Peter Phipps (admiral)

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Sir Peter Phipps
Navy Cross
(United States)

VRD (7 December 1908 – 18 September 1989) was a senior officer of the Royal New Zealand Navy
(RNZN) from the 1940s to 1960s.

Born in Sydney, Australia, Phipps served with the Royal Navy and then RNZN during the Second World War. He was awarded the

Navy Cross, their second highest award for valour. In the postwar period, he was seconded to the Royal Navy for a time and also commanded the cruiser HMNZS Royalist. Phipps was the first New Zealander to reach the rank of vice admiral in the RNZN. He was also served as Chief of Naval Staff and the first Chief of Defence Staff
. He was killed in a car accident in 1989.

Early life

Born on 7 December 1908 in Sydney, Australia, Peter Phipps was the son of Fanny Seymour

Christchurch Boys’ High School in 1926, he found employment at the National Bank of New Zealand.[1]

Developing an interest in the sea following sailing trips with Scott, Phipps joined the Sea Scouts. He took part in a voyage from Christchurch to Wellington aboard the

ordinary seaman. He was commissioned as an officer two years later.[2]

In 1933, Phipps moved to

West Coast, continuing in his career with the National Bank. He remained there until 1936, at which time he shifted north, to Wellington. He also transferred to the Wellington branch of the RNVR.[1] Late the following year, he was involved in a boating accident while in command of a whaler. It had capsized while cruising in Wellington Harbour and he freed a sailor that had been trapped in the upturned superstructure.[2]

Second World War

On the outbreak of the Second World War, Phipps was called up for military service and posted to the Navy Office in Wellington, where he served as an intelligence officer. In May 1940, he was seconded to the Royal Navy and traveled to the United Kingdom where he was given his first command.[1] This was the anti-submarine trawler HMS Bay, part of the 24th Minesweeping/Anti-Submarine Flotilla, which operated on convoy duties in the English Channel. On his first trip in Bay, it was struck by two bombs which failed to explode. In July 1941, he was promoted to lieutenant commander. He performed competently as the captain of Bay and was recommended for higher command. He had earlier been awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) for "For courage and devotion to duty in Channel Convoys".[3][4]

In late 1941 Phipps transferred to the newly formed

Noumea from September to December. However Moa was detached for some of this time doing escort duties around Norfolk Island. On 9 December 1942, the flotilla was sent to support the Allied operations in the Solomon Islands.[5][7]

Service in the Solomons

The flotilla was initially used in anti-submarine patrols around

Navy Cross for these actions.[5][8][9]

The wreck of the Japanese submarine I-1, sunk by Moa and Kiwi

In April 1943, Moa was sunk when it was attacked while refueling at Tulagi Harbour, by

Ocean Island.[1][10][11]

Postwar career

After the war, Phipps remained in the RNZN. He commanded the training base HMNZS Philomel, where in April 1947 he had to deal with a mutiny of sailors from the base and several ships, over low pay and poor working conditions. He diplomatically handled the situation to the satisfaction of both his senior officer and the disaffected sailors. He then became the executive officer of the cruiser HMNZS Bellona. He struggled in this capacity in light of his background, coming from the RNVR, as well as his lack of experience on larger vessels. He went on to command HMNZS Tamaki, a naval training station on Motuihe Island.[12]

In 1952, Phipps was promoted to

Admiralty. The position was normally filled by a more senior officer but he performed satisfactorily. In 1955, the RNZN was in the progress of upgrading its fleet and arranged the purchase of HMS Royalist[13] to replace Bellona.[14] When Phipps was consulted, he counseled against the purchase, believing it would be a disaster for New Zealand. He then found out that he was to become the first commander of the new ship, to be designated HMNZS Royalist. In September 1955, he took charge of Bellona for its voyage from New Zealand back to the United Kingdom in preparation for the exchange with Royalist.[15] He took formal command of Royalist in April 1956, having delayed its commissioning by ten days due to his dissatisfaction with its condition.[16]

HMNZS Royalist berthing at the Devonport Naval Base, December 1956

Royalist was based in Malta while its crew learnt their operational duties. It nearly became involved in the Suez Crisis as part of the Mediterranean Fleet but pressure from the New Zealand Government saw it withdrawn.[17] The ship arrived in New Zealand in December 1956[14] and Phipps relinquished his command of the ship. An appointment to the New Zealand Naval Board followed; he was the first New Zealander to serve on the board.[1] On 1 April 1960, Phipps, now a rear admiral, was named Chief of Naval Staff, the first New Zealander to hold the post. His appointment caused some controversy; it was tradition that an officer from the Royal Navy be named in the position but the New Zealand Government felt this may not be in the country's best interest. The First Sea Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Mountbatten protested the decision but to no avail.[18]

In 1963, Phipps was appointed the first

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) in the 1962 New Year Honours.[21] Shortly before his retirement on 30 June 1965,[22] he was promoted to vice admiral.[23]

Later life

In his retirement, Phipps lived in the Marlborough Sounds. He was involved in the directorship of a few companies but spent most of his time sailing and breeding geckos native to New Zealand. In 1983 his wife, Jessie née Hutton, who he had married in 1938, died. Four years later, he was married again, to Olwen Jones. He died in a car crash on 18 September 1989. He was survived by his second wife and three children from his first marriage.[1][16]

Phipps' medals are held by the

War Medal 1939-45, New Zealand War Service Medal, Volunteer Reserve Decoration, and the 1953 Coronation Medal.[24]

Notes

  1. ^ a b c d e f g McGibbon, Ian. "Phipps, Peter". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 10 June 2020.
  2. ^ a b Dennerly 2003, pp. 132–133.
  3. ^ Dennerly 2003, p. 134.
  4. ^ "No. 35113". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 March 1941. p. 1653.
  5. ^ a b c d Dennerly 2003, p. 135.
  6. ^ McDougall 1989, p. 61.
  7. ^ a b c McDougall 1989, pp. 56–58.
  8. ^ "No. 36038". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 May 1943. p. 2525.
  9. ^ "No. 36072". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 June 1943. p. 2948.
  10. ^ Dennerly 2003, p. 136.
  11. ^ McDougall 1989, p. 77.
  12. ^ Dennerly 2003, pp. 136–137.
  13. ^ Dennerly 2003, pp. 137–138.
  14. ^ a b McDougall 1989, p. 32.
  15. ^ McDougall 1989, p. 34.
  16. ^ a b Dennerly 2003, p. 138.
  17. ^ Dennerly 2003, p. 139.
  18. ^ Dennerly 2003, pp. 139–140.
  19. ^ Dennerly 2003, p. 140.
  20. ^ "No. 43345". The London Gazette (3rd supplement). 13 June 1964. p. 4977.
  21. ^ "No. 42554". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 January 1962. p. 39.
  22. ^ Dennerly 2003, p. 143.
  23. ^ Dennerly 2003, p. 141.
  24. ^ "Phipps, Sir Peter, KCBE, CB, DSC, VRD". Torpedo Bay Navy Museum. National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Retrieved 10 June 2020.

References

Further reading
Military offices
New title Chief of the Defence Staff
1963–1965 		Succeeded by
Lieutenant General Sir Leonard Thornton
Preceded by
Rear Admiral Michael Villiers
 Chief of Naval Staff
1960–1963 		Succeeded by
Rear Admiral Richard Washbourn
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