Richard Hull

Infobox Military Person
name=Sir Richard Hull
lived=May 7 1907 - Dda|1989|9|17|1907|5|7


caption=Field Marshal Sir Richard Hull
Crown Copyright
nickname=
placeofbirth=Cosham, Hampshire
placeofdeath=Pinhoe, Devon
allegiance=flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
branch=
serviceyears=1926 - 1967
rank=Field Marshal
unit=
commands=1st Armoured Division
5th Infantry Division
British troops in Egypt
Far East Command
battles=
awards= KG (21 Apr 1980) GCB (2 Jun 1961) KCB (2 Jan 1956) CB (5 Jul 1945) DSO (9 Feb 1943)
relations=
laterwork=Constable of the Tower of London (1970 - 1975) Honorary Colonel, Cambridge University Officers Training Corps (Territorial Army) Sheriff of the County of Devonshire (13 Nov 1972) Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devonshire (3 May 1973) High Sheriff of Devonshire (13 Nov 1974) Lord Lieutenant of Devonshire (5 Oct 1978)
Field Marshal Sir Richard Amyatt Hull, KG, GCB, DSO (7 May 1907 - 17 September 1989) was the last Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1961 – 1964) and the first Chief of the General Staff (1964 – 1965), and as such the professional head of the British Army. From 1965 – 1967 he was Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of all British Armed Forces.

Army career

Educated at Charterhouse School and Trinity College, Cambridge, Hull was commissioned into the 17th/21st Lancers in 1928 [Heathcote, Anthony pg 180] .

World War II

In 1941 he was appointed commanding Officer of the 17th/21st Lancers moving on in 1942 to become General Staff Officer 1st Canadian Armoured Division.In 1943 he became successively brigade commander of 12th Infantry Brigade and then 26th Armoured Brigade in North Africa. From 1943 to 1944 he served as Deputy Director of Staff Duties at the War OfficeHeathcote, Anthony pg 181] .

In 1944 he became General Officer Commanding of the 1st Armoured Division in Italy, leading it through the fierce battles of Operation "Olive" on the Gothic Line. Following the division's disbandment at the end of September, he became in November 1944 the commander of the 5th Infantry Division, leading it through the final phases of the war in northern Europe - a post he held until 1946 [ [http://www.generals.dk/general/Hull/Sir_Richard_Amyatt/Great_Britain.html Service record] ] . He was one of the youngest divisional commanders in the British Army.

After the War

From 1946 to 1948 he served as Commandant of Staff College Camberley. In 1948 he was appointed Director of Staff Duties at the War Office and in 1950 went on to become Chief Army Instructor at the Imperial Defence College. From 1953 to 1954 he was Chief of Staff for the Middle East Command.

In 1954 he became General Officer Commanding British troops in Egypt and then in 1956 Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff. In 1958 he was appointed Commander in Chief Far East Command. In 1961 he became Chief of the Imperial General Staff and in 1964 Chief of the General Staff. He was Chief of the Defence Staff from 1965 to 1967 [Heathcote, Anthony pg 182] .

Later career

In retirement he became Constable of the Tower of London.

References

Further reading

* Heathcote, T.A. (1999). "The British Field Marshals 1736-1997". Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-696-5

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