Peter Phipps

:"For the drummer with the same name see Peter Phipps (drummer)"Infobox Military Person
name= Peter Phipps
lived= c. 1909 – 18 Sep 1989
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath=Marlborough, New Zealand


caption= Vice Admiral Sir Peter Phipps
nickname=
allegiance= flagicon|New Zealand New Zealand
serviceyears= 1928–1966
rank= Vice Admiral
branch= navy|NZ
branch
commands= Chief of Naval staffChief of Defence staff
unit=
battles= World War II
awards= KBE
DSC and bar
US Navy Cross
laterwork=
Vice Admiral Sir Peter Phipps KBE, DSC and bar, US Navy Cross (c. 1909 - 18 Sep 1989) was a founding father of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). He was the first New Zealander to reach the rank of vice-admiral in the RNZN. He was also the first Chief of Naval Staff and the first Chief of the New Zealand Defence Force. His date and place of birth are uncertain.

War career

Phipps began his military career in 1928 when he joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve as an ordinary seaman. He was commissioned as a sub-lieutenant in 1930 and as a lieutenant in 1934.

In 1940, after the outbreak of war, he traveled to the United Kingdom where he was given his first command. This was the minesweeper [http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/6577.html HMS "Bay"] which operated in the English Channel. Fifty aircraft attacked the convoy that "Bay" was helping escort and she was bombed. Phipps was awarded the DSC for bringing his damaged ship home.

Promoted to Lieutenant Commander, he took command of HMNZS "Scarba", one of four "Isles" class minesweeping trawlers purchased for New Zealand. They carried out convoy duties en route to Auckland where they arrived 4 Aug 1942.

Commander of the "Moa"

Phipps then became commanding officer of "Moa", which, with her sister ship "Kiwi", sank the Japanese submarine "I-1" which was supporting Operation Ke during the Guadalcanal Campaign in the Solomon Islands.

Both ships were patrolling at Guadalcanal and "Kiwi's" depth-charge attack brought the submarine to the surface. She attempted to escape but was rammed by "Kiwi" while "Moa" continued to illuminate with star shell. "Moa" pursued and pressed home the attack upon the submarine, which eventually ran aground on a reef. Phipps was awarded a Bar to his DSC and the United States Navy Cross [ [http://www.homeofheroes.com/valor/1_Citations/03_wwii-nc/nc_06wwii_foreign.html Full Text Citations for award of the Navy Cross] ] for this action. In April 1943 he was wounded when Japanese aircraft sank "Moa" at Tulagi Harbour. The ship sustained a direct hit from a 500-pound bomb and sank within four minutes. Five ratings were killed and seven were seriously wounded. [ [http://www.navy.mil.nz/naval-reserve/naval-reserve-history/phipps-reserve-hero.htm Official Naval web site] Vice Admiral Sir Peter Phipps]

Phipps then became the Senior Officer of the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla in the Solomons. He represented the New Zealand Government at the surrender of the Japanese forces in Nauru and Ocean Island.

Post war career

After the war he commanded the training base HMNZS "Philomel", where in 1947 he had to deal with a mutiny of sailors impatient to demobilise. He then became the executive officer of the cruiser "Bellona". Between 1953 and 1955 he went overseas and served in a senior position in the Admiralty. He then took command successively of the cruisers "Bellona" and "Royalist". When Phipps went to take command of the "Royalist" in 1955, diplomat Frank Corner found that Phipps agreed that the "Royalist" was completely unsuitable for New Zealand's requirements, and Phipps regarded her purchase as an "unmitigated disaster"; see [ "Unofficial Channels: Letters between Alister McIntosh and Foss Shanahan, George Laking and Frank Corner 1946-1966" (page 186) edited by Ian McGibbon (1999, Victoria University Press, Wellington NZ) ISBN 0 86473 365 8 ] .

Phipps’ later career was a series of firsts for a New Zealander – he was the first NZ naval officer appointed to the New Zealand Naval Board (1957), the first to reach the rank of Admiral (eventually reaching Rear-Admiral), the first to be appointed to Chief of Naval Staff (1960) and the first Chief of Defence Staff (1963), following the establishment of the Ministry of Defence. [ [http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/collections/medals/phipps.htm New Zealand Navy Museum] Phipps, Vice Admiral Sir Peter]

Phipps was knighted for his services in 1964. On his retirement in 1966 he was created Vice-Admiral. He died in a car crash on 18 Sep 1989. ["Navy's Founding Father Saluted." The Dominion 18 Sep 1989]

ee also

* Gordon Bridson
* Non-US recipients of US gallantry awards

Notes

References

* Callo, Joseph F (2004) "Who's Who in Naval History: From 1550 to the Present." [http://books.google.com/books?id=0oLpTXHQ3rkC&pg=RA1-PA147&lpg=RA1-PA147&dq=%22vice+admiral+sir+peter+phipps%22&source=web&ots=6F8l1bUeYh&sig=g3hGPgLkJaLWSU7Oik-4CcHCcY0 Page 247] . Routledge. ISBN 978-0415308281
* McDougall, R J (1989) "New Zealand Naval Vessels." Page 55-61. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780477013994
* Waters, Sydney David (1956) "The Royal New Zealand Navy", Chp 9 Part I: [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Paci-_N85673.html The Navy in the Solomons] , Historical Publications Branch, Wellington.
* [http://www.dnzb.govt.nz/dnzb/default.asp?Find_Quick.asp?PersonEssay=5P26 Dictionary of New Zealand Biography] Phipps, Peter 1908–1989.
* [http://www.navy.mil.nz/naval-reserve/naval-reserve-history/phipps-reserve-hero.htm Official Naval web site] Vice Admiral Sir Peter Phipps
* [http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/collections/medals/phipps.htm New Zealand Navy Museum] Phipps, Vice Admiral Sir Peter

Further reading

* Harker, Jack (2000)"The Rockies: New Zealand Minesweepers at War." Silver Owl Press. ISBN 0959797998