Robert Ryder - Revision history

Majokthefirst: further reworked content after review additionally and improved wording

2026-02-26T20:53:38Z

further reworked content after review additionally and improved wording

← Older revision		Revision as of 02:23, 27 February 2026
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	\| mawards = [[Victoria Cross]]<br />[[Mentioned in Despatches]] (3)<br />[[Polar Medal]]<br />[[Légion d'honneur]] (France)<br />[[Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)\|Croix de guerre]] (France)		\| mawards = [[Victoria Cross]]<br />[[Mentioned in Despatches]] (3)<br />[[Polar Medal]]<br />[[Légion d'honneur]] (France)<br />[[Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)\|Croix de guerre]] (France)
	}}		}}
	[[Captain (Royal Navy)\|Captain]] '''Robert Edward Dudley Ryder''' {{postnom\|country=GBR\|VC}} (16 February 1908 – 29 June 1986) was a [[Royal Navy]] officer and a British recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations\|Commonwealth]] forces. He became a [[Conservative Party (UK)\|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)\|Member of Parliament]] after retiring from the navy.		[[Captain (Royal Navy)\|Captain]] '''Robert Edward Dudley Ryder''' {{postnom\|country=GBR\|size=100%\|VC}} (16 February 1908 – 29 June 1986) was a [[Royal Navy]] officer and a British recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations\|Commonwealth]] forces. He became a [[Conservative Party (UK)\|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)\|Member of Parliament]] after retiring from the navy.

	==Early life==		==Early life==
	Ryder was born in [[British India\|India]] in 1908 to Colonel [[Charles Henry Dudley Ryder]], [[Surveyor General of India]], and Ida Josephine Grigg. He was a great-grandson of the Right Reverend [[Henry Ryder]], youngest son of [[Nathaniel Ryder, 1st Baron Harrowby]]. Ryder had two brothers; both were killed in the [[Second World War]]. Lisle Charles Dudley Ryder was killed in the [[Le Paradis massacre]] of 1940 in France.<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2279645 CWGC entry for Lisle Charles Dudley Ryder]</ref> Ernle Terrick Dudley Ryder died in captivity after the [[Battle of Singapore\|defence of Singapore]]. Ryder was educated at [[Hazelhurst School]] and [[Cheltenham College]] before he entered the [[Royal Navy]] in 1926.<ref name="Janus">{{cite web\|title=The Papers of Robert Ryder\|url=https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/9/resources/1796~~\|url-status=live~~\|publisher=Churchill Archives Centre, University of Cambridge\|accessdate=2008-07-02}}</ref>		Ryder was born in [[British India\|India]] in 1908 to Colonel [[Charles Henry Dudley Ryder]], [[Surveyor General of India]], and Ida Josephine Grigg. He was a great-grandson of the Right Reverend [[Henry Ryder]], youngest son of [[Nathaniel Ryder, 1st Baron Harrowby]]. Ryder had two brothers; both were killed in the [[Second World War]]. Lisle Charles Dudley Ryder was killed in the [[Le Paradis massacre]] of 1940 in France.<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2279645 CWGC entry for Lisle Charles Dudley Ryder]</ref> Ernle Terrick Dudley Ryder died in captivity after the [[Battle of Singapore\|defence of Singapore]]. Ryder was educated at [[Hazelhurst School]] and [[Cheltenham College]] before he entered the [[Royal Navy]] in 1926.<ref name="Janus">{{cite web\|title=The Papers of Robert Ryder\|url=https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/9/resources/1796\|publisher=Churchill Archives Centre, University of Cambridge\|accessdate=2008-07-02}}</ref>

	==Naval career==		==Naval career==
	Ryder served on several ships throughout his career. He served as a [[midshipman]] on the [[battleship]] {{HMS\|Ramillies\|07\|6}} from 1927 to 1929. As a [[Lieutenant (Royal Navy)\|lieutenant]] he served in the [[submarine]] {{HMS\|Olympus\|N35\|6}} as part of the 4th Flotilla in China from 1930 to 1933. Ryder also commanded several expeditions. This included captaining the ketch ''Tai-Mo-Shan'' on a 16,217 mile voyage from [[Hong Kong]] to [[Dartmouth, England]] during 1933–1934. ~~From 1934~~ to ~~1937 he captained~~ the ~~schooner~~ ''~~Penola~~'' ~~during~~ the ~~[[British Graham Land Expedition]]~~ in ~~[[Antarctica]]~~.<ref ~~name~~=~~Janus~~/>		Ryder served on several ships throughout his career. He served as a [[midshipman]] on the [[battleship]] {{HMS\|Ramillies\|07\|6}} from 1927 to 1929. As a [[Lieutenant (Royal Navy)\|lieutenant]] he served in the [[submarine]] {{HMS\|Olympus\|N35\|6}} as part of the 4th Flotilla in China from 1930 to 1933. Ryder also commanded several expeditions. This included captaining the ketch ''Tai-Mo-Shan'' on a 16,217 mile voyage from [[Hong Kong]] to [[Dartmouth, England]] during 1933–1934. Investigative work by [[ The Times\|the Times of London]] in 2007 found that the voyage was more than a great yachting exploit. The young naval officers were spying on Imperial Japanese Navy anchorages in the Kurile Islands to survey the isles for potential Allied submarine bases for an attack on the Japanese Navy.<ref>{{Cite web \|date=2023-01-18 \|title=Tai-Mo-Shan - an interesting yacht with a secret. \|url=https://forums.sailinganarchy.com/threads/tai-mo-shan-an-interesting-yacht-with-a-secret.240545/ \|access-date=2024-05-22 \|website=Sailing Anarchy Forums \|language=en-US}}</ref> ''That same base in the Kurile Islands was later used for the attack on Pearl Harbor.''<ref>{{Citation \|title=Attack on Pearl Harbor \|date=2024-05-20 \|work=Wikipedia \|url=https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Attack_on_Pearl_Harbor&oldid=1224836025 \|access-date=2024-05-22 \|language=en}}</ref> The yacht Tai-Mo-Shan was resold and repaired numerous times and later reached a wider audience when she starred in the box office hit Mama Mia in 2008.<ref>{{Cite web \|last=Meyric-Hughes \|first=Steffan \|date=2018-12-18 \|title=Mamma Mia yacht in peril \|url=https://www.classicboat.co.uk/news/mama-mia-yacht-in-peril/ \|access-date=2024-05-22 \|website=Classic Boat Magazine \|language=en-US}}</ref>

	When the [[Second World War]] started, Ryder was serving as a [[lieutenant commander]] on {{HMS\|Warspite\|03\|6}}. In 1940, he was promoted to [[commander]] of the [[Q-ship]] {{HMS\|Edgehill\|X739\|6}} which was sunk by ~~a torpedo~~ in the Atlantic, 200 miles west of Ireland; Ryder was adrift for four days before rescue. ~~Appointed~~ commander of the [[sloop of war\|sloop]] {{HMS\|Fleetwood\|U47\|6}}.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Dorrian \|first=James G \|title=Storming St Nazaire \|publisher=Leo Cooper \|~~ISBN~~=0850524199 \|date=1998}}</ref>{{rp\|33}} In early 1941, he went on to captain the ''Prince Philippe'' a cross-channel steamer converted to a Commando ship, which sank after a collision in the [[Firth of Clyde]]. Ryder, now a [[Commander (Royal Navy)\|commander]], led 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. The stated aim of the operation was to deny large German ships, particularly the [[German battleship Tirpitz\|German battleship ''Tirpitz'']], a base on the [[Atlantic Ocean\|Atlantic]] coast.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.631 \|title=HMS ''Campbeltown'' Commemorates the Raid on St Nazaire 28 March 1942 \|publisher=Royal Navy \|accessdate=2008-07-02 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109045540/http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.631 \|archivedate=9 January 2007 }}</ref> For his actions during this operation he was one of five people awarded the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for valour of the British Empire.		From 1934 to 1937 he captained the schooner ''[[Penola (yacht)\|Penola]]'' during the [[British Graham Land Expedition]] in [[Antarctica]].<ref name="Janus" />

			When the [[Second World War]] started, Ryder was serving as a [[lieutenant commander]] on {{HMS\|Warspite\|03\|6}}. In 1940, he was promoted to [[commander]] of the [[Q-ship]] {{HMS\|Edgehill\|X739\|6}} which was sunk on the 29th of June 1940, torpedoed three times by German submarine U51 in the Atlantic, 200 miles west of Ireland; Ryder was adrift for four days before rescue by an off course convoy.<ref>{{Cite web \|title=Tillie, Arnold Bertram Kingsley (Oral history) \|url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80011768 \|access-date=2024-05-22 \|website=Imperial War Museums \|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|title= HMS Willamette Valley (X 39) (British Special service vessel) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat.net\|url=https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/394.html \|website=Uboat.net}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web \|last=nwilliams \|date=2009-08-31 \|title="RFA" Edgehill \|url=https://historicalrfa.uk/rfa-edgehill/ \|access-date=2024-05-22 \|website=Historical RFA \|language=en-GB}}</ref> After his recovery in hospital, he was appointed commander of the [[sloop of war\|sloop]] {{HMS\|Fleetwood\|U47\|6}}.<ref>{{cite book \|last=Dorrian \|first=James G \|title=Storming St Nazaire \|publisher=Leo Cooper \|isbn=0850524199 \|date=1998}}</ref>{{rp\|33}} In early 1941, he went on to captain the ''Prince Philippe'' a cross-channel steamer converted to a Commando ship, which sank after a collision in the [[Firth of Clyde]]. Ryder, now a [[Commander (Royal Navy)\|commander]], led 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. The stated aim of the operation was to deny large German ships, particularly the [[German battleship Tirpitz\|German battleship ''Tirpitz'']], a base on the [[Atlantic Ocean\|Atlantic]] coast.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.631 \|title=HMS ''Campbeltown'' Commemorates the Raid on St Nazaire 28 March 1942 \|publisher=Royal Navy \|accessdate=2008-07-02 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109045540/http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.631 \|archivedate=9 January 2007 }}</ref> For his actions during this operation he was one of five people awarded the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for valour of the British Empire.

	===Victoria Cross===		===Victoria Cross===
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	===Later naval career===		===Later naval career===
	Ryder took part in the [[Allies of World War II\|Allied]] attack on the German-occupied port of [[Dieppe, Seine-Maritime\|Dieppe, Seine-Inférieure]] on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The [[Dieppe Raid]] was ~~largely~~ a failure, but it helped influence planning for [[Operation Overlord]], the landings on D-Day. Ryder achieved a final rank of [[Captain (naval)\|captain]] in 1948 and later served as naval [[attaché]] in [[Oslo]].<ref name=Janus/>		Ryder took part in the [[Allies of World War II\|Allied]] attack on the German-occupied port of [[Dieppe, Seine-Maritime\|Dieppe, Seine-Inférieure]] on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The [[Dieppe Raid]] was a failure, but it helped influence planning for [[Operation Overlord]], the landings on D-Day. Ryder achieved a final rank of [[Captain (naval)\|captain]] in 1948 and later served as naval [[attaché]] in [[Oslo]].<ref name=Janus/>

			== Personal life ==
			Ryder married Constance Hilaré Myfanwy Green-Wilkinson on 26 April 1941 at St Pater's Church, Cranbourne.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web \|orig-date=January 2022 \|date=February 2024 \|title=DFB \|url=https://falklandsbiographies.org/biographies/ryder_robert \|access-date=2024-05-22 \|website=falklandsbiographies.org}}</ref> Hilaré's father (the Reverend Lumley Green-Wilkinson) was the Vicar of the parish of Ascot, and at one time had been the chaplain to the Archbishop of Canterbury. Robert and Hilaré were married by Cosmo Lang, the Archbishop of Canterbury.

			The Ryders had two children - Lisle (b 1943) who also joined the Royal Navy, before being ordained priest in the Church of England, and eventually becoming a Canon of Worcester Cathedral - and Susan (b 1944). who became a successful portraitist and painter. In 1981 she was commissioned by the Prince of Wales to paint Princess Diana in her wedding dress.

	==Later life==		==Later life==
	Following his naval career, he stood for election to the House of Commons as the [[Conservative Party (UK)\|Conservative Party]] candidate for [[Merton and Morden (UK Parliament constituency)\|Merton and Morden]] at the [[1950 United Kingdom general election\|1950 general election]]. He was elected and served as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)\|Member of Parliament]] for five years.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue=39372 \|date=30 October 1951 \|page=5665 }}</ref> He died on 29 June 1986, whilst on the yacht ''Watchdog'' during a sailing trip to France. He is buried in Headington Crematorium, Oxford.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/oxfordsh.htm \|title=Victoria Cross recipients burial locations: Oxfordshire \|publisher=VictoriaCross.org \|accessdate=2008-07-02 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604150209/http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/oxfordsh.htm \|archivedate=4 June 2008 }}</ref>		Following his naval career, he stood for election to the House of Commons as the [[Conservative Party (UK)\|Conservative Party]] candidate for [[Merton and Morden (UK Parliament constituency)\|Merton and Morden]] at the [[1950 United Kingdom general election\|1950 general election]]. He was elected and served as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)\|Member of Parliament]] for five years.<ref>{{London Gazette \|issue=39372 \|date=30 October 1951 \|page=5665 }}</ref> From 1955 to 1959 Ryder was Managing Director John Lewis Partnership. In 1962 Ryder was appointed to the management committee of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). He served until 1974, thereafter becoming a Life Vice-President.<ref name=":0" />

			In 1964 the Ryders retired to live in the Old Rectory at [[Wolferton]], on the Queen’s Sandringham estate, in Norfolk. They were regularly guests of the Royal Family, and Robert occasionally joined shooting parties on the estate.<ref name=":0" />

			In 1977 the Ryders moved from Norfolk to Inkpen, near Newbury. Ryder’s wife Hilaré died on 19 September 1982. Ryder himself died on 29 June 1986, whilst on the yacht ''Watchdog'' during a sailing trip to France. He is buried in Headington Crematorium, Oxford.<ref>{{cite web \|url=http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/oxfordsh.htm \|title=Victoria Cross recipients burial locations: Oxfordshire \|publisher=VictoriaCross.org \|accessdate=2008-07-02 \|url-status=dead \|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604150209/http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/oxfordsh.htm \|archivedate=4 June 2008 }}</ref>

	==Awards==		==Awards==
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	[[Category:1908 births]]		[[Category:1908 births]]
	[[Category:1986 deaths]]		[[Category:1986 deaths]]
	[[Category:~~British naval~~ attachés]]		[[Category:Naval attachés for the United Kingdom]]
	[[Category:People educated at Cheltenham College]]		[[Category:People educated at Cheltenham College]]
	[[Category:Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross]]		[[Category:Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
	[[Category:Recipients of the Polar Medal]]		[[Category:Recipients of the Polar Medal]]
	~~[[Category:Royal Navy officers]]~~
	[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II]]		[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II]]
	[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]		[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
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	[[Category:UK MPs 1951–1955]]		[[Category:UK MPs 1951–1955]]
	[[Category:British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]		[[Category:British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
	[[Category:~~Chevaliers~~ of the ~~Légion d'honneur~~]]		[[Category:Knights of the Legion of Honour]]
	[[Category:Ryder family\|Robert]]		[[Category:Ryder family\|Robert]]
	[[Category:~~Recipients~~ of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)]]		[[Category:British recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)]]
	[[Category:Military personnel of British India]]		[[Category:Military personnel of British India]]
			[[Category:Royal Navy captains]]

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{{Short description|British naval officer (1908–1986)}}
{{Distinguish|Robert Edward Ryder}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2021}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| honorific-prefix = [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]]
| name = Robert Ryder
| honorific-suffix = {{postnom|country=GBR|size=100%|VC}}
| image = Robert Edward Dudley Ryder.gif
| office = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Merton and Morden (UK Parliament constituency)|Merton and Morden]]
| term_start = 23 February 1950
| term_end = 6 May 1955
| predecessor = Constituency created
| successor = [[Humphrey Atkins]]
| birth_name = Robert Edward Dudley Ryder
| birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1908|02|16}}
| birth_place = [[British India]]
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=yes|1986|06|29|1908|02|16}}
| death_place = At sea off [[Guernsey]]
| signature =
| party = [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]
| otherparty =
| spouse =
| children =
| relatives = See [[Earl of Harrowby|Ryder family]]
| education =
| allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch = {{navy|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears = 1926–1950
| rank = [[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]]
| commands = {{HMS|Opportune|G80|6}} (1944–45) [[HMS Prince Philippe|HMS ''Prince Philippe'']] (1941) {{HMS|Fleetwood|U47|6}} (1940–41) [[HMS Edgehill (X39)|HMS Edgehill ex ''Willamette Valley'']] (1939–40)
| battles = {{Tree list}}
* [[Second World War]]
** [[St Nazaire Raid]]
** [[Dieppe Raid]]
** [[Normandy landings]]
{{Tree list/end}}
| mawards = [[Victoria Cross]] [[Mentioned in Despatches]] (3) [[Polar Medal]] [[Légion d'honneur]] (France) [[Croix de guerre 1939–1945 (France)|Croix de guerre]] (France)
}}
[[Captain (Royal Navy)|Captain]] '''Robert Edward Dudley Ryder''' {{postnom|country=GBR|VC}} (16 February 1908 – 29 June 1986) was a [[Royal Navy]] officer and a British recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces. He became a [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] after retiring from the navy.

==Early life==
Ryder was born in [[British India|India]] in 1908 to Colonel [[Charles Henry Dudley Ryder]], [[Surveyor General of India]], and Ida Josephine Grigg. He was a great-grandson of the Right Reverend [[Henry Ryder]], youngest son of [[Nathaniel Ryder, 1st Baron Harrowby]]. Ryder had two brothers; both were killed in the [[Second World War]]. Lisle Charles Dudley Ryder was killed in the [[Le Paradis massacre]] of 1940 in France.<ref>[http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2279645 CWGC entry for Lisle Charles Dudley Ryder]</ref> Ernle Terrick Dudley Ryder died in captivity after the [[Battle of Singapore|defence of Singapore]]. Ryder was educated at [[Hazelhurst School]] and [[Cheltenham College]] before he entered the [[Royal Navy]] in 1926.<ref name="Janus">{{cite web|title=The Papers of Robert Ryder|url=https://archivesearch.lib.cam.ac.uk/repositories/9/resources/1796|url-status=live|publisher=Churchill Archives Centre, University of Cambridge|accessdate=2008-07-02}}</ref>

==Naval career==
Ryder served on several ships throughout his career. He served as a [[midshipman]] on the [[battleship]] {{HMS|Ramillies|07|6}} from 1927 to 1929. As a [[Lieutenant (Royal Navy)|lieutenant]] he served in the [[submarine]] {{HMS|Olympus|N35|6}} as part of the 4th Flotilla in China from 1930 to 1933. Ryder also commanded several expeditions. This included captaining the ketch ''Tai-Mo-Shan'' on a 16,217 mile voyage from [[Hong Kong]] to [[Dartmouth, England]] during 1933–1934. From 1934 to 1937 he captained the schooner ''Penola'' during the [[British Graham Land Expedition]] in [[Antarctica]].<ref name=Janus/>

When the [[Second World War]] started, Ryder was serving as a [[lieutenant commander]] on {{HMS|Warspite|03|6}}. In 1940, he was promoted to [[commander]] of the [[Q-ship]] {{HMS|Edgehill|X739|6}} which was sunk by a torpedo in the Atlantic, 200 miles west of Ireland; Ryder was adrift for four days before rescue. Appointed commander of the [[sloop of war|sloop]] {{HMS|Fleetwood|U47|6}}.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dorrian |first=James G |title=Storming St Nazaire |publisher=Leo Cooper |ISBN=0850524199 |date=1998}}</ref>{{rp|33}} In early 1941, he went on to captain the ''Prince Philippe'' a cross-channel steamer converted to a Commando ship, which sank after a collision in the [[Firth of Clyde]]. Ryder, now a [[Commander (Royal Navy)|commander]], led 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. The stated aim of the operation was to deny large German ships, particularly the [[German battleship Tirpitz|German battleship ''Tirpitz'']], a base on the [[Atlantic Ocean|Atlantic]] coast.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.631 |title=HMS ''Campbeltown'' Commemorates the Raid on St Nazaire 28 March 1942 |publisher=Royal Navy |accessdate=2008-07-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070109045540/http://www.royal-navy.mod.uk/server/show/conWebDoc.631 |archivedate=9 January 2007 }}</ref> For his actions during this operation he was one of five people awarded the [[Victoria Cross]], the highest award for valour of the British Empire.

===Victoria Cross===
The official citation:

{{blockquote|The KING has been graciously pleased to approve the award of the Victoria Cross for daring and valour in the attack on the German Naval Base at St. Nazaire, to: 
Commander Robert Edward Dudley Ryder, Royal Navy.

For great gallantry in the attack on St Nazaire. He commanded a force of small unprotected ships in an attack on a heavily defended port and led H.M.S. ''Campbeltown'' in under intense fire from short range weapons at point blank range. Though the main object of the expedition had been accomplished in the beaching of ''Campbeltown'', he remained on the spot conducting operations, evacuating men from ''Campbeltown'' and dealing with strong points and close range weapons while exposed to heavy fire for one hour and sixteen minutes, and did not withdraw till it was certain that his ship could be of no use in rescuing any of the Commando Troops who were still ashore. That his [[Motor Gun Boat]], now full of dead and wounded, should have survived and should have been able to withdraw through an intense barrage of close range fire was almost a miracle.<ref name=VCref>{{London Gazette |issue=35566 |date=19 May 1942 |page=2225 }}</ref>}}

His medal is held by the [[Imperial War Museum]], London.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/cciwm.htm |title=Victoria Crosses held by the IWM |publisher=VictoriaCross.org |accessdate=2008-07-02}}</ref>

===Later naval career===
Ryder took part in the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] attack on the German-occupied port of [[Dieppe, Seine-Maritime|Dieppe, Seine-Inférieure]] on the northern coast of France on 19 August 1942. The [[Dieppe Raid]] was largely a failure, but it helped influence planning for [[Operation Overlord]], the landings on D-Day. Ryder achieved a final rank of [[Captain (naval)|captain]] in 1948 and later served as naval [[attaché]] in [[Oslo]].<ref name=Janus/>

==Later life==
Following his naval career, he stood for election to the House of Commons as the [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] candidate for [[Merton and Morden (UK Parliament constituency)|Merton and Morden]] at the [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950 general election]]. He was elected and served as the [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for five years.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=39372 |date=30 October 1951 |page=5665 }}</ref> He died on 29 June 1986, whilst on the yacht ''Watchdog'' during a sailing trip to France. He is buried in Headington Crematorium, Oxford.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/oxfordsh.htm |title=Victoria Cross recipients burial locations: Oxfordshire |publisher=VictoriaCross.org |accessdate=2008-07-02 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080604150209/http://www.victoriacross.org.uk/oxfordsh.htm |archivedate=4 June 2008 }}</ref>

==Awards==
* [[Victoria Cross]]; [[London Gazette|gazetted]] 19 May 1942<ref name=VCref/>
* [[Légion d'honneur]]
* [[Croix de guerre 1939–1945|Croix de guerre]]
* 3 [[Mentioned in Despatches|Mentions in despatches]]:
** 2 October 1942<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35729 |date=2 October 1942 |page=4325 |supp=y }}</ref>
** 10 November 1944<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36794 |date=10 November 1944 |page=5218 |supp=y }}</ref>
** 15 December 1944<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36846 |date=15 December 1944 |page=5807 |supp=y }}</ref>
* [[Polar Medal|Polar Medal with clasp]]

==References==
{{reflist}}
;General
* ''[[British VCs of World War 2]]'' (John Laffin, 1997)
* ''[[Monuments To Courage]]'' (David Harvey, 1999)
* ''[[The Register of the Victoria Cross]]'' (This England, 1997)
* E.J. Ryder, Antoni Chmielowski

==Further reading==
* Hopton, Richard. ''Reluctant Hero: The Life of Captain Robert Ryder VC''.

==External links==
* {{hansard-contribs | captain-robert-ryder | Robert Ryder }}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20070513150108/http://www.dhs.kyutech.ac.jp/~ruxton/OC_victoria_crosses.html Robert RYDER of Cheltenham College]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20041028141333/http://www.homeusers.prestel.co.uk/stewart/oxfordsh.htm Location of grave and VC medal] ''(Oxfordshire)''
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20010202090200/http://www.ships.co.uk/royalnavy/destroy/ww2/class/stnazair.htm HMS Campbeltown and the Raid on St. Nazaire] ''(detailed description of the action)''
* [http://www.stnazairesociety.org/ The St. Nazaire Society (Operation Chariot)]

{{s-start}}
{{s-par|uk}}
{{s-new | constituency}}
{{s-ttl
| title = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|Member of Parliament]] for [[Merton and Morden (UK Parliament constituency)|Merton and Morden]]
| years = [[1950 United Kingdom general election|1950]]–[[1955 United Kingdom general election|1955]]
}}
{{s-aft | after = [[Humphrey Atkins]] }}
{{s-end}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ryder, Robert Edward Dudley}}
[[Category:1908 births]]
[[Category:1986 deaths]]
[[Category:British naval attachés]]
[[Category:People educated at Cheltenham College]]
[[Category:Royal Navy recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Polar Medal]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers]]
[[Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II]]
[[Category:Conservative Party (UK) MPs for English constituencies]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1950–1951]]
[[Category:UK MPs 1951–1955]]
[[Category:British World War II recipients of the Victoria Cross]]
[[Category:Chevaliers of the Légion d'honneur]]
[[Category:Ryder family|Robert]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Croix de Guerre 1939–1945 (France)]]
[[Category:Military personnel of British India]]