John de Robeck


Sir John de Robeck

Sir John Michael de Robeck
Born(1862-06-10)10 June 1862
Naas, County Kildare, Ireland
Died20 January 1928(1928-01-20) (aged 65)
London, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchRoyal Navy
Years of service1875–1924
RankAdmiral of the Fleet
CommandsAtlantic Fleet
Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet
2nd Battle Squadron
3rd Battle Squadron
Eastern Mediterranean Squadron
9th Cruiser Squadron
HMS Dominion
HMS Carnarvon
HMS Mermaid
HMS Angler
HMS Desperate
Battles / warsFirst World War
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George
Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order
Spouse(s)Hilda Maud (Lady de Robeck)

Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Michael de Robeck, 1st Baronet, GCB, GCMG, GCVO (10 June 1862 – 20 January 1928) was an officer in the Royal Navy. In the early years of the 20th century he served as Admiral of Patrols, commanding four flotillas of destroyers.

De Robeck commanded the allied naval force in the Dardanelles during the First World War. His campaign to force the straits, launched on 18 March 1915, was nearly successful, as the Turkish land-based artillery almost ran out of ammunition. However, mines laid in the straits led to the loss of three allied battleships. The subsequent ground campaign, like the naval campaign, was ultimately a failure and the ground troops had to be taken off the Gallipoli peninsula by de Robeck on the night of 8 January 1916. He went on to become Commander of the 3rd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet and then Commander of the 2nd Battle Squadron of the Grand Fleet.

After the war de Robeck became Commander-in-Chief of the Mediterranean Fleet and British High Commissioner to Turkey, and then Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic Fleet.