Germany over the imperative to protect Britain’s convoy lifelines. Admiral Dreyer’s article is republished here as part of the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic. A 20 minute read.

Ed. Between 1978 and 2022 James Goldrick wrote 45 ‘Letters From Australia’, providing the Naval Review with invaluable insights from the island continent. Reprinted here are the first two letters, published in 1978 [66/4, p. 313] and 1979 [67/2, p. 119], to provide the younger reader with a taste of Master Ned’s trademark didactic analysis and wit. A memorial service for Rear Admiral Goldrick is being held on April 5th at Christopher’s Cathedral in Canberra.

The latest book reviews have been published. One looks at the history, development and employment of Royal Navy and Italian […]

Ed. A serious investigation into the origins of the Naval Review and the controversial but critical eyes that were concerned enough about early 20th century military norms to go to work on the underlying complacent assumptions. A 30 minute read.

Ed. The author reflects on the eternal question of the NR’s membership demographics, and its future as a platform for cultivating thought and discourse in the Royal Navy. Perhaps ironically, despite the immense technological transformations that have ensued, the fundamentals today seem to reflect the situation at the NR’s foundation, over a century ago. A 10 minute read.

After a relatively short battle with cancer, James Goldrick ‘crossed the bar’ yesterday, the first of several obituaries can be […]

The latest book reviews have been published, one detailing British warship losses from 1920 to 1982, the other, a reprint […]