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.

Roper was promoted to the rank of Commander on 31 December, 1908.

On 8 May, 1909, Roper was loaned to the Canadian government for two years.

Roper was appointed in command of the destroyer Cameleon on 27 November, 1912.

Great War

On 9 October, 1914, Roper was appointed from Cameleon to the flotilla leader Broke.

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.

Roper was promoted to the rank of Captain on 30 June, 1915.

In July, Roper assumed command of the scout cruiser 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.

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.

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.

Post-War

On 4 December 1918, Roper was appointed as additional to the old battleship Queen as S.N.O. of Taranto.

He ceased work at Taranto on 2 March and was placed on the Retired List as medically unfit on 14 April, 1919.

See Also

• Service Records
• First D.F. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland

Naval Appointments
Preceded by Digby St. A. P. Weston	Captain of H.M. T.B. 50 8 Jul, 1896	Succeeded by Sebald W. B. Green
Preceded by Drury St. A. Wake	Captain of H.M.S. Prince George 4 Jun, 1912 – 28 Jul, 1912	Succeeded by Godfrey Tuke
Preceded by Hugh J. Tweedie	Captain of H.M.S. Cameleon 27 Nov, 1912 – 9 Oct, 1914	Succeeded by Harold V. Dundas
Preceded by Charles J. Wintour	Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla 1914	Succeeded by Edward O. Gladstone
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Broke 9 Oct, 1914 – 25 Jul, 1915	Succeeded by Harold E. Sulivan
Preceded by Arthur B. S. Dutton	Captain of H.M.S. Botha 8 Jun, 1915 – 6 Jul, 1916	Succeeded by Walter L. Allen
Preceded by Edward O. Gladstone	Captain (D), Fourth Destroyer Flotilla 8 Jun, 1915 – 6 Jul, 1916	Succeeded by Percy Withers
Preceded by William F. Blunt	Captain of H.M.S. Fearless 25 Jul, 1915 – 6 Jul, 1916	Succeeded by Charles J. C. Little
Preceded by William F. Blunt	Captain (D), First Destroyer Flotilla 27 Jul, 1915 – 8 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Brien M. Money
Preceded by ?	Captain (D), Fourteenth Destroyer Flotilla 6 Jul, 1916 – 28 Aug, 1916	Succeeded by Walter L. Allen
Preceded by ?	Senior Naval Officer, Taranto 4 Dec, 1918 – 2 Mar, 1919	Succeeded by Command Disestablished