Richard Amyatt Hull
Encyclopedia
Field Marshal
Sir Richard Amyatt Hull, KG
, GCB
, DSO
, DL
(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
.
and Trinity College, Cambridge
, Hull was commissioned into the 17th/21st Lancers
in 1928.
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 Office
.
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 Division, leading it through the final phases of the war in northern Europe - a post he held until 1946. He was one of the youngest divisional
commanders in the British Army.
. 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 Land Forces
. 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.
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Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Sir Richard Amyatt Hull, KG
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(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
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
(1964 – 1965), and as such the professional head of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
. From 1965 – 1967 he was Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
, the professional head of all British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
.
Army career
Educated at Charterhouse SchoolCharterhouse School
Charterhouse School, originally The Hospital of King James and Thomas Sutton in Charterhouse, or more simply Charterhouse or House, is an English collegiate independent boarding school situated at Godalming in Surrey.Founded by Thomas Sutton in London in 1611 on the site of the old Carthusian...
and Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College, Cambridge
Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Trinity has more members than any other college in Cambridge or Oxford, with around 700 undergraduates, 430 graduates, and over 170 Fellows...
, Hull was commissioned into the 17th/21st Lancers
17th/21st Lancers
The 17th/21st Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army from 1922 to 1993.It was formed in 1922 in England by the amalgamation of the 17th Lancers and the 21st Lancers . From 1930 to 1939 it was deployed overseas; first in Egypt for two years, and then in India for seven...
in 1928.
World War II
In 1941 he was appointed commanding OfficerCommanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the 17th/21st Lancers moving on in 1942 to become General Staff Officer 1st Canadian Armoured Division
5th Canadian (Armoured) Division
5th Canadian Division was a Canadian division during World War II. Following its redesignation from '1st Canadian Armoured Division', the bulk proceeded overseas in one main convoy, arriving in the UK at the end of November 1941....
.
In 1943 he became successively brigade commander of 12th Infantry Brigade and then 26th Armoured Brigade in North Africa
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
. From 1943 to 1944 he served as Deputy Director of Staff Duties at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
.
In 1944 he became General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of the 1st Armoured Division in Italy, leading it through the fierce battles of Operation Olive
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
on the Gothic Line
Gothic Line
The Gothic Line formed Field Marshal Albert Kesselring's last major line of defence in the final stages of World War II along the summits of the Apennines during the fighting retreat of German forces in Italy against the Allied Armies in Italy commanded by General Sir Harold Alexander.Adolf Hitler...
. Following the division's disbandment at the end of September, he became in November 1944 the commander of the 5th Division, leading it through the final phases of the war in northern Europe - a post he held until 1946. He was one of the youngest divisional
Division (military)
A division is a large military unit or formation usually consisting of between 10,000 and 20,000 soldiers. In most armies, a division is composed of several regiments or brigades, and in turn several divisions typically make up a corps...
commanders in the British Army.
After the war
From 1946 to 1948 he served as Commandant of Staff College, CamberleyStaff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
. In 1948 he was appointed Director of Staff Duties at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
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
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
British troops in Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
and then in 1956 Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff. In 1958 he was appointed Commander in Chief Far East Land Forces
British Far East Command
The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. These were firstly, 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command , and secondly, 1963 – 1971 succeeded by Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom Force...
. In 1961 he became Chief of the Imperial General Staff and in 1964 Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
. He was Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
from 1965 to 1967.
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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