Gilbert Roberts (Royal Navy officer)

Gilbert Roberts (1899 – 1986) was a British Royal Navy officer known for his significant contributions to the development of wargaming techniques used to counter German U-boat tactics during the Second World War. He did not see active service, having been invalided out of the Navy in the 1920s due to ill health.

During the war, Roberts was recruited to the Western Approaches Tactical Unit (WATU) in Liverpool. This unit was tasked with analyzing U-boat tactics and developing effective countermeasures for convoy escorts. Due to his prior experience and a talent for game theory, Roberts led a team, largely composed of female officers of the Women's Royal Naval Service (Wrens), in recreating naval battles using large-scale maps and model ships. These simulations allowed them to test and refine escort tactics in a safe and controlled environment.

Roberts was highly unconventional in his methods, encouraging creative thinking and experimentation. He often incorporated "errors" into the wargames to see how escort commanders would react, exposing weaknesses in existing procedures. His team devised and refined numerous successful anti-submarine tactics, significantly improving the effectiveness of convoy escorts. He is credited with contributing significantly to Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic. After the war, Roberts continued to advise the Royal Navy on anti-submarine warfare.