Rosslyn Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss

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Rosslyn Erskine Wemyss, 1st Baron Wester Wemyss (1864–1933), was a senior Royal Navy officer who became First Sea Lord during World War I. Born in London, he joined the Navy in 1877 and rose through the ranks, serving on many ships and in different roles.

In the First World War he commanded the 12th Cruiser Squadron and then governed the island of Moudros at Lemnos. He led the British landings at Cape Helles and Suvla Bay during the Gallipoli campaign and helped with the evacuation when the campaign ended. In 1916 he became commander of the East Indies & Egyptian Squadron and supported operations on the Palestine Front, including backing the Arab Revolt. He was promoted to vice-admiral in 1916.

Wemyss moved to high command in 1917, becoming Second Sea Lord and then First Sea Lord in December 1917. As head of the Navy, he urged stronger action in the Channel, which helped lead to the Zeebrugge Raid in 1918. He was the senior British representative at the armistice that ended active fighting in November 1918 and later helped shape postwar peace talks.

He was promoted to full admiral in 1919 and then Admiral of the Fleet. He resigned as First Sea Lord in November 1919 and spent his retirement writing his memoirs and serving as a director of Cable & Wireless. Wemyss died in Cannes in 1933 and was buried at Wemyss Castle.

In his personal life, he married Victoria Morier in 1903, and they had one daughter, Alice Elizabeth Millicent Erskine-Wemyss.