Outstanding Naval Officer and Internationally Acclaimed Naval Historian and Strategist
By Vice Admiral Peter Jones, ANI President
On 17 March 2023 Rear Admiral James Goldrick died in Canberra. He was a naval officer of exceptional intellect and influence, who became Australia’s most internationally acclaimed naval historian.
James was born in 1958 to Caroline and Peter Goldrick. Caroline studied history at Sydney University, while Peter was a naval officer who served in World War II as a midshipman and the Korean War as a Sea Fury pilot. He retired as a Captain. James and his sisters Frances and Philippa enjoyed a gregarious and intellectually stimulating household. A layer of naval discipline accompanied the frequent moves necessitated by service life. James attended a series of mostly Jesuit schools which suited his precocious intellect. His schoolmate Bishop Greg Homeming would remain a lifelong friend.
In 1974, a fifteen-year-old James Goldrick joined the Royal Australian Naval College at Jervis Bay, as a cadet midshipman. His class of twenty-eight included two Kiwis and together they developed a strong bond against the vicissitudes of Naval College life. In an environment that spawned nicknames, he was simply known as James. He was enthusiastic for all things maritime, and he made model warships from balsa wood which led to his first appearance in Navy News. From his earliest days in the Navy, James demonstrated academic excellence and a knowledge of the Navy beyond his years. In 1976 he and a small group of his class attended the University of New South Wales in Sydney to undertake an Arts degree, while his other classmates commenced science, engineering or non-degree studies at Jervis Bay. This was at a time when humanities degrees were viewed with some suspicion in the Service.
Illustrative of James Goldrick’s intellectual aspirations, is that while his classmates were the backbone of his university college’s social committee, he was writing his first book, The King’s Ships were at Sea: The War in the North Sea August 1914 – February 1915. In researching the book he established links with some of the leading international academics in this field. They included Jon Sumida whose reappraisal of British gunnery innovations at that time was just starting to gain traction. The King’s Ships was one of the first books on the topic to incorporate these insights when it was published in 1984 by the US Naval Institute. That the author was both an aspiring naval historian and a serving naval officer was most unusual. If naval officers entered this field, it was in retirement. One of these men, the Royal Navy’s World War II official historian, Captain Steven Roskill offered James considerable encouragement during the writing of The King’s Ships.
The process of writing this book highlighted another aspect of James’ character. He was a great correspondent. James had a wide array of people in Australia, the UK and the US to whom he wrote and later called on. Many of his correspondents still treasure his letters in calligraphic handwriting, with not a grammatical mistake, a sentence out of place or a smudge in sight. Some recipients thought James must have been a monk in a previous life.
James Goldrick’s interests at university college were not confined to academics and he met his future wife, Ruth Wilson, who was then studying to be a librarian. Their friendship was maintained after university by post, leading to their marriage in 1989. In the words of classmate Commodore Roger Boyce, who helped move them into their first house, it was the meeting of two great libraries.
The early sea career of James Goldrick was punctuated by various stints with the Royal Navy. The first was in 1980 when he served in the patrol vessel Alderney and the frigate Sirius to obtain his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate. On one unusually clear morning Alderney entered the former Grand Fleet anchorage of Scapa Flow. James’ captain spotted the young officer’s excitement and remarked, “James you look like you have just entered Mecca”. James returned to the UK for his Principal Warfare Officer Course in 1983 where he specialised in anti-submarine warfare. He stayed on for exchange service in the destroyer Liverpool.
Maritime history and contemporary naval affairs continued to be a driving force in James’ life. By early 1980s he was a frequent contributor to the Australian Naval Institute Journal, US Naval Institute Proceedings and the British Naval Review. Under the pseudonym ‘Master Ned’ His Letters from Australia in the latter journal were widely read. James twice won the Guinness Prize for the Review’s best article of the year. He was equally prolific in Proceedings and this included writing an annual Asian Navies Review from 1982-1991 with classmate Peter Jones. At this time, he was also on the Council of the British Naval Records Society as well as providing comments and corrections to that naval bible Jane’s Fighting Ships, for which he received the much-appreciated recompense of a complimentary copy. They served him well at sea. On one occasion in Sirius, James successfully identified a new Soviet surveillance vessel that had confounded the bridge staff because it was not in the intelligence summaries or their older copy of Jane’s.
James Goldrick’s intelligence and remarkable powers of the pen did not go unnoticed. He was made Aide de Camp to the Governor-General, Sir Ninian Stephen, and was later Research Officer to the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Michael Hudson. He also served as Officer-in-Charge of the RAN’s warfare officer training where he had the opportunity to positively influence younger officers embarking on their specialisation.
During the 1980s and 1990s James was fruitfully collaborating with contemporaries interested in naval strategic and historical thought. At various times he served on the Council of the Australian Naval Institute and in 1989 he and successive Research Officers Tom Frame and Peter Jones were the driving force behind an influential naval history seminar held at the Australian War Memorial which sought to promote a more in-depth study of the RAN’s history. This resulted among other things in the 1992 book Reflections on the Royal Australian Navy which James co-edited.
In 1992 year, unlike most high performing officers, James Goldrick did not attend a staff course. Instead, Professor John Hattendorf encouraged James to apply to become a research scholar at the US Naval War College. His time at Newport began a long and profitable association with that institution. While there Ruth gave birth to their first son Owen. The Newport time also resulted in his second book, No Easy Answers: The Development of the Navies of India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka which was published in 1997. By this time James Goldrick had positioned himself uniquely in the RAN at the intersection of historical study, strategic and policydebate, maritime doctrine, and defence education. His contribution grew with his developing skills and expertise as a naval officer.
James Goldrick’s sea service included command of the Darwin-based patrol boat Cessnock, executive officer of the destroyer Perth and twice commanding the frigate Sydney. As a commanding officer he was competent and even tempered with a sincere interest in the welfare and advancement of his officers and sailors. His ships were invariably happy ones. James could, however, be unintentionally intimidating because of his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things naval. One of his officers remarked that it was like having Dumbledore as your captain.
In 2002 he saw operational service commanding the multinational Maritime Interception Force in the Persian Gulf. He revelled in the complexity of that role and made important tactical contributions to the UN Security Council’s sanction enforcement against Iraq.
His senior shore appointments included Chief Staff Officer to the Chief of Navy, Director of the RAN Seapower Centre, Director General of Military Strategy, the Commander of Border Protection Command, twice Commandant of the Australian Defence Force Academy and Commander of the Australian Defence College. Between 2005-2008 he also found time to be President of the Australian Naval Institute.
While at the Seapower Centre James Goldrick wrote the Navy’s capstone document Australian Maritime Doctrine. He was also played a key part in the creation of both the Navy’s Seapower and King-Hall history conferences. A particular aspect of this was bringing to these shores distinguished strategists and historians. These included Dr James Boutilier, Norman Friedman, Dr Eric Grove, Dr Nicholas Rodger and Professor Geoffrey Till. James had first met the ebullient Eric Grove at the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth. Their initial heated debate would turn into a lifelong friendship with Eric becoming godfather to his youngest son Edmund.
James Goldrick had long-standing collaboration with another classmate, turned historian, Dr David Stevens. James provided encouragement to David as he established himself as the Navy’s official historian and contributed to a number of books Stevens wrote or edited, including the outstanding RAN volume in the Australian Centenary of Defence series. His influence extended beyond his naval circles and Mike Carlton, Australia’s best-selling author of books on Australia’s naval history credits James for inspiring him to enter the field.
In all his naval appointments James Goldrick made important contributions, but it was at the Defence Academy and the Defence College that he had the greatest impact on the next generation of officers through his example and an interest in their individual development. James’ advice to them was to build an interior intellectual life sustained by wide reading, writing and critical thinking. He also observed that your first command is about proving yourself to yourself and that every subsequent command is about helping others prove themselves to themselves.
James Goldrick retired from the Navy in 2012 and soon was lecturing at the Defence College he once headed as part of the Australian National University’s instructional team. He regularly astounded Australian and international students with the breadth of his naval knowledge. He was also a founding member of the Naval Studies Group at the University of New South Wales (Canberra), the only such entity at an Australian university. James edited its yet to be published book on Australian Chiefs of Naval Staff and was a regular panelist in their Australian Naval History podcast series. Fittingly, James received the degree of Doctor of Letters honoris causafrom his alma mater.
As a retired officer James Goldrick was a frequent writer and speaker on maritime and naval affairs. He gained a wide and appreciative readership. James was an Honorary Professorial Fellow at the Wollongong University’s Australian National Centre for Ocean Resources and Security, an Honorary Professor at ANU’s Strategic and Defence Studies Centre and a Non-Resident Fellow at the Lowy Institute.
In 2015 James was a Visiting Fellow at All Souls College, University of Oxford. This allowed him to complete the first of two books he is most noted for. That was Before Jutland: The Naval War in Northern European Waters August 1914 – February 1915. (https://navalinstitute.com.au/before-jutland-naval-war-in-northern-europe/) It was followed by, in 2018, its companion After Jutland: The Naval War in Northern European Waters June 1916 – November 1918. (https://navalinstitute.com.au/after-jutland-the-naval-war-in-northern-european-waters/). International recognition followed. Before Jutland was awarded the Anderson Medal by the British Society for Nautical Research and James was made a Fellow of that Society. In 2020 he was also elected a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society. Two years later he was awarded the prestigious US Hattendorf Prize for distinguished academic achievement in publishing original research in naval history.
On his return from the US James Goldrick felt unwell and so began many rounds of treatment first for lymphoma and then leukaemia. James met the successive medical hurdles with politeness to the caring staff and great fortitude. Professor Geoffrey Till of King’s College London wrote he had an indomitable spirit who deserved much better fortune.
James is survived by his wife Ruth, sons Owen and Edmund and sister Frances.
Within the Royal Australian Navy and the national security community more generally, James Goldrick was a towering intellect and the most articulate writer and speaker on the importance of seapower for Australia.
James was an Honorary Life Member of the ANI. For its members his loss will no doubt be keenly felt. The Goldrick series of seminars are just one of his legacies. On a personal note the members of Junior Entry 1974 were always very proud to have James among their number.
James Goldrick was a mentor, shipmate and friend to many. His loss to the Navy is irreplaceable.
Peter Jones thanks Rear Admiral David Campbell, Edmund Goldrick, Commodore Jack McCaffrie, Mr John Mortimer, Dr John Reeve and Dr David Stevens for their contributions in the preparation of this obituary.
Eulogy for Rear Admiral James Goldrick
St Christopher’s Cathedral
5 April 2023
Delivered by Vice Admiral Peter Jones & Dr David Stevens
On behalf of Ruth and the family we would like to thank you all attending this service in
memory of James. It is very much appreciated that some of you have come from overseas
and interstate to be here today.
Both David and I, are members of the 1974 Junior Entry class that joined the Royal
Australian Naval College. James at 15 years old was one of the younger members of the
class. For us all that was the start of a long and wonderful friendship with James.
Our eulogy to James could be devoted entirely to his many achievements both in and
outside the Navy. Though these we will touch upon, Peter and I will talk more about James
the husband, the father, the brother, the classmate, the shipmate, the leader, the historian,
the writer, the mentor and the steadfast friend.
Perhaps christened in saltwater, from a young age James wanted to follow his father into
the Navy. James was proud of his father’s achievements in the Navy as a pilot, a frigate
captain and also as a catholic in a time when it was not easy to progress in a then still
sectarian Navy.
An early and avid reader about the Navy, James by his eighth year had learned that
‘flogging around the Fleet’ was a fearsome punishment during the Royal Navy’s days of
sail. The knowledge was timely, for he on one occasion thought he would be caned the next
day at school for a misdemeanour. This would be his first time, and he was naturally
reticent about going to school. Yet James surprised his mother Caroline that afternoon by
his chirpy demeanour. The reason was simple: he thought that the punishment would
involve him being caned in every classroom … Fortunately, it was not.
James’ relationship with his two sisters was boisterous. In their many moves as a naval
family, Caroline knew that once her three children had started fighting each other again,
they had settled into their new school. These were the days before fireworks were banned,
and in primary school James used to join with his friends and blow up plastic model ships
with penny and tuppenny bungers. By his early teens, he had become adept at making
small balsa wood warships. If you look at the photo at the back of the Order of Service you
can see some of them on the right of the picture. His sisters Frances and Phillipa soon
discovered that threatening to stomp on them would get him to do his chores.
James was proud of his strong and capable sisters. On one occasion Phillipa regaled the
family with having driven off some bully boys at school with a well directed punch to the
ring leader. James, perhaps an experienced recipient, wanted to know if Phillipa used her
‘really good punch’.
1
Among James’ early school friends was our celebrant today, the Bishop of Lismore, Greg
Homeming. Greg once joked to James that he would become an admiral, while James
responded that Greg would become a bishop. So it came to pass. It meant a tremendous
amount to James that a couple of weeks ago Greg flew down to visit him in Canberra
Hospital and that Greg would be able to officiate today.
Our class at the Naval College consisted of 29 Australians, and two Kiwis, all from vastly
different backgrounds. Wide-eyed and uncertain what to expect, we met each other for the
first time at Central Railway Station in Sydney. By the time we had collected our uniforms
and sat down to eat a packed lunch, it had already become clear that there was something
unique about James. While most of us knew little about the Navy, in thought, word and
deed James resembled a re-incarnated admiral of the old-school. As I sat next to him in the
bus on the long road trip down to Jervis Bay, James recited the names of all the First
World War British battle cruisers in chronological order. My stunned lack of
comprehension seemed to disappoint him.
If only we could have known then what it would all mean. In fact, for more than a few of us,
James’ vast knowledge of all things naval opened up our eyes to the Service that we joined.
Though James’ character might have been unique, it was as strong as any other in the
class, and we formed a tight bond in all activities, permitted or forbidden. In our first year
transgressions were many, such as a small fire in the chemistry lab. James, either through
good behaviour, or being too clever to get caught, avoided punishment for far longer than
any of us. When James finally did have to spend an afternoon on the obstacle course you
will not be surprised to hear that for the rest of us, and for James as well, it was a cause for
celebration.
In February 1976 James was among the half dozen of us who went to the Kensington
campus of the University of New South Wales to complete a Bachelor of Arts. Among our
new found freedoms was no longer being covered by the Naval College’s ban on
motorcycles. James was a member of our bikie gang and you can even see his motor bike
helmet sitting proudly on his desk in that photo at the back of the Order of Service. Though
his two sons could never afterwards picture him as a street racer, each day of lectures
James donned the de rigueur black jacket and, like the rest of us, found his own preferred
rabbit run through the back streets of the Eastern suburbs from Watson to Kensington.
As expected, James continued his chosen path as an outstanding scholar and budding
historian. His room at International House was decorated with charts of the North Sea and
he began work on what became his first published book: The King’s Ships were at Sea.
Starting a long correspondence with the most accomplished British naval historian of the
time, Captain Stephen Roskill, he found an unexplored niche in the Great War at sea and
began writing to the likes of Lord Louis Mountbatten and other retired admirals to gain
new insights into what had happened and why it was important. Writing a book and
completing a degree simultaneously took a lot of after-hours effort. All the same, it took
little coaxing to get James out for his favourite late-night snack, a foot-long hot dog from
Kingsford shops.
2
From these early days in his career James joined the more important naval and maritime
professional organisations in Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States. He
contributed articles to their respective journals throughout his career, offering considered
observations on what was wrong and how the problems of the day might be best fixed. His
first articles began appearing when James was only a midshipman, but his intellectual
skills made up for any initial lack of practical experience. Certainly, as he made his way up
the ranks, his international reputation as a naval scholar and maritime strategist grew in
conjunction.
Shortly after arriving at International House James became smitten with a student
librarian, Ruth Wilson. Their developing relationship was via the mail, as James went to
sea and Ruth moved to Melbourne. But in letter writing James had few equals, he played to
his strength, and a romance blossomed. Ruth also attempted to index his first book by
mail, an unenviable task if ever one existed. All of us were delighted when Ruth and James
married in 1989.
Subsequently, they had two sons – Owen and Edmund. After the Naval College James
vowed to never sleep in a tent again. A vow for which his family was very grateful. Instead,
they took an annual holiday at Manly. James and Ruth did not pressure their boys into this
path or that, rather they took care to nurture their passions as they emerged. James was
very proud of them as young men and their achievements in football and history.
James said recently that one of the things he liked about the Navy was that if you were a
‘Nerd’ like him, provided you could be competent in seamanship, ship handling and
leadership, then the Navy would accept you. He was unsure whether he would have
achieved equivalent success in the Army. James certainly mastered the practical aspects of
a naval life, rising to command at sea and ashore. Despite time away from home, he
enjoyed the sounds, smells and sights of being at sea and the wonderful camaraderie of a
happy ship.
James wanted all Australians to better know their Navy. In pursuit of this aim he started at
the top. When serving as Aide de Camp to Sir Ninian Stephen, he photocopied the relevant
pages from Jane’s Fighting Ships and instructed him in the principles of ship recognition.
He then made sure that the Governor-General had the guide and his binoculars near to
hand when taking his morning tea. Sir Ninian became rather good at identifying the
warships berthed at Garden Island from his verandah at Admiralty House. As an aside,
Lady Stephen grew worried at one stage when she noticed that unlike the Army and Air
Force ADCs who, when not required, took every opportunity to get away from Government
House, James preferred to remain at his desk working. Advised that he was writing a book,
she became far less concerned.
James afterwards became an accomplished lecturer in his own right, speaking at countless
conferences, staff colleges and tertiary institutions. His marshalling of facts, knowledge of
the subject and personal acquaintance with naval and maritime strategic experts of the
past half century was without equal. At the end of his letter of condolence to Ruth, New
Zealand’s Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral David Proctor, added the postscript: “a student of
James’ teachings.” James’ legacy will clearly live on.
3
Whether in or out of uniform, James always had a distinctive dress sense. ‘Dapper’ was
how we used to describe it. He never owned a pair of jeans and, as soon as he could afford
it, changed out his Australian issue dress uniform for one made by Gieves and Hawkes of
Saville Row. At his last lecture to the Australian Defence College, the students all dressed
in his trademark blue shirt and beige trousers, referred to by all as ‘The Goldrick Rig’. To
some it came across as conservative, but was born from James’ belief that men of a certain
age and shape, should simply refrain from wearing cloths too young for them.
James also possessed a subversive sense of humour. Brought up on ‘The Goon Show’, he
spent his teens with Monty Python and most recently expressed a liking for Rick and
Morty. ‘Yes, Minister’, however, remained a favourite and he could quote most episodes
verbatim. Not only did the show provide him with a better understanding of the corridors
of power, but it also engendered in James a life-long dislike of spin doctoring. James was a
veracious and wide reader. In his final days James was re-reading the Lord of the Rings.
James’ music tastes were also eclectic and ranged from Meatloaf to Requiem Masses.
When James was 24 years old he became Executive Officer of the landing craft Tarakan,
with a crew of just 13. James was keen to learn from the sailors and they soon worked out
they had someone special in their midst. Indeed, one day James found his junior sailor’s in
the ship’s cafeteria, filling in an application for James to appear on the Sale of the Century
TV quiz show.
One newly joined able seaman came to Tarakan after some time in cells. A First Nations
sailor, he had punched a senior sailor in the face for racially abusing him. Recognising the
man’s innate good character and potential, James placed him in charge of the other able
seaman. The sailor soon became one of the trusted leaders in Tarakan’s ship’s company.
That genuine rapport James had with officers and sailors alike made him such a highly
regarded figure with those who served with him at sea. The many glowing social media
posts from those who served with him is great testament to James as a shipmate.
One of James’ early articles for the Australian Naval Institute Journal, argued that setting
up an institution like the Australian Defence Force Academy would be a very bad idea. This
resulted in being asked to go see, the sometimes fierce Rear Admiral Bill Dovers (senior),
who was charged with establishing the institution. James survived that encounter and
when he later became Commandant of ADFA he found it to be one of his most demanding
yet rewarding positions. Though each day had its challenges, he loved to see the potential
in every young man and woman who joined. Buoyed by their enthusiasm, he particularly
sought out their individual views and generational outlooks. James was known for
remembering everyone’s name. The latter was not due to natural ability, rather James saw
it important in getting to know people. So he took the yearbooks, and studied them for
hours – memorising the names of entire classes.
James also brought to the job his years of experience at sea. Nothing a cadet tried-on had
not already been attempted, more successfully, by one of his junior sailors, save that is, the
continued operation at ADFA of the clandestine ‘Basement 43’. The ingenuity and
structural soundness of this secret bar, when discovered years later, thoroughly impressed
James.
4
Equally unfazed by seniority, from a relatively junior rank James did not stand back but
instead proved willing to provide feedback and advice to his commanders. Invariably,
polite and respectful, a suggestion from James was always worth considering. He simply
saw these comments as being in the best interests of the Navy or the wider Defence Force.
At the same time a private person when it came to politics and religion, James managed to
keep many of his own views on the issues of the day to himself. Tactful to a fault, when on
the receiving end of an earful his standard response, ‘I know what you mean.’ managed to
reveal nothing, but at least let you know that you had been heard.
Another of James’ professional highlights was commanding the multinational Maritime
Interception Force in the Persian Gulf. Effectively enforcing UN economic sanctions on
Iraq required both tactical skill and high-level operational analysis. James’ exercised
command from a number of US Navy vessels as well as the Australian ship Manoora and
his success in the role may be judged by the fact that the levels of oil being smuggled out of
Iraq by sea reduced by around half. This period also played to James’ skill as a diplomat,
getting the best not only out of a diverse group of Australian and allied ships, but also on
one occasion encouraging an Iranian warship to chase a smuggler out of their waters.
Another Australian ship in James’ task group was the frigate Canberra commanded by
classmate Roger Boyce, who is with us here today. Roger was at an advantage compared to
the other ships’ captains in that he was aware of one of James’s long-standing weaknesses –
cheese-flavoured Twisties. Noting the snack-food’s absence in James’ American flagships,
Roger would encourage a visit to Canberra with the prospect of a complementary packet.
While his intersessions did not always bring about Roger’s desired outcome for his ship, he
knew that James always appreciated the Twisties.
Another, more healthy food James loved was oranges. For James lunch was not complete
without being rounded off with an orange. If you look again at the picture of the 17 year old
James on the back of your Order of Service you will see an orange on his desk. Even in the
cancer ward and in his stay in Clare Holland hospice, James would ask Ruth to bring in
oranges. When Ruth and I left James for the very last time at the hospice, composed in his
favourite blue shirt and finally at peace in his bed, only his orange was left at his bedside to
sustain him for his final journey.
There is a similar symmetry to James as a historian. He wanted to illuminate the past, not
just out of interest but for a purpose. A twenty one year old James wrote as the final words
of his first book The King’s Ships Were at Sea, “History seems to repeat itself for only so
long as its actors are unaware of what has gone before.” Four decades later, and days
before he died, James said to Peter, “I have just tried to get the Navy to understand itself.”
James probably did more than anyone we have known to achieve just that. We have been
enriched not only by his scholarship and his wisdom but above all by his sincere and warm
friendship. We wish you James a well deserved eternal rest.
Thank you.