18 Facts About Peter Hill-Norton

Admiral of the Fleet Peter John Hill-Norton, Baron Hill-Norton, was a senior Royal Navy officer.

Peter Hill-Norton fought in the Second World War as gunnery officer in a cruiser operating on the Western Approaches and in the North Sea taking part in the Norwegian Campaign, then in a cruiser taking part in the Arctic convoys and finally in a battleship operating in the Eastern Fleet.

Peter Hill-Norton served as First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff and then Chief of the Defence Staff in early 1970s.

Peter Hill-Norton went on to be Chairman of the NATO Military Committee.

Peter Hill-Norton joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1928 and, having been promoted to midshipman on 1 May 1932, was posted to the cruiser HMS London later that year.

Peter Hill-Norton transferred to the battleship HMS Rodney in September 1934 and, having been promoted to sub-lieutenant on 1 September 1935, he was posted to the battleship HMS Ramillies in August 1936.

Peter Hill-Norton became executive officer of the aircraft carrier HMS Eagle in 1951 and participated in Exercise Mainbrace.

Peter Hill-Norton became Head of the Weapon Equipment Section at the Admiralty in 1957 and Director of the Tactical and Weapons Policy Division there in 1958.

Peter Hill-Norton was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1964 New Year Honours.

Peter Hill-Norton was advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1967 New Year Honours.

Peter Hill-Norton went on to be Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in August 1967 and, having been promoted to full admiral on 1 October 1968, he became Commander-in-Chief Far East Command in March 1969.

Peter Hill-Norton was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1970 Birthday Honours.

Peter Hill-Norton was swiftly propelled into the post of First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff in July 1970 and then, having been promoted to Admiral of the Fleet on 12 March 1971, into the post of Chief of the Defence Staff in April 1971 following the unexpected early retirement of Sir Michael Le Fanu due to ill health.

Peter Hill-Norton became Chairman of the NATO Military Committee in 1974, remaining in that post until his retirement in 1977.

Peter Hill-Norton was made a life peer as Baron Peter Hill-Norton, of South Nutfield in the County of Surrey, in February 1979, and took an active role at the House of Lords as a crossbencher.

Peter Hill-Norton authored a book entitled No Soft Options: The Politico-Military Realities of NATO in 1978 and another entitled Sea Power: Story of Warships and Navies in 1982.

Peter Hill-Norton narrated a series on sea power for BBC Television in 1985.

Peter Hill-Norton lived at Hyde near Fordingbridge in Hampshire and died of a heart attack at Studland Bay in Dorset on 16 May 2004.