J. Richard Hill
Encyclopedia
Rear Admiral
John Richard Hill (born 25 March 1929) is a retired rear-admiral in the Royal Navy
, a former chief executive of the Middle Temple
, author, and editor of many books on naval affairs.
from 1946 to 1947, before attending his sub-lieutenant's courses from 1947 to 1949. Promoted to lieutenant, he served in HMS Gambia in 1950, HMS Chevron in 1950 to 1952, HMS Tintagel Castle from 1952 to 1954 and then served ashore as a Navigation Specialist at HMS Dryad
in 1954, before returning to sea in HMS Cardigan Bay
in 1954 to 1956, HMS Albion
in 1956 to 1958, and HMS Roebuck
in 1958 to 1959. As a lieutenant-commander, he served at Pembroke Dockyard in 1959 to 1960 and in HMS Duchess
in 1960 to 1962.
Following his promotion to commander, he served mainly in appointments in the Ministry of Defence between 1963 and 1969, attending the Imperial Defence College from 1965 to 1967. In 1969 to 1971, he served at HMS Dryad. In 1972, he was appointed Defence Fellow of King's College London
, where he wrote a thesis on 'The Rule of Law at Sea.' On promotion to captain, he returned to the Ministry of Defence from 1973 to 1975, then he was posted abroad to The Netherlands, where he served as Defence and Naval Attaché at The Hague
from 1975 to 1977. Promoted to commodore in 1977, he returned to the Ministry of Defence until promoted to rear-admiral in 1981; he served as Flag Officer, Admiralty Interview Board from 1981 to 1983. He retired from the Royal Navy
as a rear-admiral in 1983.
, one of the Inns of Court
, and held that post for ten years until his retirement in 1994, when he was made Hon. Bencher, 1994. He served as Secretary of the Council of Inns of Court, 1987-93.
He has served as editor of the Naval Review
, 1983–2002 and as its reviews editor from 2002. He has been a member of Council, Greenwich Forum, 1983 -, and served on the Board of War Studies, University of London
, 1986–94; member of Council, Foundation for International Security, 1987-; member of Council, 1993-1997´and Vice President, 1997-2001 of the Navy Records Society
; member of Council, 1993–94, and Chairman, 1994–99, of the Society for Nautical Research
. Trustee, 1994–99, and Vice President, 2002, of the Royal Naval Museum
, Portsmouth.
In 2000, the British Maritime Foundation awarded Admiral Hill the Mountbatten Maritime Prize
.
, Navy International, Brassey's Annual, NATO's 15 Nations, Naval Review
, Naval Forces. He has contributed to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, for which he wrote biographies of Sir Harold Burrough
, Sir John Hayes
, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Lewin
, Vonla McBride, Sir Roderick Douglas Macdonald
, Sir Ian McIntosh
, and Sir Bernard Rawlings.
Rear Admiral
Rear admiral is a naval commissioned officer rank above that of a commodore and captain, and below that of a vice admiral. It is generally regarded as the lowest of the "admiral" ranks, which are also sometimes referred to as "flag officers" or "flag ranks"...
John Richard Hill (born 25 March 1929) is a retired rear-admiral in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
, a former chief executive of the Middle Temple
Middle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, author, and editor of many books on naval affairs.
Early life and education
Richard Hill was born the son of Stanley Hill and May Henshaw Hill: he entered the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth in 1942 and became a sub-lieutenant in 1946.Naval career
Richard Hill went to sea in 1946 and served mainly in destroyers and frigates, specializing in navigation up to the age of thirty-three. He served as a sub-lieutenant on the China StationChina Station
The China Station was a historical formation of the British Royal Navy. It was formally the units and establishments responsible to the Commander-in-Chief, China....
from 1946 to 1947, before attending his sub-lieutenant's courses from 1947 to 1949. Promoted to lieutenant, he served in HMS Gambia in 1950, HMS Chevron in 1950 to 1952, HMS Tintagel Castle from 1952 to 1954 and then served ashore as a Navigation Specialist at HMS Dryad
HMS Dryad (establishment)
HMS Dryad was a stone frigate . It was the home of the Royal Navy's Maritime Warfare School until 2004.Originally the school was based in Portsmouth Dockyard. The establishment took its name from the ship used as its tender, the fourth HMS Dryad. During World War II it was moved to Southwick House...
in 1954, before returning to sea in HMS Cardigan Bay
HMS Cardigan Bay (K630)
HMS Cardigan Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after Cardigan Bay, off the coast of Ceredigion, Wales....
in 1954 to 1956, HMS Albion
HMS Albion (R07)
HMS Albion was a 22,000 ton Centaur-class light fleet carrier of the Royal Navy.-Construction and modifications:She was built by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd. Her keel was laid down in March 1944 and she was launched in May 1947...
in 1956 to 1958, and HMS Roebuck
HMS Roebuck (H95)
HMS Roebuck was an R-class destroyer of the British Royal Navy that saw service during World War II. She was the fifteenth ship to carry this traditional ship name, after a small deer native to the British Isles, which was used as far back as the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.-Construction:Ordered in...
in 1958 to 1959. As a lieutenant-commander, he served at Pembroke Dockyard in 1959 to 1960 and in HMS Duchess
HMAS Duchess (D154)
HMAS Duchess was a Daring-class destroyer that served in the Royal Navy as HMS Duchess from 1952 to 1964, and in the Royal Australian Navy from 1964 to 1980....
in 1960 to 1962.
Following his promotion to commander, he served mainly in appointments in the Ministry of Defence between 1963 and 1969, attending the Imperial Defence College from 1965 to 1967. In 1969 to 1971, he served at HMS Dryad. In 1972, he was appointed Defence Fellow of King's College London
King's College London
King's College London is a public research university located in London, United Kingdom and a constituent college of the federal University of London. King's has a claim to being the third oldest university in England, having been founded by King George IV and the Duke of Wellington in 1829, and...
, where he wrote a thesis on 'The Rule of Law at Sea.' On promotion to captain, he returned to the Ministry of Defence from 1973 to 1975, then he was posted abroad to The Netherlands, where he served as Defence and Naval Attaché at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
from 1975 to 1977. Promoted to commodore in 1977, he returned to the Ministry of Defence until promoted to rear-admiral in 1981; he served as Flag Officer, Admiralty Interview Board from 1981 to 1983. He retired from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a rear-admiral in 1983.
Later career
Following his retirement as a serving officer, Hill became under-treasurer, the chief executive, of the Middle TempleMiddle Temple
The Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, commonly known as Middle Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court exclusively entitled to call their members to the English Bar as barristers; the others being the Inner Temple, Gray's Inn and Lincoln's Inn...
, one of the Inns of Court
Inns of Court
The Inns of Court in London are the professional associations for barristers in England and Wales. All such barristers must belong to one such association. They have supervisory and disciplinary functions over their members. The Inns also provide libraries, dining facilities and professional...
, and held that post for ten years until his retirement in 1994, when he was made Hon. Bencher, 1994. He served as Secretary of the Council of Inns of Court, 1987-93.
He has served as editor of the Naval Review
Naval Review (magazine)
The Naval Review was founded in October 1912 by a group of eight Royal Navy officers who had formed a naval society "to promote the advancement and spreading within the service of knowledge relevant to the higher aspects of the naval profession"....
, 1983–2002 and as its reviews editor from 2002. He has been a member of Council, Greenwich Forum, 1983 -, and served on the Board of War Studies, University of London
University of London
-20th century:Shortly after 6 Burlington Gardens was vacated, the University went through a period of rapid expansion. Bedford College, Royal Holloway and the London School of Economics all joined in 1900, Regent's Park College, which had affiliated in 1841 became an official divinity school of the...
, 1986–94; member of Council, Foundation for International Security, 1987-; member of Council, 1993-1997´and Vice President, 1997-2001 of the Navy Records Society
Navy Records Society
The Navy Records Society was established in 1893 as a scholarly society to publish historical documents that illustrated the history of the Royal Navy. Professor Sir John Knox Laughton and Admiral Sir Cyprian Bridge were the key leaders who organized the Society, basing it on the model of earlier...
; member of Council, 1993–94, and Chairman, 1994–99, of the Society for Nautical Research
Society for Nautical Research
The Society for Nautical Research was founded in 1910 to promote the academic field of maritime history in the United Kingdom.The aims of the society are to:* support and encourage research in maritime history and underwater archaeology....
. Trustee, 1994–99, and Vice President, 2002, of the Royal Naval Museum
Royal Naval Museum
The Royal Naval Museum is the museum of the history of the Royal Navy in the Portsmouth Historic Dockyard section of HMNB Portsmouth, Portsmouth, Hampshire, England. The museum is a non-departmental public body sponsored by the Ministry of Defence. Its current Acting Director is Graham Dobbin....
, Portsmouth.
In 2000, the British Maritime Foundation awarded Admiral Hill the Mountbatten Maritime Prize
Mountbatten Maritime Prize
The Mountbatten Maritime Prize is awarded annually by the Maritime Foundation to the author of a distinguished publication that has made a significant contribution to the maritime history of the United Kingdom. The prize is a piece of silver plate...
.
Published works
Rear-Admiral Hill has published articles in a number of professional journals, including SurvivalSurvival (journal)
Survival is a scholarly international studies journal of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, the British international affairs research institute. It is published by Routledge and has six issues a year.-External links:**...
, Navy International, Brassey's Annual, NATO's 15 Nations, Naval Review
Naval Review (magazine)
The Naval Review was founded in October 1912 by a group of eight Royal Navy officers who had formed a naval society "to promote the advancement and spreading within the service of knowledge relevant to the higher aspects of the naval profession"....
, Naval Forces. He has contributed to the Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, for which he wrote biographies of Sir Harold Burrough
Harold Burrough
Admiral Sir Harold Martin Burrough GCB, KBE, DSO was a senior Royal Navy officer and Assistant Chief of Naval Staff to the Royal Navy during World War II.- Early career :...
, Sir John Hayes
John Hayes
John Hayes may refer to:In academia:* John Hayes , British art historian and museum director, expert on GainsboroughIn entertainment:* John Hayes , American director of low-budget films...
, Admiral of the Fleet Lord Lewin
Terence Lewin, Baron Lewin
Admiral of the Fleet Terence Thornton Lewin, Baron Lewin, KG, GCB, LVO, DSC was a former First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, and Chief of the Defence Staff.-Naval career:...
, Vonla McBride, Sir Roderick Douglas Macdonald
Roderick Douglas Macdonald
Vice Admiral Sir Roderick Douglas Macdonald KBE was Chief of Staff of Naval Home Command.-Naval career:...
, Sir Ian McIntosh
Ian McIntosh
Ian McIntosh is a Zimbabwean-South African rugby union coach. He served as head coach for the Springboks during the early 1990s.McIntosh grew up near Bulawayo....
, and Sir Bernard Rawlings.
- French strategy and its political bases (1966)
- The Royal Navy, today and tomorrow (1983)
- Anti-submarine warfare (1984)
- Air defence at sea (1984)
- British sea power in the 1980s (1985)
- Maritime strategy for medium powers (1986)
- Arms control at sea (1989)
- The Oxford illustrated history of the Royal Navy, general editor, J.R. Hill; consultant editor, Bryan RanftBryan RanftBryan Ranft was an historian of the Royal Navy, who served as Professor of History and International Affairs at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, 1967-1977.-Early life and education:...
(1995) - The prizes of war : the naval prize system in the Napoleonic WarsNapoleonic WarsThe Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
, 1793-1815 (1998) - Maritime operations in peace : drug interdiction, disaster relief, suppression of piracy, Stephen Jermy, John Lippiett, Richard Hill. (1998).
- War at sea in the ironclad age (2000)
- Lewin of Greenwich: the authorised biography of Admiral of the Fleet Lord LewinTerence Lewin, Baron LewinAdmiral of the Fleet Terence Thornton Lewin, Baron Lewin, KG, GCB, LVO, DSC was a former First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy, and Chief of the Defence Staff.-Naval career:...
(2000) - Maritime Britain (2005)
- A Light on the Shore (2009)