A reluctant hero : the life of Captain Robert Ryder, VC /Richard Hopton.

A biography of Captain Robert Ryder (1908-1986), VC. Born in India, Ryder joined the Royal Navy in 1926. His naval service included the captaincy of the ketch Tai-Mo-Shan (1933-34), and the schooner Penola during the British Graham Land Expedition in Antarctica (1934-37). During the Second World War, and having been promoted to commander of the Q-ship HMS Edgehill which was sunk on the 29th June 1940, Ryder was adrift in the Atlantic for four days before rescue. Ryder later went on to lead the St Nazaire Raid, codenamed Operation Chariot, on 28 March 1942. This was a successful operation to destroy the 'Normandie Dock' in the German naval base in the town and with the stated aim of denying large German ships, particularly the German battleship Tirpitz, a base on the Atlantic coast. For his actions during this operation Ryder was awarded the Victoria Cross. Following retirement from the Royal Navy, Ryder entered politics as a Conservative Member of Parliament (1950-55) for Merton and Morden, was Managing Director of the John Lewis Partnership (1955-59) and was appointed to the management committee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), serving until 1974 when he became a Life Vice-President. Illustrated with photographs.