Campbell Hardy
| Sir Campbell Hardy | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1906 |
| Died | 1984 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 Royal Marines |
| Years of service | 1924–1959 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held |
Commandant General Royal Marines (1955–59) 3 Commando Brigade (1944–45; 1948–51) 46 Commando (1943–44) |
| Battles/wars |
Second World War Suez Crisis |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order & Bar |
General Sir Campbell Richard Hardy KCB, CBE, DSO & Bar (1906–1984) was a Royal Marines officer who served as Commandant General Royal Marines from 1955 to 1959.
Military career
Educated at Felsted School,[1] Hardy was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1924 and qualified as Physical Training Officer.[2] He served in the Second World War, being appointed as the first Commanding Officer of 46 Commando from 1943 and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his "gallant and distinguished services while operating with the Army in Normandy"[3] This was followed by the award of a Bar to his DSO for "Courage, example and enthusiasm during commando operations in Northern Europe",[4] before he transferred to the Pacific theatre in 1944 and was appointed to command 3 Commando Brigade in Burma and Hong Kong.[2] On 29 December 1944, 3 Commando Brigade, under Hardy's command, carried out an unopposed landing on the island of Akyab in Burma.[5] Between 22 and 23 January 1945 he led a successful defence against Japanese forces at the Battle of Hill 170. After the battle, the commander of the XV Indian Corps—Lieutenant General Sir Philip Christison—stated in a special order of the day to 3rd Commando Brigade, "The Battle of Kangaw had been the decisive battle of the whole Arakan campaign and that it was won was very largely due to your magnificent defence of Hill 170."[6]
After the war he became Chief Instructor at the School of Combined Operations at Fremington, was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1948,[7] and then served as Commander of 3 Commando Brigade again in Malta, Hong Kong and Malaya.[2] He went on to be Commander of the Royal Marines Depot at Deal in 1951, was advanced to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in October of that year,[8] made Chief of Staff of the Royal Marines in 1952 and appointed Commandant General Royal Marines in 1955.[2] He made an unofficial visit to the 45 Commando landing zone at Suez in 1956,[9] was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1957,[10] and retired in 1959.[2]
Retirement
In retirement he became Director of the Coal Utilisation Council.[1] He lived at Bunch Lane House at Bunch Lane in Haslemere.[11]
References
- 1 2 Old Felstedians: Military
- 1 2 3 4 5 Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36697. p. 4218. 8 September 1944.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37013. p. 1790. 30 March 1945.
- ↑ Saunders 1959, p. 310.
- ↑ Moreman, p. 82.
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 38311. p. 3370. 4 June 1948.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39361. p. 5431. 19 October 1951.
- ↑ Fowler, p. 18.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40960. p. 2. 28 December 1956.
- ↑ Marines 'ancient and modern' take part in dedication of standard Royal Marines Association Newsletter, November 2010, p. 10.
Sources
- Fowler, Will (2009). Royal Marine Commando 1950–82: From Korea to the Falklands. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84603-372-8.
- Moreman, Tim (2006). British Commandos 1940–46. Osprey Publishing. ISBN 978-1-84176-986-8.
- Saunders, Hilary St. George (1959) [1949]. The Green Beret: The Commandos at War. London: Four Square Books. OCLC 1260659.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Sir John Westall |
Commandant General Royal Marines 1955–1959 |
Succeeded by Sir Ian Riches |