Richard Peek (admiral) - Misplaced Pages

This article is about the Royal Australian Navy vice admiral. For the English abolitionist and merchant, see Richard Peek.

Sir Richard Peek
Vice Admiral Sir Richard Peek
Birth name	Richard Innes Peek
Nickname(s)	Peter
Born	(1914-07-30)30 July 1914 Tamworth, New South Wales
Died	28 August 2010(2010-08-28) (aged 96) Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
Allegiance	Australia
Service / branch	Royal Australian Navy
Years of service	1928–1974
Rank	Vice Admiral
Commands	First Naval Member HM Australian Fleet HMAS Melbourne HMAS Sydney HMAS Tobruk HMAS Bataan HMAS Shoalhaven
Battles / wars	Second World War Battle of the Coral Sea Battle of Leyte Gulf Invasion of Lingayen Gulf Korean War Malayan Emergency
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Cross Legion of Merit (United States)

Vice Admiral Sir Richard Innes Peek KBE, CB, DSC (30 July 1914 – 28 August 2010) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy, who served as First Naval Member of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board from 1970 to 1973.

Naval career

Peek joined the Royal Australian Navy College in 1928 as a cadet midshipman and graduated with maximum honours. His specialist gunnery training followed, with the Royal Navy as was typical of the era, at Whale Island, Portsmouth. He was consolidating his training as a gunnery officer, serving in the battleship HMS Revenge, at the outbreak of the Second World War.

In 1941 he returned to Australia and served as a lieutenant gunnery officer in HMAS Hobart (Leander-class light cruiser) at the Battle of the Coral Sea, and later HMAS Australia (County-class cruiser) until 1944. While serving in HMAS Australia, Peek was injured during the kamikaze attack at the Battle of Leyte Gulf—that took the lives of Captain Emile Dechaineux and thirty others—and for his efforts immediately after was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his "Skill, determination and courage" during the battle. Peek was additionally decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for "Gallantry and skill" during assault operations on the Lingayan Gulf.

Lieutenant Commander Peek was posted to England after the war to undertake the Staff Course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and also led the RAN contingent at the London victory celebrations on 8 June 1946, then the following year he attended the Joint Services Staff College.

After return to Australia Peek served in various positions before his promotion to commander. From 1951 he served as commanding officer of HMAS Shoalhaven (River-class frigate) and commander of the First Frigate Squadron, before going on to command HMAS Bataan. During the Korean War, he commanded the destroyer HMAS Tobruk and for his service was awarded the United States' Legion of Merit.

From 1954 he served as Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel. After promotion to captain he again commanded HMAS Tobruk from 1956 to 1958 and was also Captain (Destroyers) of the 10th Destroyer Squadron. The ship was part of the Malayan Emergency response. He was again posted to the Admiralty, and he also completed the 1961 course at the Imperial Defence College. From 1962 he commanded the aircraft carrier HMAS Sydney, and then the aircraft carrier and RAN flagship HMAS Melbourne.

In 1964 he was promoted to rear admiral and appointed as the Fourth Naval Member and Chief of Supply of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board. From 1965 to 1967, he was Deputy Chief of Naval Staff, and from 1967 was Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet, which included oversight of the British Commonwealth's Far East Strategic Reserve. During this period the RAN first participated in naval bombardment operations against North Vietnam, beginning with HMAS Hobart. In 1968, Peek was appointed as Second Naval Member and Chief of Personnel.

Peek was promoted to vice admiral in 1970 on appointment as First Naval Member. On 1 January 1971, he was appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He was further honoured, on 1 January 1972, when he was knighted via appointment as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. During his three-year tenure, the RAN's involvement in the Vietnam War ended, and he was heavily involved in restructuring the Navy as a result of the decision by the Whitlam government to combine the separate departments of the Navy, Army, and Air into the Department of Defence. Plans were well advanced for an Australian light destroyer (designated "DDL") and an RAN replenishment ship. The Australian government changed in 1972 and, due to the new Whitlam government's opposition to the planned DDL project, in August 1973 Peek advised the Government to not proceed.

Retirement and later life

Peek retired on 22 November 1973, and became a pastoralist in Monaro district of southern New South Wales near Cooma. He remained active in naval and military affairs, and campaigned for the welfare of veterans. His many activities included:

Navy League of Australia - member, Advisory Council
In 2002, aged 87, he gave evidence at the Australian Senate inquiry into the "Children Overboard affair", vigorously defending Commander Norm Banks, Commanding Officer of HMAS Adelaide and the crew.
Championing the Far East Strategic Reserve Association.
Patron of "A Just Australia", a lobby group for just policies and programs for refugees and asylum seekers
In 2009, provided expert advice to the Australian Parliament regarding the 2009 Defence White Paper, Defending Australia in the Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030.

Family

Richard Peek died on 28 August 2010. Peek was predeceased by his first wife, Margaret, and his second wife, Catherine. He was survived by his son Matthew, and daughters Jane and Rachel.

References

^ Sea dog survived first kamikaze strike, Geoffrey Evans and Roger de Lisle, 8 September 2010, Sydney Morning Herald, accessed 8 September 2010
Richard Peek interviewed by Suzanne Lunney (sound recording), National Library of Australia, June 1977, accessed 7 September 2010
Speech (4.37) Archived 23 October 2012 at the Wayback Machine, The Hon. R. B. ROWLAND SMITH, Fiftieth Anniversary of the Battle of the Coral Sea, 5 May 1992, Hansard of Parliament of New South Wales, accessed 7 September 2010
"Recommendation for Richard Innes Peek to be awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire" (PDF). Honours and awards. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
"Recommendation for Richard Innes Peek to be awarded the Distinguished Service Cross" (PDF). Honours and awards. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
"Peek, Richard Innes". Korean War Nominal Roll. Commonwealth of Australia. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
"Recommendation for Richard Innes Peek to be awarded the United States' Legion of Merit" (PDF). Honours and awards. Australian War Memorial. Retrieved 9 September 2010.
^ Malaya sailors still fighting for recognition 40 years after naval action, The 7.30 Report, 27 April 1999, accessed 7 September 2010
"Labor's turn to go overboard", Alan Ramsay, Sydney Morning Herald, 21 August 2004, accessed 7 September 2010
Official Committee Hansard, Senate, Select Committee on a Certain Maritime Incident Archived 17 October 2010 at the Wayback Machine, Senate Select on A Certain Maritime Incident, 18 April 2002, accessed 7 September 2010
Remembrance Dinner Speech Archived 11 July 2011 at the Wayback Machine, 20 February 2004, VADM Michael Hudson, accessed 7 September 2010
Patrons list, A Just Australia, accessed 7 September 2010
Processing asylum-seekers in Nauru, Open letter to the Prime Minister from prominent Australians and community leaders, A Just Australia, accessed 7 September 2010

Military offices
Preceded byVice Admiral Sir Victor Smith	Chief of Naval Staff 1970–1973	Succeeded byVice Admiral Sir David Stevenson
Preceded byRear Admiral Victor Smith	Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet 1967–1968	Succeeded byRear Admiral Gordon Crabb
Preceded byRear Admiral Thomas Morrison	Deputy Chief of Naval Staff 1965–1967	Succeeded byRear Admiral Victor Smith

v t e Chiefs of the Royal Australian Navy
Director, Commonwealth Naval Forces	Sir William Rooke Creswell
First Naval Members, Australian Commonwealth Naval Board	Sir William Rooke Creswell Sir Percy Grant Sir Allan Everett Percival Hall-Thompson William Napier Sir William Munro Kerr Sir George Hyde Sir Ragnar Colvin Sir Guy Royle Sir Louis Keppel Hamilton Sir John Augustine Collins Sir Roy Dowling Sir Henry Burrell Sir Hastings Harrington Sir Alan McNicoll Sir Victor Smith Sir Richard Peek Sir David Stevenson
Chiefs of the Naval Staff	Sir Anthony Synnot Sir James Willis David Leach Michael Hudson Ian MacDougall Rodney Taylor
Chiefs of Navy	Rodney Taylor Donald Chalmers David Shackleton Chris Ritchie Russ Shalders Russell Crane Raymond Griggs Timothy Barrett Michael Noonan Mark Hammond

v t e Fleet Commanders of the Royal Australian Navy
Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Fleet	Sir George Patey Sir William Pakenham Arthur Leveson Sir Lionel Halsey John Dumaresq Albert Addison Thomas Wardle
Rear Admiral Commanding HM Australian Squadron	George Hyde Edward Evans Leonard Holbrook Robin Dalglish Wilbraham Ford Richard Lane-Poole Wilfred Custance Wilfrid Patterson John Crace Victor Crutchley John Collins Charles Nichols Harold Farncomb John Collins Harold Farncomb
Flag Officer Commanding HM Australian Fleet	John Eccles John Eaton Roy Dowling Henry Burrell David Harries Henry Burrell Galfry Gatacre Hastings Harrington Alan McNicoll Otto Becher Thomas Morrison Victor Smith Richard Peek Gordon Crabb David Stevenson William Dovers David Stevenson William Dovers Anthony Synnot David Wells Geoffrey Gladstone Neil McDonald James Willis David Leach Peter Doyle John Stevens Michael Hudson Geoffrey Woolrych Ian Knox Peter Sinclair
Maritime Commander Australia	Peter Sinclair Ian MacDougall Ken Doolan Robert Walls Donald Chalmers Chris Oxenbould Chris Ritchie John Lord Geoffrey Smith Raydon Gates Rowan Moffitt Davyd Thomas
Commander Australian Fleet	Davyd Thomas Nigel Coates Steve Gilmore Tim Barrett Stuart Mayer Jonathan Mead Mark Hammond Jonathan Earley

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