Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB OM GCVO (29 August 1877 – 21 October 1943) was a British senior officer of the Royal Navy.
Born~Died Aug 29, 1877 ~ Oct 21, 1943Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 4:13 PM
Details
Born ~ Died
Aug 29, 1877 ~ Oct 21, 1943
Born
Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound, (1877-08-29)29 August 1877, Ventnor, Isle of Wight, England
Died
21 October 1943(1943-10-21) (aged 66), London, England
Admiral of the FleetSir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers PoundGCBOMGCVO (29 August 1877 – 21 October 1943) was a British senior officer of the Royal Navy. He served in the First World War as a battleship commander, taking part in the Battle of Jutland with notable success, contributing to the sinking of the German cruiser Wiesbaden.
He served as First Sea Lord, the professional head of the Royal Navy, for the first four years of the Second World War. In that role his greatest achievement was his successful campaign against the German U-boats and the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic but his judgment has been questioned over the failed Norwegian Campaign in 1940, his dismissal of Admiral Dudley North in 1940, and his order in July 1942 to disperse Convoy PQ 17 and withdraw its covering forces. His fear of a possible (though never transpired) threat from heavy German surface ships, led to the convoy's destruction by submarines and aircraft, which other admirals deemed "a shameful page in naval history".1 His health failed in 1943 and he resigned, dying shortly thereafter.
Early life
Born the son of Alfred John Pound, an Eton-educated2barrister, by his marriage to Elizabeth Pickman Rogers, an American from Boston,3 Pound's maternal grandfather was , but was also descended on his mother's side from , an early , merchant. He was educated at Fonthill School in , Sussex.
This page is based on “Dudley Pound” from English Wikipedia, (r1379839718) CC BY-SA 4.0 used under the license. The original authors are listed in its page history.
Pound joined the staff at the Ordnance Department of the Admiralty in January 1909 and then, having been promoted to commander on 30 June 1909,12 he transferred to the battleship HMS Superb in the Home Fleet in May 1911.9 He joined the staff of the Royal Naval War College in early 1913 and then transferred to the battleship HMS St Vincent in the Home Fleet in April 1914.9
First World War
Pound served throughout the First World War. After being promoted to captain on 31 December 1914, he became an Additional Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord before being given command of the battleship HMS Colossus in May 1915.9 He led her at the Battle of Jutland with notable success, contributing to the sinking of the German cruiser Wiesbaden.9 He returned to the Admiralty in July 1917 to become assistant director of plans and then director of the operations division (home) and was closely involved in the planning for the Zeebrugge Raid.13 He also planned the use of radio remote controlled vessels that were developed by the Navy's D.C.B. Section.14
There are sharply divided opinions of Pound as First Sea Lord during the early years of the Second World War. His admirals and captains at sea accused him of "back seat driving" and he had some clashes with Charles Forbes and John Tovey, commanders of the Home Fleet.232527
Winston Churchill, with whom he worked from September 1939, was involved with him on naval strategies such that he was referred to as "Churchill's anchor".23 He has also been described as a "cunning old badger" who had used guile to frustrate Churchill's Operation Catherine, a scheme to send a battle fleet into the Baltic, early in the war.28 Critically, Pound was at the helm of the Royal Navy on the day of the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse on 10 December 1941 off the coast of Kuantan, Malaysia by the Japanese Air Force.29
Perhaps Pound's greatest achievement was his defeat of the German U-boats and the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic but he has been blamed for the Channel Dash when the Navy allowed the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau to slip into the English Channel undetected in February 1942, and criticised for ordering the dispersal of ArcticConvoy PQ 17 in July 1942, in which 35 merchant ships were left without protection, leading to 24 of the 35 merchant ships being sunk with the loss of 153 men.30
By March 1942 he was no longer Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff and accepted the need for a deputy first sea lord, with Admiral Sir Charles Kennedy-Purvis installed as such in July 1942.31
Pound refused a peerage but was appointed to the Order of Merit on 3 September 1943, four years after the outbreak of the war.3233
Resignation and death
Pound suffered from hip degeneration, the pain from which often disrupted his normal sleep and caused him to doze off at meetings.30 In July 1943 Pound's wife died; by this time it was clear that his health was declining. He had suffered one stroke, and the second, during the Quebec Conference the following month, was paralytic and indicative of a fast-developing brain tumour.34 Pound then resigned formally on 20 September 1943.30 He died from the tumour at the Royal Masonic Hospital in London on 21 October (Trafalgar Day) 1943 and, after a funeral service in Westminster Abbey, followed by cremation at Golders Green Crematorium,35 his ashes were buried at sea in The Solent.30
Family
In 1908 Pound married Betty Whitehead; they had two sons and a daughter.9
Popular culture
In the 2024 movie The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare a character named Admiral Pound is portrayed as being in favour of negotiating surrender with the Germans while being opposed to the Special Operations mission depicted.36
Sources
Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
Kennedy, Ludovic (1975). Pursuit: The Sinking of the Bismarck. Fontana Press. ISBN 978-0006340140.
Nailor, Peter. "Great Chiefs of Staff – Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound, OM, GCB GCVO", RUSI Journal: Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (1988) 133#1 pp 67–70.
Stanley, Martin (2006). The Order of Merit. I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd., London. ISBN 978-1860648489.
Further reading
Brodhurst, Robin (2000). Churchill's Anchor: A Biography of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-0850527650.
Murfett, Malcolm (1995). The First Sea Lords from Fisher to Mountbatten. Westport. ISBN 0-275-94231-7.
Admiral of the FleetSir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers PoundGCBOMGCVO (29 August 1877 – 21 October 1943) was a British senior officer of the Royal Navy. He served in the First World War as a battleship commander, taking part in the Battle of Jutland with notable success, contributing to the sinking of the German cruiser Wiesbaden.
He served as First Sea Lord, the professional head of the Royal Navy, for the first four years of the Second World War. In that role his greatest achievement was his successful campaign against the German U-boats and the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic but his judgment has been questioned over the failed Norwegian Campaign in 1940, his dismissal of Admiral Dudley North in 1940, and his order in July 1942 to disperse Convoy PQ 17 and withdraw its covering forces. His fear of a possible (though never transpired) threat from heavy German surface ships, led to the convoy's destruction by submarines and aircraft, which other admirals deemed "a shameful page in naval history".1 His health failed in 1943 and he resigned, dying shortly thereafter.
Early life
Born the son of Alfred John Pound, an Eton-educated2barrister, by his marriage to Elizabeth Pickman Rogers, an American from , Pound's maternal grandfather was , but was also descended on his mother's side from , an early , merchant. He was educated at Fonthill School in , Sussex.
Pound joined the staff at the Ordnance Department of the Admiralty in January 1909 and then, having been promoted to commander on 30 June 1909,12 he transferred to the battleship HMS Superb in the Home Fleet in May 1911.9 He joined the staff of the Royal Naval War College in early 1913 and then transferred to the battleship HMS St Vincent in the Home Fleet in April 1914.9
First World War
Pound served throughout the First World War. After being promoted to captain on 31 December 1914, he became an Additional Naval Assistant to the First Sea Lord before being given command of the battleship HMS Colossus in May 1915.9 He led her at the Battle of Jutland with notable success, contributing to the sinking of the German cruiser Wiesbaden.9 He returned to the Admiralty in July 1917 to become assistant director of plans and then director of the operations division (home) and was closely involved in the planning for the Zeebrugge Raid.13 He also planned the use of radio remote controlled vessels that were developed by the Navy's D.C.B. Section.14
There are sharply divided opinions of Pound as First Sea Lord during the early years of the Second World War. His admirals and captains at sea accused him of "back seat driving" and he had some clashes with Charles Forbes and John Tovey, commanders of the Home Fleet.232527
Winston Churchill, with whom he worked from September 1939, was involved with him on naval strategies such that he was referred to as "Churchill's anchor".23 He has also been described as a "cunning old badger" who had used guile to frustrate Churchill's Operation Catherine, a scheme to send a battle fleet into the Baltic, early in the war.28 Critically, Pound was at the helm of the Royal Navy on the day of the sinking of Prince of Wales and Repulse on 10 December 1941 off the coast of Kuantan, Malaysia by the Japanese Air Force.29
Perhaps Pound's greatest achievement was his defeat of the German U-boats and the winning of the Battle of the Atlantic but he has been blamed for the Channel Dash when the Navy allowed the German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau to slip into the English Channel undetected in February 1942, and criticised for ordering the dispersal of ArcticConvoy PQ 17 in July 1942, in which 35 merchant ships were left without protection, leading to 24 of the 35 merchant ships being sunk with the loss of 153 men.30
By March 1942 he was no longer Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff and accepted the need for a deputy first sea lord, with Admiral Sir Charles Kennedy-Purvis installed as such in July 1942.31
Pound refused a peerage but was appointed to the Order of Merit on 3 September 1943, four years after the outbreak of the war.3233
Resignation and death
Pound suffered from hip degeneration, the pain from which often disrupted his normal sleep and caused him to doze off at meetings.30 In July 1943 Pound's wife died; by this time it was clear that his health was declining. He had suffered one stroke, and the second, during the Quebec Conference the following month, was paralytic and indicative of a fast-developing brain tumour.34 Pound then resigned formally on 20 September 1943.30 He died from the tumour at the Royal Masonic Hospital in London on 21 October (Trafalgar Day) 1943 and, after a funeral service in Westminster Abbey, followed by cremation at Golders Green Crematorium,35 his ashes were buried at sea in The Solent.30
Family
In 1908 Pound married Betty Whitehead; they had two sons and a daughter.9
Popular culture
In the 2024 movie The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare a character named Admiral Pound is portrayed as being in favour of negotiating surrender with the Germans while being opposed to the Special Operations mission depicted.36
Sources
Heathcote, Tony (2002). The British Admirals of the Fleet 1734 – 1995. Pen & Sword Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-835-6.
Kennedy, Ludovic (1975). Pursuit: The Sinking of the Bismarck. Fontana Press. ISBN 978-0006340140.
Nailor, Peter. "Great Chiefs of Staff – Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound, OM, GCB GCVO", RUSI Journal: Royal United Services Institute for Defence Studies (1988) 133#1 pp 67–70.
Stanley, Martin (2006). The Order of Merit. I.B. Tauris & Co. Ltd., London. ISBN 978-1860648489.
Further reading
Brodhurst, Robin (2000). Churchill's Anchor: A Biography of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Dudley Pound. Pen & Sword. ISBN 978-0850527650.
Murfett, Malcolm (1995). The First Sea Lords from Fisher to Mountbatten. Westport. ISBN 0-275-94231-7.