grove obit.pdf

Professor Eric J. Grove (1948–2021)

The sudden death of Professor Eric Grove on 15 April 2021, aged 73 has taken from us one of the stalwarts of the Society for Nautical Research. His was a very full and very active life. A world-renowned academic, an engaging lecturer, a prolific author and a regular participant in television documentaries, he was a passionate and engaging naval historian. His wide-ranging appeal can be seen in the fact that obituaries for him can already be found in publications ranging from the Aberdeen Press & Journal to The Times in London and from Annapolis to Australia.

He was one of the longest standing and most active members of the Society and despite his busy working life he found a great deal of time to take part in the work of the Society at all levels. This is reflected in the fact that he was made a Fellow of the Society as soon as that honour was created. First elected to SNR Council in 1986, where his engagement with the aims and values of the Society became immediately evident, his huge range of interests is demonstrated by the fact that he then served at various times on every committee of the Society and became a Vice-President in 1998. Indeed, he was an active and passionate participant at a Zoom meeting of the Finance and General Purposes Committee only two days before his sudden passing.

Eric was born in Bolton but was brought up in Aberdeen where his doctor father moved to work at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary in 1960. He attended Aberdeen Grammar School and then Aberdeen University, achieving a First-class Honours degree in History in 1970. It was in Aberdeen that he developed his renowned love of singing as a member of the cathedral choir.

After obtaining a post-graduate master’s degree in war studies at Kings College London he joined the civilian staff of the Britannia Royal Naval College, Dartmouth, during which time he became the first Dartmouth academic to undertake an exchange year with the US Naval Academy at Annapolis. This was the beginning of an international career which saw him visit conferences, universities and act as a guest teacher all over the world. He left Dartmouth in 1984 having been Deputy Head of Strategic Studies and International Affairs. For much of the 1980s he operated as a freelance academic and defence consultant and during this time produced a number of very highly regarded books including From Vanguard to Trident; British Naval Policy Since 1945 and The Future of Sea Power.

In 1993 he joined the Centre for Security Studies at the University of Hull, obtaining a Doctorate there three years later. In 1997, as his international reputation flourished he was a visiting fellow at the Centre for Maritime Policy at the University of Wollongong in Australia. In 2005, he moved to the University of Salford as Professor of Naval History and Director of the Centre for International Security and War Studies. After a final two years as professor of Naval History at Liverpool Hope University, he stepped down from full-time teaching in 2015 but continued to lecture at conferences, to write everything from book reviews for the Mariners Mirror to major works on policy. He was an omnivorous and voracious reader with an amazing memory who always seemed to have read every book on the Anderson Medal shortlist. He was one of the most prolific book reviewers for The Mariner’s Mirror and his knowledge on a large range of subjects shone through in his insightful and incisive comments.

Eric was an authoritative and influential academic who will be remembered for many things. His bearded face, his omnipresent bow tie, the very slightest stutter when he displayed passion about a topic in his lectures, his conviviality, his singing and his joyful approach to life. He would argue passionately in debate about everything from failures of government naval policy to the need for the Society to have a bow tie as well as a traditional tie as one of its members benefits.

He was an inspirational teacher, lecturer, mentor and role model. A wonderful presence at any meeting whether a major international conference or a small social lunch. He is much missed.

Derek Law

University of Strathclyde