FISHER, R Adm Ralph Lindsay (1903-1988)

Scope and Content

Memoir entitled 'Salt horse: a naval life', covering his career 1917-1957, notably his participation in the evacuation of British troops from Dunkirk and the sinking of the HMS WAKEFUL, May-Jun 1940, his service in the Mediterranean, Arctic and Atlantic, 1940-1945, including Battle of Matapan, Mar 1941, second Battle of Sirte, Mar 1942, and Battle of North Cape, Dec 1943, privately printed in [1977-1988].

Administrative / Biographical History

Born in 1903; educated at Royal Naval Colleges, Osbourne and Dartmouth; first went to sea, 1920; Lt, Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, 1928-1931; served in China and Hong Kong, 1931-1932; undertook Naval Staff Course, 1935-1936; First Lt, Cadets' Training Cruiser, 1937-1939; commanded HMS WAKEFUL, 1940; Staff Officer (Operations) to V Adm Light Forces, Eastern Mediterranean, 1940-1941; Staff Officer (Operations) to R Adm (Destroyers), Mediterranean, 1941-1942; Chief Staff Officer to Senior Naval Officer Inshore Sqn, North Africa, 1942-1943; commanded HMS MUSKETEER, Arctic, Atlantic and Mediterranean, 1943-1945; Deputy Director of Movements, Admiralty, 1945-1946; commanded HMS SOLEBAY, 1947-1948; served on Directing Staff of Joint Services Staff College, 1948-1950; Chief of Staff Far East, 1950-1952; commanded HMS INDEFATIGABLE, 1953-1954; R Adm, 1954; Flag Officer, Ground Training (Home Air Command), 1955-1957; retired, 1957; died in 1988.

Arrangement

single item

Access Information

Open, subject to signature of reader's undertaking form.

Acquisition Information

Presented to the Centre by the family in 1989.

Other Finding Aids

Summary guide entry on-line at http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/top.htm, and published in hard copy in the Centre's reading room.

Conditions Governing Use

Copies, subject to the condition of the original, may be supplied for research use only. Requests to publish originalmaterial should be submitted to the Trustees of the Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives, attention of the Director of Archive Services.

Geographical Names