Richard Trowbridge

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KCVO
Rear Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge
25th Governor of Western Australia
In office
25 November 1980 – 24 November 1983
MonarchElizabeth II
PremierSir Charles Court (1980–1982)
Ray O'Connor (1982–1983)
Brian Burke (1983)
Preceded bySir Wallace Kyle
Succeeded byGordon Reid
Personal details
Born21 January 1920
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

KCVO (21 January 1920 – 4 May 2003), was a senior officer in the Royal Navy and the 25th Governor of Western Australia, serving from 25 November 1980 to 24 November 1983. He was the last British-born vice-regal representative in Australia.[1][2] He was also the first officer to rise from boy seaman to captain of the Queen's yacht HMY Britannia.[3]

Early life and naval career

Richard John Trowbridge was born on 21 January 1920 to a farming family at

Second World War at sea. At the end of hostilities, he was stationed in Singapore for a number of years where he was promoted to commander in 1953, and where he met and married Anne Perceval (1920–2013), on 26 February 1955.[3]

From 1956 to 1958, Trowbridge captained the destroyer

Fishery Protection Squadron, and from 1967 to 1969 he commanded the guided missile destroyer HMS Hampshire, which for many years was the flagship of the Western Fleet.[3]

Trowbridge became

Flag Officer from 1970 to 1975.[2]

Governor of Western Australia

The

Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, who supported the newly established custom that Australian state governors should be Australian-born. An initial compromise was the appointment of Sir Wallace Kyle, a retired Royal Air Force officer who, although totally Anglicised, was Kalgoorlie-born.[6][7]

Following Kyle's term, Trowbridge was appointed Governor of Western Australia on Premier Court's recommendation, for a term from 25 November 1980 to 24 November 1983.[7]

On completion of his term, Trowbridge returned to retirement in the United Kingdom living in Portsmouth. His life was overshadowed by exposure to asbestos which was being removed from Britannia during a long refit which he supervised, almost certainly leading to his death from lung cancer. He died on 4 May 2003, in Portsmouth.[3]

References

  1. ^ Dr Geoff Gallop, Premier (13 May 2003). "Rear Admiral Sir Richard John Trowbridge Condolence Motion" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Western Australia: Legislative Assembly. pp. 7514–7514.
  2. ^ a b "Rear Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge 1980–1983". The Constitutional Centre of Western Australia. Dept of Premier and Cabinet, Government of Western Australia. Retrieved 13 October 2011.
  3. ^ a b c d "Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge". The Telegraph. London: Telegraph Media Group Limited. 9 May 2003. Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  4. ^ "Trowbridge dies at 83". The West Australian. West Australian Newspapers Limited. 10 May 2003.
  5. ^ Commanding Officers of HMS Carysfort
  6. ISSN 1833-7538
    . Retrieved 14 October 2011.
  7. ^ .
Government offices
Preceded by
Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle
Governor of Western Australia
1980–1983
Succeeded by