British Army officer (1938–2018)
Brigadier Sir Miles Garth Hunt-Davis , GCVO , CBE (7 November 1938 – 23 May 2018)[ 1] was a British Army officer who was also the Private Secretary to The Duke of Edinburgh from 1993 until 2010.
Early life and education
Miles Hunt-Davis was born in Johannesburg, Union of South Africa , in 1938 and educated at St Andrew's College .
Military career
After attending the Mons Officer Cadet School , Hunt-Davis was commissioned a probationary second lieutenant in the Queen's Brigade of the Territorial Army on 5 August 1960,[ 2] and relinquished his commission on 16 November 1961.[ 3] He joined the 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles as a second lieutenant (direct-entry) holding a short-service commission on 14 April 1962.[ 4] On 16 October 1963, he was granted a regular commission in the same regiment with the rank of second lieutenant (seniority 14 April 1962).[ 5]
He served in Borneo and Malaysia 1964–1966, and was promoted to lieutenant on 14 April 1965.[ 6] Promoted captain on 14 April 1968, from 1969 to 1970 he attended the Canadian Land Forces Command and Staff College ,[ 7] and was promoted to major on 31 December 1971.[ 8] From 1974 to 1976 he was brigade major of the 48th Gurkha Infantry Brigade . Promoted lieutenant colonel on 30 June 1976, he commanded 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles from 25 September.[ 9] [ 10] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in 1977. In 1979–1980 he was the Chief Instructor, Tactics Wing, of the School of Infantry , and 1980–1982 General Staff Officer Grade 1 (GSO1) Tactics at the School. From 1982 to 1983 he was instructor at the Staff College, Camberley (psc), and was promoted to colonel on 30 June 1984.[ 11] In 1985–1987 he was Commander British Gurkhas, Nepal . Promoted to brigadier on 31 December 1987 (seniority 30 June), from 1987 to 1990, based in Hong Kong, he commanded the Brigade of Gurkhas .[ 12] Advanced to Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1990,[ 13] he retired on 1 August 1991.[ 14]
Personal life
Hunt-Davies was married to Anita (née Ridsdale) and together they had three children: Joanna Mary, Justin, and Francis Benedict (Ben) who won a gold medal in the men's eight at the 2000 Sydney Olympic games. He has nine grandchildren. During his time as Private Secretary to Prince Philip, Hunt-Davis lived in a house in the grounds of Kensington Palace and then a flat in Kensington Palace. After his retirement they lived in Wiltshire.
Private Secretary
After leaving the British Army Hunt-Davis was Colonel of the 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Gurkha Rifles (1991[ 15] -1994[ 16] ), and Chairman of the Gurkha Brigade Association (1991–2003). Hunt-Davis joined the Household of the Duke of Edinburgh as Assistant Private Secretary in 1991. He was promoted to Private Secretary in 1993, and appointed a Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 1998.[ 17] He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 2003 and, on his retirement in 2010, was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order .[ 18] [ 19]
References
^ Hunt-Davis
^ "No. 42144" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 September 1960. p. 6326.
^ "No. 42576" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 January 1962. p. 587.
^ "No. 42703" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 1962. p. 4768.
^ "No. 43181" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 December 1963. p. 10167.
^ "No. 43623" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 April 1965. p. 3675.
^ "No. 44565" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 April 1968. p. 4388.
^ "No. 45564" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 1972. p. 89.
^ "No. 46953" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 July 1976. p. 9285.
^ "No. 47577" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 June 1978. p. 7754.
^ "No. 49807" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 July 1984. p. 9774.
^ "No. 51194" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 January 1988. p. 303.
^ "No. 52173" . The London Gazette . 15 June 1990. p. 5.
^ "No. 52623" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 August 1991. p. 11969.
^ "No. 52784" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 January 1992. p. 55.
^ "No. 53762" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 August 1994. p. 11657.
^ "No. 54993" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1997. p. 4.
^ "No. 56963" . The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 2003. p. 3.
^ "No. 59640" . The London Gazette . 21 December 2010. p. 24421.