Air of Authority - A History of RAF Organisation
Air Marshal Sir Robert Clark-Hall
Robert
Hamilton
b: 21 Jun 1883
r: 11 Aug 1934
d: 8 Mar 1964
KBE
- 4 Jun 1934, CMG - 10 Oct 1919,
DSO - 26 Apr 1918,
MiD -
14 Mar 1916, LoH, C -
8 Feb 1919.
For a list of foreign decoration abbreviations, click here
(RN):
- Mid’n: 15 Oct 1898,
Sub-Lt: 15 Apr 1902, Lt:
15 Oct 1903, Lt
Cdr: 15 Oct 1911, Sqn
Cdr: 1 Jul 1914, Act Cdr:
30 Oct
1914,
Cdr:
31 Dec 1915, Wg Cdr: 1
Jan 1916, Wg Capt:
31 Dec
1917.
(RAF):
- (T) Col [Lt Col]: 1 Apr
1918, Act Col: 1 May 1919, Gp
Capt: 5 Aug 1919, A/Cdre: 1 Jan
1922 [1 Aug 1919], AVM:
1 Jul 1929, AM:
1 Jul 1933,.
(RNZAF):
- Wg Cdr: xx
xxx 1940, Gp Capt: xx xxx xxxx, A/Cdre:
xx xxx 1943.
15 May 1897:
Attended HMS Britannia
15 Sep 1898:
Cadet/Midshipman, HMS Barfleur (China Station).
19 Jul 1899: Midshipman, HMS Aurora
12 Jun 1900: Detached to Tongshan - Naval Brigade (Boxer Rebellion)
9 Nov 1901: Midshipman, HMS Barfleur
2 Jan 1902: Midshipman, HMS Duke of Wellington
15 Feb 1902: Midshipman, HMS Revenge (Home Fleet)
19 Feb 1902: Midshipman, HMS Collingwood.
11 Mar 1902: Midshipman, HMS Revenge.
16 Mar 1902: Midshipman/Officer, HMS Boscowen.
27 May 1902: Officer, HMS Wanderer
20 Jul 1903: Officer, HMS Oynx
xx May 1904: Gunnery Officer (uncertified), HMS Peloms
17 Mar 1906: Attended Course in Gunnery, HMS Excellent
27 Apr 1907: Qualified as Gunnery Officer, HMS Excellent (Junior Staff, Fort complement)
23 Oct 1908: Gunnery Officer, HMS Charybdis
11 Dec 1909: Undertook Language Course in Germany
xx Jun 1910:
Qualified as Interpreter (German)
11 Aug 1910: Attached HMS Vivid for RN Barracks
4 Oct 1910: Gunnery Officer, HMS Isis
18 Oct 1910: Gunnery Officer/Acting Interpreter, HMS Isis
11 Jan 1911: Gunnery Officer/Acting Interpreter, HMS Illustrious
10 Oct 1911: Gunnery Officer/Acting Interpreter, HMS Essex
22 Oct 1912: Gunnery Officer/Acting Interpreter, HMS Royal Arthur
4 Feb 1913: Gunnery Officer, HMS Pembroke
22
Mar 1913: Attached - Central Air Office for Armament duties with Aircraft
29 Jul 1913: Armament Officer, Naval Wing RFC
30 Oct 1914: Officer Commanding, HMS Ark Royal.
xx Nov 1914: Officer Commanding/Interpreter (German), HMS Ark Royal.
17 Dec 1915: Officer, HMS Ark Royal.
xx xxx 1916: Assistant Superintendent of Aircraft Construction
21 Sep 1916: Assistant Director, Air Department - Admiralty.
15
Feb 1917:
Officer Commanding, No 1 Wing RNAS.
3 Nov 1917:
Fleet Aviation Officer, Grand Fleet.
16 Jul 1919: Officer Commanding, No 29 (Fleet) Group.
1 Aug 1919: Awarded Permanent Commission as a Lieutenant Colonel
22
Jan
1920:
Removed from the Navy Lists on being awarded Permanent Commission in RAF
1 Nov 1921:
Holding post, Air Pilotage School (cadre) - pending
formation of RAF Staff College
1
Apr 1922:
Deputy Commandant, RAF Staff College.
2
May 1924: AOC, Egyptian Group.
17
Dec 1924: Chief Staff Officer, HQ RAF Middle East.
9 Nov 1925: AOC, RAF Mediterranean
14 Dec 1926: Confirmed as a Member of the Nominated Council of Malta.
xx
xxx xxxx:
Supernumerary, HQ RAF Mediterranean
11
Mar 1929: Director of Equipment.
1
Oct 1931:
AOC, Coastal Area.
15
May 1940: Officer Commanding, RNZAF Harewood.
xx
xxx 1943:
AOC, Southern (Training) Group - RNZAF.
xx
Oct 1944:
AOC, No 1 Islands Group - RNZAF.
He was involved in the 'Boxer' rebellion of 1900. Having specialized as a gunnery officer and gained RAeC Certificate No 127, he was attached to the Central Air Office armament duties with responsibility for aeroplane and seaplane design. These duties took place at Eastchurch RNAS and included bomb dropping gear experiments, which he took over from Commander Samson. In April 1915 he carried out tests with the Davis 6-pdr recoilless gun. He married Lillian Lockhart at All Saints', Lockerbie on 11 June 1919.
Less than a year after being promoted to Air Marshal, he requested to go onto the retired list emigrating to New Zealand. However, on 15 May 1940 he volunteered for service with the RNZAF being commissioned as a Wing Commander. He served with the RNZAF until 12 Sep 1945, by when he had been promoted to Air Commodore and was commanding a group in the Pacific.
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