Roger John Brownlow Keyes, First Baron Keyes

Admiral of the Fleet Keys as a Rear-Admiral, 1918.
Portrait: © National Portrait Gallery, London.

Admiral of the Fleet THE RIGHT HONOURABLE Roger John Brownlow Keyes, First Baron Keyes, G.C.B., K.C.V.O., C.M.G., D.S.O., Royal Navy (4 October, 1872 – 26 December, 1945) was an officer of the Royal Navy during the Great War and the Second World War. He is chiefly remembered for his organisation of the Zeebrugge and Ostend Raids in 1918, and for his service as Chief of Combined Operations in 1940–1941.

Early Life & Career

Keyes was confirmed in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant dated 14 November, 1891. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 28 August, 1893.

For his service in China he was promoted to the rank of Commander on 9 November, 1900.

Captain

Keyes was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1905.

On the occasion of the King's visit to Athens Keyes was appointed a Member of the Fourth Class of the Royal Victorian Order (M.V.O.) on 24 April, 1906.

In November 1910, he assumed command of the second class protected cruiser Arrogant.

On the occasion of King George V's coronation he was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, in the Military Division of the Most Honourable Order of the Bath (C.B.) on 19 June, 1911.

Keyes was appointed in command of the composite screw sloop Dolphin as Commodore, Second Class on 31 August, 1912, remaining with her until February, 1915.

Great War

Keyes was appointed a Naval Aide-de-Camp to King George V on 15 September, 1914.

He was appointed an Additional Member of the Third Class, or Companion, of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George (C.M.G.) on 1 January, 1916.

He was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) on 3 June.

He was appointed in command of the battleship Centurion on 21 June, 1916.

He was promoted to the rank of Rear-Admiral on 10 April, 1917, vice Thursby.

He was appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (C.V.O.) on 30 March, 1918.

For the Zeebrugge and Ostend operations Keyes was appointed an Additional Member of the Second Class, or Knight Commander, of the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (K.C.B.) on 24 April.

Inter-War

On the occasion of the King's visit to the Army in the Field Keyes was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (K.C.V.O.) on 10 December, 1918.

On 21 March, 1919 he was appointed Vice-Admiral Commanding the Battle Cruiser Squadron, assuming command the same day, and relieving Henry Oliver, who went off to command the Second Battle Squadron. On 29 December he received the dignity of a Baronet of the United Kingdom, of Zeebrugge and Dover in the County of Kent.

Keyes was promoted to the rank of Vice-Admiral on 16 May, 1921, vice Tudor.

On 1 March, 1926, he was confirmed in the rank of Admiral.

He was promoted to the rank of Admiral of the Fleet on 8 May, 1930, vice Gough-Calthorpe. In the King's Birthday Honours of 3 June of that year, Keyes was appointed an Ordinary Member of the First Class, or Knight Grand Cross, in the Military Division of the Order of the Bath (G.C.B.).

He was placed on the Retired List on 8 May, 1935.

Second World War

As the result of the King approving that Admirals of the Fleet should in future be borne on the Active List of the Royal Navy for life, on 4 March, 1940, Keyes was replaced on the Active List with seniority of 8 May, 1930.

On 23 January, 1943, Keyes was raised to the peerage of the United Kingdom, and created Baron Keyes, of Zebrugge and of Dover in the County of Kent.

Bibliography

• "Admiral of the Fleet Lord Keyes" (Obituaries). The Times. Thursday, 27 December, 1945. Issue 50334, col D, p. 7.
• Aspinall-Oglander, Cecil (1951). Roger Keyes: Being the Life of Admiral of the Fleet Lord Keyes of Zeebrugge and Dover. London: The Hogarth Press.
• Keyes, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger (1934). The Naval Memoirs of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger Keyes: The Narrow Seas to the Dardanelles, 1910—1915. London: Thornton Butterworth, Ltd.
• Keyes, Admiral of the Fleet Sir Roger (1939). Adventures Ashore & Afloat. London: George G. Harrap & Co. Ltd.

Papers

• Papers in the possession of the British Library.

Image

• 1918 Glyn Philpot portrait in the possession of the Imperial War Museum. Catalogue Number ART 1324.

Service Records

• The National Archives. ADM 196/141.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/88.
• The National Archives. ADM 196/43.

Naval Appointments
Preceded by William G. E. Ruck-Keene	Captain of H.M.S. Opossum 1 Jan, 1898 – 15 Sep, 1898	Succeeded by Louis C. S. Woollcombe
Preceded by Hastings F. Shakespear	Captain of H.M.S. Hart 15 Sep, 1898 – Jan, 1899	Succeeded by John G. Armstrong
Preceded by Charles Tibbits	Captain of H.M.S. Fame 7 Jan, 1899 – 14 Nov, 1900	Succeeded by Charles P. Mansel
Preceded by Arthur P. James	Captain of H.M.S. Bat 1 May, 1901 – 5 Jan, 1902	Succeeded by James U. Farie
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Falcon 5 Jan, 1902 – 13 May, 1902	Succeeded by Robert M. Haynes
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Sprightly 13 May, 1902 – 8 Jan, 1903	Succeeded by Walter J. C. Lake
Preceded by ?	Captain of H.M.S. Express 8 Jan, 1903 – 8 Apr, 1903	Succeeded by Henry St. G. S. Clive
Preceded by William G. E. Ruck-Keene	Captain of H.M.S. Gipsy 8 Apr, 1903 – 1 May, 1903	Succeeded by Sydney S. Hall
Preceded by Brian H. F. Barttelot	Captain of H.M.S. Peterel 21 Jul, 1903	Succeeded by Osmond J. Prentis
Preceded by Mark E. F. Kerr	Royal Navy Naval Attaché at Rome 1 Jan, 1905 – 1 Jan, 1908	Succeeded by Adolphus H. Williamson
Preceded by Cuthbert G. Chapman	Captain of H.M.S. Venus 18 Aug, 1908 – 11 Oct, 1910	Succeeded by Robert E. R. Benson
Preceded by Sydney S. Hall	Captain of H.M.S. Mercury 14 Nov, 1910	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Sydney S. Hall	Inspecting Captain of Submarines 14 Nov, 1910 – 31 Aug, 1912	Succeeded by Roger J. B. Keyes as Commodore in charge of Submarine Service
Preceded by E. Percy F. G. Grant	Captain of H.M.S. Arrogant 1 Jul, 1911	Succeeded by Alexander R. Palmer
Preceded by Roger J. B. Keyes as Inspecting Captain of Submarines	Commodore in charge of Submarine Service 31 Aug, 1912 – 8 Feb, 1915	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by William M. Kerr	Captain of H.M.S. Centurion 21 Jun, 1916 – 16 Jun, 1917	Succeeded by Douglas L. Dent
Preceded by Ernest F. A. Gaunt	Rear-Admiral in the Fourth Battle Squadron 23 Jun, 1917 – 25 Sep, 1917	Succeeded by Douglas R. L. Nicholson
Preceded by New Position	Director of Plans 28 Sep, 1917 – 1 Jan, 1918	Succeeded by Cyril T. M. Fuller
Preceded by Sir Reginald H. S. Bacon	Vice-Admiral, Dover Patrol 1 Jan, 1918 – 20 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by Cecil F. Dampier
Preceded by Sir Henry F. Oliver	Vice-Admiral Commanding Battle Cruiser Force 21 Mar, 1919 – 7 Apr, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by ?	Rear-Admiral Commanding Battle Cruiser Squadron 8 Apr, 1919 – 31 Mar, 1921	Succeeded by Sir Walter H. Cowan, Bart.
Preceded by Sir Osmond de B. Brock	Deputy Chief of Naval Staff 1 Nov, 1921 – 15 May, 1925	Succeeded by Sir Frederick L. Field
Preceded by Sir Osmond de B. Brock	Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Station 8 Jun, 1925 – 1 May, 1928	Succeeded by Sir Frederick L. Field
Preceded by Sir Osmond de B. Brock	Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth Station 29 Apr, 1929 – 9 Jun, 1931	Succeeded by Sir Arthur K. Waistell