Admiral John Fisher was a divisive man, writes Allan George. To some he was an anathema, to others he was the man who shook the Royal Navy from its Victorian complacency, brought it into the 20th Century, and built the Fleet that fought the Great War.
FEAR GOD AND DREAD NOUGHT
John Arbuthnot Fisher; his single mindedness drove a naval revolution, perhaps only equalled in the 20th Century by Admiral Hyman Rickover, who introduced nuclear submarines into the US Navy in the 1950s. ‘Jackie’ Fisher not only envisaged and built the ships, but also oversaw social transformation in the selection and training of crews for the coming war. He was a man of extraordinary energy, insight and perception; a unique genius, whose foresight recognised the potential of the new and radical technologies. He was ruthlessly ambitious, full of enthusiasm and clever.
Historians observe that the greatest leaders of the Royal Navy tend either to be fighting admirals or administrators. If Nelson was the pre-eminent fighting admiral, then Fisher was probably the greatest administrator. Here, there is no inference Fisher would have been an incompetent fighting admiral, nor that he was anything but brave. It would, however, be diffi…
