Raymond Harcourt Roberts CB QHC (14 April 1931 – 25 September 2019) was a Welsh Anglican priest and Royal Navy chaplain . He served as Chaplain of the Fleet and Archdeacon of the Royal Navy from 1980 to 1984.[ 1]
Early life
Roberts was born on 14 April 1931.[ 2] He studied at St Edmund Hall, Oxford and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree) in 1954; his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree in 1958 as per tradition. From 1954 to 1956, he studied for ordination at St. Michael's College, Llandaff .[ 3]
Ordained ministry
Roberts was ordained into the Church in Wales as a deacon in 1956 and as a priest in 1957. From 1956 to 1959, he served as an assistant curate at St Basil's Church, Bassaleg , south Wales. During his curacy, he was also a part-time military chaplain with the Royal Naval Reserve .[ 3]
On 1 July 1959, he transferred from the Royal Naval Reserve to the Royal Navy and was commissioned as a chaplain;[ 4] [ 5] members of the Royal Navy Chaplaincy Services do not hold rank, unlike member of the Royal Army Chaplains' Department and Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch . He served on (amongst others) destroyers and frigates , at the Royal Naval Engineering College and Britannia Royal Naval College and on HMS Ark Royal . From 1980 to 1984, he served as Chaplain of the Fleet and Archdeacon of the Royal Navy.[ 3]
After retiring from the military in 1984, he returned to parish ministry. From 1985 to 1989, he was an assistant curate at St George's Church, Badshot Lea , Surrey. During that time, he was also General Secretary of the Jerusalem and the Middle East Church Association . From 1990 to 1995, he was a chaplain of Llandaff Cathedral . He retired from full-time ministry in 1995 and was granted a permission to officiate .[ 3]
He died on 25 September 2019 at the age of 88.[ 6]
Honours
Roberts was appointed an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen (QHC) on 26 March 1980.[ 7] In the 1984 New Year Honours , he was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).[ 8]
References
Archdeacons for the Royal Navy (since 1997)