Admiral Insubordinate
By Richard Freeman
Lord Charles Beresford was the most eccentric, rebellious admiral the British Navy had ever seen.
Member of Parliament, celebrated public speaker and the most reprimanded admiral in naval history, Lord Beresford was a true character. Insubordinate and courageous, he marched to the beat of his own drum.
Travelling across the globe, Beresford saw everything from crucifixions in Japan to the wild tribes of Terra del Fuego and the South African goldmines. Throwing himself into his work, he risked his life time and time again to rescue fellow sailors. As a captain during the Bombardment of Alexandria, he became a national hero in the eyes of the public. Three years later, he’d capture the hearts of the nation once more during the doomed campaign to rescue General Gordon from captivity in Khartoum.
When he became the Conservative MP for County Waterford in 1874, he was nearly ousted by Lords of the Admiralty who objected to such a notorious troublemaker in parliament – until Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli personally intervened to save him. Anti-establishment until the very end, both the government and the navy would ultimately bar him from service.
In this enthralling biography, bestselling historian Richard Freeman recounts the remarkable life and adventures of Britain’s most wayward navy hero.
Richard Freeman graduated in mathematics before following a career in distance education. He now writes on naval history. His other books include The Great Edwardian Naval Feud, Britain’s Greatest Naval Battle, and A Close Run Thing: The Navy and The Falklands War.
