Royal Navy admiral (1938–2020)
Vice Admiral Sir Richard Tobias Frere KCB (born Frere-Reeves; 4 June 1938 – 5 March 2020[2]) was a Royal Navy officer who ended his career as Chief of Fleet Support.
Early life and education
Frere was born in London, the son of publisher Alexander Stuart Frere-Reeves CBE and Patricia Marion Caldecott Wallace. His mother was the daughter of writer Edgar Wallace.[3] J. B. Priestley was his godfather.[4] He was named after his great-grandfather Henry Tobias Frere, a first-class cricketer. When he was 1, his father legally dropped Reeves from their surname.[5][4]
He was educated at Eton College and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.[3]
Naval career
Frere joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve through National Service in 1955 and was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1958.[6] During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, as a submariner based at Halifax, he was involved in setting up a barrier patrol with American air support off Newfoundland.[7]
He commanded the submarines HMS Andrew, HMS Odin and HMS Revenge before taking charge of the frigate HMS Brazen.[6] Promoted to Rear-Admiral, he was appointed Director-General, Fleet Support (Policy & Services) in 1988[8] and then Flag Officer, Submarines and Commander Submarines for the Eastern Atlantic in 1991[9] before becoming Chief of Fleet Support in 1994 and retiring in 1997.[6]
In retirement, he became the First Chairman of The Prison Service Pay Review Body[10] as well as Chairman of the Governors of Oundle School.[11]
Family
In 1968, he married Jane Barraclough; they had two daughters.[6]
References
External links