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Richard Hull

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For the crime novelist, seeRichard Hull (author).For the American media and entertainment executive, seeRichard Hull (executive).For the British translator, seeR. F. C. Hull.For other people, seeRichard Hull (disambiguation).

Field Marshal

Sir Richard Hull
Sir Richard Hull, pictured here in 1962 as a full general
Born(1907-05-07)7 May 1907
Cosham,Hampshire, England
Died17 September 1989(1989-09-17)(aged 82)
Pinhoe,Devon, England
Buried
St. Michael and All Angels Cemetery, Pinhoe, Devon, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1926–1967
RankField Marshal
Service number36442
Unit17th/21st Lancers
Commands heldChief of the Defence Staff(1965–67)
Chief of the General Staff(1961–65)
Far East Land Forces(1958–61)
British Troops in Egypt(1954–56)
Staff College, Camberley(1946–48)
5th Infantry Division(1944–46)
1st Armoured Division(1944)
26th Armoured Brigade(1943)
12th Infantry Brigade(1943)
17th/21st Lancers(1941–42)
Battles/warsSecond World War
Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation
AwardsKnight Companion of the Order of the Garter
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
Mentioned in Despatches
RelationsSir Charles Hull(father)
Other workConstable of the Tower of London(1970–75)

Field MarshalSir Richard Amyatt Hull,KG,GCB,DSO,DL(7 May 1907 – 17 September 1989) was a seniorBritish Armyofficer. He was the lastChief of the Imperial General Staff(CIGS), holding the post from 1961 to 1964, and the firstChief of the General Staff(CGS), holding that post until 1965, and, as such, was the professional head of the British Army. He later becameChief of the Defence Staff(CDS) from 1965 to 1967, the professional head of the entireBritish Armed Forces.He served with distinction during theSecond World War,fighting from 1942 to 1945 inNorth Africa,ItalyandWestern Europe,became the youngest divisional commander in the British Army,[1]and, after the war was over, he advised theBritish governmenton the response to theIndonesia–Malaysia confrontationin the 1960s.

Early life and military career

[edit]

Richard Amyatt Hull was born inCosham,Hampshireon 7 May 1907, the son of Major-GeneralSir Charles Hull,and Muriel Helen Hull (née Dobell),[2]and was educated atCharterhouse SchoolandTrinity College, Cambridge.[3]Hull entered theRoyal Military College, Sandhurstand wascommissionedas asecond lieutenantinto the17th/21st Lancers,a cavalry regiment of theBritish Army,on 1 November 1926.[4]Posted with his regiment to Egypt in October 1928, he was promoted tolieutenanton 7 May 1931 and tocaptainon 1 June 1933[5]before going on toIndiain October of that year. He served asadjutantof his regiment when it was converted into amechanisedrole and, from 1938 to 1939, he attended theStaff College, Quetta.[1]

Second World War

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By the time of the outbreak of theSecond World Warin September 1939, Hull had just returned from India.[6]After serving in the Directorate of Staff Duties at theWar Officefrom February 1940, Hull was appointedOfficer Commanding(OC) 'C' Squadron of his regiment, which had also by now returned from India to the United Kingdom, in March 1941 and then, five months later, became the regiment'sCommanding Officer(CO). He remained in this capacity until June 1942 when he became GSO1 of the1st Canadian Armoured Division,which was soon redesignated the 5th Canadian (Armoured) Division.[7]The regiment had been serving as part of the26th Armoured Brigadeof the6th Armoured Divisionsince the division's formation in September 1940. The division's firstGeneral Officer Commanding(GOC) was Major-GeneralJohn Crocker,passing briefly to Major-GeneralHerbert Lumsdenand thenCharles Gairdner,before, in May 1942, finally passing to Major-GeneralCharles Keightley,who, like Hull, was a fellow cavalryman.[6]

North Africa

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In the days leading up toOperation Torch,theAlliedinvasion ofNorth Africa,for which the 6th Armoured Division was to take part in as part of theBritish First Army,Hull was promoted tocoloneland becamesecond-in-command(2IC) of the 26th Armoured Brigade.[6][1]Elements of the First Army landed in North Africa on 8 November 1942, with Hull's regiment being among them. A week later, shortly after landing, Hull was ordered to formBlade Force,based around the 17th/21st Lancers, along with part of the1st Derbyshire Yeomanry(the 6th Armoured Division's reconnaissance regiment) and anti-tank and anti-aircraft guns, and to captureTunisas soon as possible (see therun for Tunis).[6]Sending his units by train toConstantine,he arrived there on the evening of 16 November, and, the following day, was on the border ofTunisia.Hull then headed towardsMedjez el Bab,which was held by the French against theGermans.The armoured cars of the 1st Derbyshire Yeomanry arrived on 18 November, with the rest ofBlade Forcearriving soon after, but, lacking infantry support, were unable to capture the bridge.[6]

Hull, with the36th Infantry Brigadeon his left flank, and the11th Infantry Brigade(both from Major-GeneralVyvyan Evelegh's78th "Battleaxe" Division) on his right flank, now decided to turn west, hoping to get to Tunis by a more northern route, with the aid of elements of theU.S. 1st Armored Division.[8]However, this attempt also failed as the Germans had received reinforcements and, by the end of the month, the Allies were on the defensive and forced to withdraw from their positions. In DecemberBlade Forcewas reabsorbed into the 6th Armoured Division, Hull returning to the 2IC of the 26th Armoured Brigade.[8]For his services in the early stages of theTunisian campaignHull was appointed a Companion of theDistinguished Service Orderon 11 February 1943.[9][1]

By February 1943, the brigade was atThala.In the middle of the month the Germanslaunched their attack at Kasserine PassagainstUS troops,forcing them to retreat.Lieutenant-GeneralKenneth Anderson,GOC of the British First Army, appointedBrigadierCameron Nicholson,2IC of the 6th Armoured Division, gave him command ofNickforce,an improvised formation. Nickforce held on until further reinforcements and fought the Germans to a standstill.[8]

Hull was then promoted to brigadier and took command of the12th Infantry Brigade,part of the4th Mixed Division(which was composed of the10thand 12th Infantry Brigades and the21st Tank Brigade), then commanded by Major-GeneralJohn Hawkesworth,which had arrived in Tunisia the month before, on 17 April.[8]The brigade was heavy fighting just a week after Hull's assumption of command, where it was involved in taking a key position named Peter's Corner which, despite air andinfantry tanksupport from the 21st Tank Brigade, failed with some 900 casualties, with the Germans putting up a tenacious resistance. Hull's brigade was relieved by the 78th Division's 11th Brigade soon afterwards and, due to its heavy losses, only managed to play a relatively minor role in the First Army's capture of Tunis, which fell on 6 May 1943, the campaign in Tunisia itself coming to an end a week later with the surrender of almost 250,000 Axis troops.[8]

Over a month later, on 19 June Hull returned to the 6th Armoured Division, still commanded by Keightley, where he took over command of the 26th Armoured Brigade from BrigadierPhilip Roberts,which was then training in North Africa for operations in Italy, before returning to the United Kingdom, becoming Deputy Director of Staff Duties (DDSD) at the War Office, in December 1943.[7][8][8][1]The appointment was an important department within the General Staff and was responsible for staff training and for the organisation of the army in general.[8]Soon after taking up this position, Hull was, in late January 1944,mentioned in despatchesfor his services in North Africa.[10]

Italy

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Hull remained in this post until August 1944 when, promoted to major-general, he succeeded Major-GeneralAlexander Gallowayas GOC of the1st Armoured Division,then serving on theItalian front,making Hull the youngest divisional commander in the British Army during the Second World War.[1]The division, a pre-warRegular Armyformation, was composed of the2nd Armouredand18th Lorried Infantry Brigadesalong with supporting units, and was a veteran of theBritish Eighth Armythat had fought throughout most of theNorth African campaignand briefly with the First Army in the final stages of the campaign in Tunisia but, since then, had seen no action, with tanks being considered unsuitable in the mountains of Italy.[8]The division was assigned toV Corps,commanded by Lieutenant-General Charles Keightley (who, formerly as Hull's superior as GOC 6th Armoured Division, had been the one to recommend Hull for command of the 1st Armoured Division), withI Canadian CorpsandII Polish Corpson its right, next to theAdriatic Sea.The Eighth Army commander, Lieutenant-GeneralSir Oliver Leese(who had taught Hull at the Staff College, Quetta before the war), intended to launch an offensive to breach theGothic Line,believing he could reach thePo Valley.The operation, codenamed Olive, began on the night of 25 August, with the 1st Armoured held in reserve. Keightley, the corps commander, planned for the46th Division,under Major-General John Hawkesworth, to breach the German defences, allowing Hull's division to exploit its success and drive on to the Po Valley.[8]

The 46th Division's progress was initially successful and Keightley decided to bring the 1st Armoured earlier than planned, although the division was, curiously, held back 100 miles from the enemy and, by the time it reached the front, was exhausted.[8]However, on 3 September, the division was committed to battle around the town ofCorianoand suffered heavy losses before it was repelled. Reinforced with the43rd Gurkha Lorried Brigadeand a Canadian brigade, the division tried again on 12 September, this time with more success, and the Germans fell back before again halting the division a week later, inflicting heavy losses on Hull's division, particularly in tanks.[11]

On 24 September, however, the division received the news that it was to be disbanded, due to a severe manpower shortage that was afflicting the British Army at this stage of the war, particularly in Italy. As a result of this news, the division ceased to exist by late October, although it was not officially disbanded until 1 January 1945 and the 2nd Armoured Brigade survived as an independent formation, although the 18th Brigade was broken up and the men sent to bring up other units, mainly the 46th Division, which had suffered heavy casualties, up to strength.[11]

Northwest Europe

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Field MarshalSir Bernard Montgomeryacknowledges the cheers of Belgian civilians during a tour of 5th Division in and around Ghent, 20 March 1945. Driving the car is Major-General Richard Hull, GOC of the 5th Division.

Following the 1st Armoured Division's disbandment, in late November, Hull succeeded Major-GeneralPhilip Gregson-Ellisas GOC of the5th Infantry Division,another Regular Army formation, then serving inPalestine.[11][7]Composed of the13th,15thand17th Infantry Brigades,along with supporting divisional troops, the 5th Division, nicknamed "The Globe Trotters" (after having served in nearly everytheatre of war), had fought inSicilyand Italy from July 1943 until July 1944 and was resting in Palestine, and was then preparing to return to Italy.[11]

Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery poses for a group photograph with his staff and army, corps and divisional commanders atWalbeck,Germany, 22 March 1945. Pictured standing in the back row, on the far left, is Major-General Richard Hull.

Originally intending to rejoin the Eighth Army in Italy, the 5th Division, after landing there briefly in February, was instead diverted toNorthwestern Europeas part ofOperation Goldflaketo reinforce theBritish Second Army,commanded by Lieutenant-GeneralSir Miles Dempsey,for the final Allied offensive on theWestern Front,theinvasion of Germany itself.[11]The Second Army formed part ofField MarshalSir Bernard Montgomery's21st Army Group.The division arrived inBelgiumin early March, and on 17 April was assigned to Lieutenant-GeneralEvelyn Barker'sVIII Corps,then just a few miles from the western bank of theElbe river.The division crossed the river after facing light resistance and was not involved in much fighting thereafter and managed to enter the city ofLübeckinNorthern Germanyon 3 May, just a few days before theend of World War II in Europe.[11]Having been promoted to the substantive rank ofmajoron 7 May 1945,[12]Hull was appointed aCompanion of the Order of the Bathon 5 July 1945.[13]

Shortly after thewar in Europecame to an end, it was proposed that Hull would exchange places with Major-GeneralLashmer "Bolo" Whistler,GOC of the3rd Infantry Division,and take the division to theFar Eastto fight theJapanese,with Whistler becoming GOC of the 5th Division in Hull's place. However, thesurrender of Japanin September 1945 cancelled these plans and Hull remained with the 5th Division on occupation duties inGermanyuntil May 1946.[11]

Postwar

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An Australian soldier in action during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation.

Promoted tocolonelon 13 April 1946,[14]he again succeeded Major-General Philip Gregson-Ellis, this time as Commandant of theStaff College, Camberleyin May 1946, an assignment appointed to only the most promising officers.[11]Having been promoted again tomajor-generalon 13 June 1947,[15]he became Director of Staff Duties at the War Office in September 1948 and Chief Army Instructor at theImperial Defence Collegeon 1 January 1951.[16][1]He becamechief of staffat headquartersMiddle East Land Forceson 26 January 1953.[17]He was appointed GOCBritish Troops in Egypton 15 June 1954[18]and, having been promoted tolieutenant-generalon 29 September 1954[19]and advanced to aKnight Commander of the Order of the Bathin theNew Year Honours1956,[20]he becameDeputy Chief of the Imperial General Staffon 5 October 1956.[21][11]He was appointedCommander-in-ChiefFar East Land Forceson 25 June 1958[22]and, having been promoted to fullgeneralon 13 February 1959,[23]and advanced toKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bathin theQueen's Birthday Honours1961.[24]

Hull (left), talking with Lieutenant Colonel J. C. H. Serette of Trinidad & Tobago (centre) and Major General Abdul Hamid Bin Bidin of Malaysia, 1964.

Hull becameChief of the Imperial General Staffon 1 November 1961[25](restyledChief of the General Staffin April 1964).[7][11][1]In this capacity he advised theBritish governmenton the response to theIndonesia–Malaysia confrontation.[26]Having been promoted tofield marshalon 8 February 1965,[27]he was appointedChief of the Defence Staff,the professional head of theBritish Armed Forces,on 16 July 1965.[28]He finally retired from the British Army on 5 August 1967.[29][11][1] He was also appointed Colonel of the 17th/21st Lancers from July 1947, Honorary Colonel of the Cambridge University Contingent from 30 May 1958[30]and Colonel Commandant of theRoyal Armoured Corpsfrom April 1968.[26][1]

In retirement he became a Non-Executive Director ofWhitbread.[2]He was appointedConstable of the Tower of Londonfrom 1 August 1970,[31]Lord LieutenantofDevonfrom 5 October 1978[32]and aKnight Companion of the Order of the Garteron 23 April 1980.[33]

His interests includedshooting,fly fishingandgardening;he knew every plant in his garden by their English,Latinand local name.[2]He died ofcancerat his home, Beacon Downe inPinhoeon 17 September 1989, at the age of 82.[2]

Family

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In 1934 he married Antoinette Labouchére de Rougement; they had a son and two daughters.[3][1]

Coat of Arms

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Coat of arms of Field Marshal Sir Richard Hull, KG, GCB, DSO, DL
Crest
On a mount charged with a trout a raven close holding in its dexter claw a Field Marshal's baton all proper.
Escutcheon
Azure a cross couped between four talbots' heads erased Argent.
Motto
SEMPER FIDELIS
Orders
Order of the Garter;Order of the Bath

References

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  1. ^abcdefghijkSmart 2005,p. 164.
  2. ^abcd"Sir Richard Hull".Oxford Dictionary of National Biography(online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004.doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/40130.Retrieved27 December2011.(Subscription orUK public library membershiprequired.)
  3. ^abHeathcote 1999,p. 180.
  4. ^"No. 33222".The London Gazette.19 November 1926. p. 7479.
  5. ^"No. 33961".The London Gazette.18 July 1933. p. 4802.
  6. ^abcdeMead 2007,p. 215.
  7. ^abcdHeathcote 1999,p. 181.
  8. ^abcdefghijkMead 2007,p. 216.
  9. ^"No. 35898".The London Gazette(Supplement). 9 February 1943. p. 744.
  10. ^"No. 36349".The London Gazette(Supplement). 25 January 1944. p. 520.
  11. ^abcdefghijkMead 2007,p. 217.
  12. ^"No. 37066".The London Gazette(Supplement). 4 May 1945. p. 2393.
  13. ^"No. 37161".The London Gazette(Supplement). 3 July 1945. p. 3489.
  14. ^"No. 37643".The London Gazette(Supplement). 5 July 1946. p. 3493.
  15. ^"No. 37997".The London Gazette(Supplement). 24 June 1947. p. 2927.
  16. ^"No. 39110".The London Gazette(Supplement). 2 January 1951. p. 49.
  17. ^"No. 39776".The London Gazette(Supplement). 10 February 1953. p. 883.
  18. ^"No. 40278".The London Gazette(Supplement). 14 September 1954. p. 5311.
  19. ^"No. 40346".The London Gazette(Supplement). 7 December 1954. p. 6979.
  20. ^"No. 40669".The London Gazette(Supplement). 30 December 1955. p. 3.
  21. ^"No. 40893".The London Gazette(Supplement). 2 October 1956. p. 5615.
  22. ^"No. 41429".The London Gazette(Supplement). 24 June 1958. p. 4045.
  23. ^"No. 41655".The London Gazette(Supplement). 10 March 1959. p. 1719.
  24. ^"No. 42370".The London Gazette(Supplement). 2 June 1961. p. 4145.
  25. ^"No. 42503".The London Gazette(Supplement). 31 October 1961. p. 7925.
  26. ^abHeathcote 1999,p. 182.
  27. ^"No. 43569".The London Gazette(Supplement). 5 February 1965. p. 1361.
  28. ^"No. 43712".The London Gazette(Supplement). 13 July 1965. p. 6717.
  29. ^"No. 44376".The London Gazette(Supplement). 28 July 1967. p. 8436.
  30. ^"No. 41398".The London Gazette(Supplement). 27 May 1958. p. 3365.
  31. ^"No. 45163".The London Gazette.4 August 1970. p. 8587.
  32. ^"No. 47659".The London Gazette.9 October 1978. p. 11997.
  33. ^"No. 48167".The London Gazette(Supplement). 25 April 1980. p. 6159.

Further reading

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  • Heathcote, Tony (1999).The British Field Marshals 1736–1997.Barnsley (UK): Pen & Sword.ISBN0-85052-696-5.
  • Mead, Richard (2007).Churchill's Lions: A Biographical Guide to the Key British Generals of World War II.Stroud (UK): Spellmount. p. 544 pages.ISBN978-1-86227-431-0.
  • Smart, Nick (2005).Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War.Barnsley, U.K.: Pen & Sword Military.ISBN1-84415-049-6.
[edit]
Military offices
Preceded by GOC 1st Armoured Division
August–September 1944 		Division disbanded
Preceded by GOC 5th Infantry Division
1944–1946 		Succeeded by
Philip Gregson-Ellis
Commandant of the Staff College, Camberley
1946–1948 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Colonel of the 17th/21st Lancers
1947–1957 		Succeeded by
Military offices
Preceded by Director of Staff Duties, War Office
1948–1950 		Succeeded by
Preceded by GOC British Troops in Egypt
1954–1956 		Troops withdrawn
Preceded by Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff
1956–1958 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Sir Francis Festing
 C-in-C Far East Land Forces
1958–1961 		Succeeded by
Chief of the Imperial General Staff
1961–1964 		Position replaced by Chief of the General Staff
New title
Position replaced Chief of the Imperial General Staff
 Chief of the General Staff
1964–1965 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Chief of the Defence Staff
1965–1967 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Constable of the Tower of London
1970–1975 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Devon
1978–1982 		Succeeded by
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