Admiral Sandy Woodward dies aged 81

[JohnT]

Sad to hear the news

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-23575534

RIP Sir

[longshanks]

Respect !

[Rob P]

Rest In Peace Sir, may the seas be flat and the wind at your back.

[Roof Rat]

God bless you Sir RIP

RR

[Enzo the Magnificent]

[Martian]

Very sad news indeed!

Martin

[foxy]

Yep its a loss indeed.

RIP Sir

[chaddy]

RIP

[Panzer Vor!!!]

R I P

[chuckb1]

Met him at NMSCO Northwood back in 1988. Charismatic man

[Jockster]

RIP Sir.

[Pete in Lincs]

Just reading forgotten voices of the Falklands war.

Pete

[Chippy]

RIP

[Arachnid]

A loss indeed, no comment from Sharkey Ward, yet?

[JohnT]

A loss indeed, no comment from Sharkey Ward, yet?

I always thought that Woodward had something in common with Jellicoe as the only man who could lose the war in an afternoon. to say the carriers should have been in closer to reduce transit time runs an unacceptable risk. The risk is not if a carrier might get hit or not. It's the consequences of losing one. As Woodward said lose one deck and its game over, nothing else would matter. Having read Sharkey Wards book I do admire the chap very much but wonder sometimes if maybe he missed seeing the whole picture. His criticism of the RAF Vulcan operation seems overstated to me. I must read both men's books again to refresh my memory

[Wafu]

Served under him in 82.

Very few will know how many lives he saved by his actions, me being one.

[XV107]

I always thought that Woodward had something in common with Jellicoe as the only man who could lose the war in an afternoon. to say the carriers should have been in closer to reduce transit time runs an unacceptable risk. The risk is not if a carrier might get hit or not. It's the consequences of losing one. As Woodward said lose one deck and its game over, nothing else would matter. Having read Sharkey Wards book I do admire the chap very much but wonder sometimes if maybe he missed seeing the whole picture. His criticism of the RAF Vulcan operation seems overstated to me. I must read both men's books again to refresh my memory

Admiral Woodward was fairly vocal at a 25th Anniversary event at the Staff College in concurring with your view about Cdr Ward missing the whole picture in terms of the Vulcan raid. As, for that matter, did Admiral Leach, who was also present. He came across as an impressive individual, even though you had the sense that here was a man who firmly bought into the notion that leadership is not a popularity contest (that isn't meant as a criticism, lest there be any doubt).

He also had that ability to be self-critical - a trait that a number of senior officers I've encountered would've done well to have developed - and was prepared to listen to his experts and specialists, even if he didn't feel able to adopt advice offered - again, a feature that some senior officers convinced in their own infallibility would have benefited from.

And, he was quite prepared to come along to events and offer his views with a mixture of self-confidence, humour and self-deprecation (where he thought it appropriate) to officers from all three services; it'll be odd not hearing him or seeing his views in print again.