Richard Clayton (Royal Navy officer)
Encyclopedia
Admiral Sir Richard Pilkington Clayton GCB
(1925 – 15 September 1984) was Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command
.
in 1942 and served as a midshipman
on HMS Cumberland
until 1943 when he was on various destroyer
s of the Home Fleet. He also served on HMS Striker during the Suez Crisis
in 1956.
He became Commanding Officer
of HMS Puma in 1958 and Executive Officer on HMS Lion
in 1962. He became Captain of the Gibraltar Dockyard
in 1967 and then commanded HMS Kent
and then HMS Hampshire
in the late 1960s. He was appointed Flag Officer Second Flotilla in 1973 and Senior Naval Member on Directing Staff at the Royal College of Defence Studies
in 1975.
He was appointed Controller of the Navy
in 1975 and became Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command
in 1979: he retired in 1981.
In retirement he became a Director at GEC and was a Governor of Rendcomb College
. He died in a motor cycling accident in September 1984.
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...
(1925 – 15 September 1984) was Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
.
Naval career
Clayton joined the Royal NavyRoyal 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...
in 1942 and served as a midshipman
Midshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
on HMS Cumberland
HMS Cumberland (57)
HMS Cumberland was a County class heavy cruiser of the Royal Navy that saw action during the Second World War.-Career:Cumberland served on the China Station with the 5th Cruiser Squadron from 1928 until 1938, returning to the UK in March 1935 for a refit...
until 1943 when he was on various destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
s of the Home Fleet. He also served on HMS Striker during the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
in 1956.
He became Commanding Officer
Commanding 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 HMS Puma in 1958 and Executive Officer on HMS Lion
HMS Lion (C34)
HMS Lion was a light cruiser of the Royal Navy, ordered in 1942 as one of the Minotaur class and laid down that same year as Defence by Scotts Shipbuilding and Engineering Company at Greenock on 6 June 1942....
in 1962. He became Captain of the Gibraltar Dockyard
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
in 1967 and then commanded HMS Kent
HMS Kent (D12)
HMS Kent was a batch-1 County-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She and her sisters were equipped with the SeaSlug Mk-1 medium range surface to air missile SAM system, along with the short-range SeaCat SAM, two double mount 4.5" gun turrets, two single 20mm cannon, ASW torpedo tubes, and a...
and then HMS Hampshire
HMS Hampshire (D06)
HMS Hampshire was a County-class destroyer of the Royal Navy. She was decommissioned in 1976 and cannibalised for spares to service her sister ships. Hampshire was sold for scrap in 1979.- See also :* List of ship launches in 1961...
in the late 1960s. He was appointed Flag Officer Second Flotilla in 1973 and Senior Naval Member on Directing Staff at the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
in 1975.
He was appointed Controller of the Navy
Third Sea Lord
The Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy was formerly the Naval Lord and member of the Board of Admiralty responsible for procurement and matériel in the British Royal Navy...
in 1975 and became Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command
Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Portsmouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Portsmouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the post.-History:...
in 1979: he retired in 1981.
In retirement he became a Director at GEC and was a Governor of Rendcomb College
Rendcomb College
Rendcomb College is a co-educational boarding and day school for 3 to 18-year-olds, located in the village of Rendcomb five miles north of Cirencester in Gloucestershire, England. The school is a member of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
. He died in a motor cycling accident in September 1984.