Geoffrey Hall had a lengthy career in the Royal Navy, having joined in 1934 as a cadet and risen to become Rear Admiral, retiring in 1975 at which point he was "the oldest serving officer in the Navy"
Hall started as a cadet on board HMS Frobisher, a training cruiser, from September 1934. Based out of Chatham, his year on the ship included cruises to the Mediterranean, the West Indies and Scandinavia.
In August 1935 Hall joined the light cruiser HMS Dragon as a Midshipman. Serving in the America and West Indies Squadron, by the beginning of 1936 he had been appointed Navigating Officer's Assistant which involved "all sorts of theoretical and practical work connected with astronomy, nautical charts and time"
When Dragon paid off, in 1937 he joined a new cruiser, HMS Southampton, as its Senior Midshipman. Southampton was the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. Initially they spent most of their time carrying out exercises around the British coast, although Hall also spent a week on both HMS Wishart and HMS Wanderer, gaining experience of destroyers.
Towards the end of 1937 Southampton was part of the International Naval Patrol off the northern coast of Spain. They were policing a non-intervention pact in the Spanish Civil War that had been agreed between Germany, Italy, Britain and France. Their time on patrol included 'stand offs' with revolutionary vessels.
After passing his promotion exams and being appointed an Acting Sub-Lieutenant, on New Year's Day 1938 he started a number of training courses at 'stone frigate' shore establishments, including:
HMS Excellent — the Gunnery School on Whale Island in Portsmouth
HMS Vernon — focusing on torpedoes and electrics
HMS Dryad — being taught navigation and pilotage.
The grades achieved on each course could affect the direction of an officer's career and the specialism that he worked in.
After getting the required results and passing an interview with the Hydrographer of the Navy, Vice Admiral Sir John Edgell, in the summer of 1938 Hall was appointed Surveying Assistant, 4th Class on the survey ship HMS Franklin.
Hall was expected to 'learn on the job' and immediately started gaining experience as Franklin carried out surveys off Britain's east and southeast coasts.
But in March 1939 Hall was appointed to HMS Scarborough, a sloop that had just been converted for surveying duties and was about to be re-commissioned into service. With it came promotion to Lieutenant.
Scarborough was destined for the Far East. After arriving in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), they carried out surveys of the approaches to the port in Colombo before relocating to the naval base at Trincomalee. From there, they carried out a number of surveys off the northeast coast of Ceylon.
In mid-August 1939, with the political situation in Europe deteriorating, Scarborough relocated to Singapore. When war broke out, it was earmarked for conversion back to being a sloop to provide anti-submarine escort duties.
But instead of continuing with Scarborough, Hall was appointed First Lieutenant of HMS Derby, one of eight minesweepers that had been laid up in Singapore since the end of the First World War but were now being called back into service to form the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla.
However, it wasn't long before all hydrographers were recalled back to the United Kingdom. Hall was flown back and from January 1940 served on the survey ship HMS Challenger.
Challenger's first role during Hall's time on board was carrying out hydrographic surveys around Scapa Flow following U-boat commander Günther Prien's successful incursion into the anchorage. Scapa Flow was meant to be highly secure but Prien had infiltrated the defences, sunk the battleship HMS Royal Oak, and then made his way out again. Challenger's surveys were a prelude to laying additional minefields.
Similar surveys at locations around the British coast followed before Challenger relocated to Iceland. Britain had invaded Iceland in May 1940. Challenger's first task was to survey a potential anchorage in Hvalfjörður, to the north of Reykjavík on the west coast, including mapping the surrounding countryside.
This survey was followed by smaller ones around Iceland, including of Seyðisfjörður on the east coast.
After returning to British waters in mid-November 1940, Challenger carried out a survey of Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland in spring 1941.
In June 1941, while relocating to Africa, Challenger acted as escort for the troopship Anselm, with two corvettes providing additional cover. However, Anselm was struck by a torpedo and sank. Out of around 2,000 men on board, Challenger rescued 900, with the two corvettes picking up 600 between them.
They left Gambia in mid-January 1942 and were part of a convoy back to the UK, during which the escort HMS Culver was sunk.
Reaching home waters by February 1942, Hall was released for general service. He attended HMS Dryad for his N* navigational course — a course shortened to six weeks due to the war. After passing, he was assigned to be navigational officer for the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla based at Granton on the Forth, sailing on HMS Fraserburgh.
Following Hall joining them, the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla operated initially in the North Sea and North Atlantic. But in September 1942 they were repositioned to Iceland, to help clear mines that hindered the passage of convoys from North America to Russia.
The flotilla was based at the two locations he surveyed while aboard HMS Challenger — initially Seydisfjord on the east coast, and then — after a period in mid-November clearing the Denmark Strait — from late December in Hvalfjord, which by now was an active naval anchorage.
After Christmas 1942, the flotilla relocated back to the UK. When Fraserburgh moored in Greenock, Scotland, Hall was surprised to be met by his replacement as the flotilla's navigational officer — it was a 'swap' with Geoffrey Lyne, and Hall was joining COPP. (The 'swap' was presumably cancelled, even though Hall joined COPP, as Lyne remained with COPP too and took part in operations around Normandy D-Day in June 1944.)
COPP
Hall took charge of COPP 7 and in mid-1943 led them first to the Mediterranean and then on to the Far East. They were the first COPP team to arrive in the theatre, and Hall was instrumental in setting up two COPP bases:
Cocanada in India
Hammenhiel Camp in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
He also took part in at least two operations:
reconnaissance of Akyab and Oyster Island in October 1943 — for which he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
reconnaissance of Sumatra (Thailand) in August 1944 — for which he was mentioned in despatches.
COPP 7 returned to the UK in late 1944 and Hall set about endeavouring to find a new posting.
Hall secured command of HMS Bigbury Bay, a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate. He took command in April 1945, while Bigbury Bay was still being built in the docks in Aberdeen, after undertaking a number of refresher courses. The ship was designed to serve in the Pacific where it could help counter the threat of Japanese 'kamikaze' suicide air attacks.
After being promoted to Lieutenant Commander, although the war had by then ended Bigbury Bay sailed for Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
While en route to join the British Pacific Fleet in Hong Kong, Bigbury Bay sailed through a typhoon which damaged steel beams that ran through the engine-room deckhead. Over the Christmas 1945 and new year 1946 period, it was assessed whether to carry out repairs or pay the ship off. Eventually it was taken in to Taikoo Dockyard for repairs.
Repairs were completed by mid-February 1946, and Bigbury Bay helped transport Allied former internees — mostly women and children — and escorted merchant ships to protect them from piracy and mines. Later they operated with the US fleet between Japan and Korea on anti-smuggling patrols.
In February 1947 they went to Kure to embark 13 Japanese servicemen who had been accused of war crimes and were transported to Hong Kong to stand trial.
Vice-Admiral Imamura had been the Japanese Naval Commander-in-Chief at Singapore when the officers of the Japanese cruisers Tone had run amok after a wardroom party at sea and murdered 60 prisoners of war on the quarterdeck.
He had also presided over an incident in which Japanese naval ratings had beheaded a number of British naval telegraphists, the alleged culprits in both atrocities being among my prisoners.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fukumoto was accused of responsibility for the massacre of about 500 Chinese civilians at Singapore.
Although these men had not been tried (and must therefore be deemed 'innocent until proven guilty'), we had no doubt in our minds that they had committed the most appalling crimes (the description of the beheading scene on the cruiser's quarterdeck was enough to freeze the blood), yet I could not help feeling sorry for them, particularly the senior officers accused of 'responsibility'.
So much so, in fact, that one evening while on passage south, I invited Vice-Admiral Imamura to dine with me. He spoke excellent English and we had a pleasant evening of small talk and reminiscences. He could not have been more courteous.
After arriving in Hong Kong and disembarking the prisoners, Hall heard that his relief had been appointed. He requested and was granted a return to the surveying service.
Survey ships
From early 1947 Hall served on board a number of survey ships.
HMS Seagull (1947–1949) — a 'home based' survey ship, they spent much of their time carrying out surveys around the British coast. Among the officers at the time was Frank Berncastle, who had previously been part of COPP 2. Hall commented that "we had a very congenial lot in the wardroom" and attributed Berncastle the nickname 'Snooze'
HMNZS Lachlan (1949–51) — Hall had a 'loan appointment', flying to Australia where he met HMAS Lachlan, which was transferring from the Australian to the New Zealand navy. He skippered the ship to Sydney where he handed it over to its regular commander. They then sailed for New Zealand, where it was converted from a frigate to a survey ship.
HMS Franklin (1952) — Hall was given his first command in February 1952 — back on board Franklin, the first survey ship he had served on. With it came promotion to Lieutenant Commander. They carried out surveys around the British coast, including one in fog-bound conditions, relying on the Decca-Navigator system — the successor to QH — to fix their position.
HMS Scott (1953) — when Franklin was paid off in the winter of 1952–53, Hall assumed command of HMS Scott. He skippered the ship when it took part in the Review of the Fleet at Spithead following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Hydrographic department
Upon his promotion from Lieutenant-Commander to Commander, Hall was appointed to a staff role at the Hydrographic Department in Cricklewood. He served as Superintendent of the Oceanographical Branch from 1954–56 but was also delegated much responsibility for tasking the survey fleet.
From 1958–60 he was Officer in Charge of Staff Charts, working in 'the citadel', an annexe to The Admiralty in Whitehall.
In between those appointments, from 1956–58 he commanded HMS Owen in the Indian Ocean.
He returned to Owen in 1960, carrying out operations in the Atlantic (1960–61), South Georgia (1961) and, after promotion to Captain, in the Indian Ocean (1961–62).
He returned to shore in 1962 and undertook the senior officers' war course in Greenwich, the first hydrographer to do so. The course taught a wide range of naval, military, strategic and political issues.
From 1963–65 he served as Assistant Hydrographer, again based at The Admiralty but this time in a first-floor office, assisting the Hydrographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral Edmund Irving. Hall had responsibility for personnel issues, including allocating hydrographer officers to survey ships.
This was a period when the UK was shifting its nuclear deterrent from air delivery to submarine delivery, adopting the Polaris submarine fleet which was capable of achieving much deeper depths than previous submarines. As a consequence, the demand for ocean surveys increased.
Hall oversaw the introduction of new purpose-build survey ships and their allocation into three divisions:
Ocean Survey Ships (OSS)
Coastal Survey Vessels (CSV)
Inshore Survey Craft (ISC).
Hall's role overseeing personnel issues meant that he was able to facilitate his appointment to command one of the new OSS vessels, HMS Hecla, for his final sea-going command. He commanded the ship from 1965–67, including operations off South Africa, in the North Atlantic and around the British Isles.
In 1968 Hall returned to the role of Assistant Hydrographer, now based in the old War Office on Whitehall. However, in early 1969 he started a new role as Assistant Director (Naval) with responsibility for overseeing chart production, based at Taunton. He also appointed honorary aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth — an honour automatically bestowed when he became the most senior Captain in the navy.
Finally, in 1971, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Hydrographer of the Navy.
He held the position until he retired on 13 September 1975. He was 59 and the oldest officer serving in the Navy
When he joined the Burma Star Association in 1989, he was living in Manby, South Lincolnshire.
During WW2, Geoffeey married Mary Carlisle, a WRNS Officer, and they had 3 children.
Geoffrey died in 2005 and is buried in Manby Churchyard with his wife.
(Source:https://www.coppsurvey.uk/geoffrey-hall)
Hall started as a cadet on board HMS Frobisher, a training cruiser, from September 1934. Based out of Chatham, his year on the ship included cruises to the Mediterranean, the West Indies and Scandinavia.
In August 1935 Hall joined the light cruiser HMS Dragon as a Midshipman. Serving in the America and West Indies Squadron, by the beginning of 1936 he had been appointed Navigating Officer's Assistant which involved "all sorts of theoretical and practical work connected with astronomy, nautical charts and time"
When Dragon paid off, in 1937 he joined a new cruiser, HMS Southampton, as its Senior Midshipman. Southampton was the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. Initially they spent most of their time carrying out exercises around the British coast, although Hall also spent a week on both HMS Wishart and HMS Wanderer, gaining experience of destroyers.
Towards the end of 1937 Southampton was part of the International Naval Patrol off the northern coast of Spain. They were policing a non-intervention pact in the Spanish Civil War that had been agreed between Germany, Italy, Britain and France. Their time on patrol included 'stand offs' with revolutionary vessels.
After passing his promotion exams and being appointed an Acting Sub-Lieutenant, on New Year's Day 1938 he started a number of training courses at 'stone frigate' shore establishments, including:
HMS Excellent — the Gunnery School on Whale Island in Portsmouth
HMS Vernon — focusing on torpedoes and electrics
HMS Dryad — being taught navigation and pilotage.
The grades achieved on each course could affect the direction of an officer's career and the specialism that he worked in.
After getting the required results and passing an interview with the Hydrographer of the Navy, Vice Admiral Sir John Edgell, in the summer of 1938 Hall was appointed Surveying Assistant, 4th Class on the survey ship HMS Franklin.
Hall was expected to 'learn on the job' and immediately started gaining experience as Franklin carried out surveys off Britain's east and southeast coasts.
But in March 1939 Hall was appointed to HMS Scarborough, a sloop that had just been converted for surveying duties and was about to be re-commissioned into service. With it came promotion to Lieutenant.
Scarborough was destined for the Far East. After arriving in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), they carried out surveys of the approaches to the port in Colombo before relocating to the naval base at Trincomalee. From there, they carried out a number of surveys off the northeast coast of Ceylon.
In mid-August 1939, with the political situation in Europe deteriorating, Scarborough relocated to Singapore. When war broke out, it was earmarked for conversion back to being a sloop to provide anti-submarine escort duties.
But instead of continuing with Scarborough, Hall was appointed First Lieutenant of HMS Derby, one of eight minesweepers that had been laid up in Singapore since the end of the First World War but were now being called back into service to form the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla.
However, it wasn't long before all hydrographers were recalled back to the United Kingdom. Hall was flown back and from January 1940 served on the survey ship HMS Challenger.
Challenger's first role during Hall's time on board was carrying out hydrographic surveys around Scapa Flow following U-boat commander Günther Prien's successful incursion into the anchorage. Scapa Flow was meant to be highly secure but Prien had infiltrated the defences, sunk the battleship HMS Royal Oak, and then made his way out again. Challenger's surveys were a prelude to laying additional minefields.
Similar surveys at locations around the British coast followed before Challenger relocated to Iceland. Britain had invaded Iceland in May 1940. Challenger's first task was to survey a potential anchorage in Hvalfjörður, to the north of Reykjavík on the west coast, including mapping the surrounding countryside.
This survey was followed by smaller ones around Iceland, including of Seyðisfjörður on the east coast.
After returning to British waters in mid-November 1940, Challenger carried out a survey of Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland in spring 1941.
In June 1941, while relocating to Africa, Challenger acted as escort for the troopship Anselm, with two corvettes providing additional cover. However, Anselm was struck by a torpedo and sank. Out of around 2,000 men on board, Challenger rescued 900, with the two corvettes picking up 600 between them.
They left Gambia in mid-January 1942 and were part of a convoy back to the UK, during which the escort HMS Culver was sunk.
Reaching home waters by February 1942, Hall was released for general service. He attended HMS Dryad for his N* navigational course — a course shortened to six weeks due to the war. After passing, he was assigned to be navigational officer for the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla based at Granton on the Forth, sailing on HMS Fraserburgh.
Following Hall joining them, the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla operated initially in the North Sea and North Atlantic. But in September 1942 they were repositioned to Iceland, to help clear mines that hindered the passage of convoys from North America to Russia.
The flotilla was based at the two locations he surveyed while aboard HMS Challenger — initially Seydisfjord on the east coast, and then — after a period in mid-November clearing the Denmark Strait — from late December in Hvalfjord, which by now was an active naval anchorage.
After Christmas 1942, the flotilla relocated back to the UK. When Fraserburgh moored in Greenock, Scotland, Hall was surprised to be met by his replacement as the flotilla's navigational officer — it was a 'swap' with Geoffrey Lyne, and Hall was joining COPP. (The 'swap' was presumably cancelled, even though Hall joined COPP, as Lyne remained with COPP too and took part in operations around Normandy D-Day in June 1944.)
COPP
Hall took charge of COPP 7 and in mid-1943 led them first to the Mediterranean and then on to the Far East. They were the first COPP team to arrive in the theatre, and Hall was instrumental in setting up two COPP bases:
Cocanada in India
Hammenhiel Camp in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
He also took part in at least two operations:
reconnaissance of Akyab and Oyster Island in October 1943 — for which he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
reconnaissance of Sumatra (Thailand) in August 1944 — for which he was mentioned in despatches.
COPP 7 returned to the UK in late 1944 and Hall set about endeavouring to find a new posting.
Hall secured command of HMS Bigbury Bay, a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate. He took command in April 1945, while Bigbury Bay was still being built in the docks in Aberdeen, after undertaking a number of refresher courses. The ship was designed to serve in the Pacific where it could help counter the threat of Japanese 'kamikaze' suicide air attacks.
After being promoted to Lieutenant Commander, although the war had by then ended Bigbury Bay sailed for Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
While en route to join the British Pacific Fleet in Hong Kong, Bigbury Bay sailed through a typhoon which damaged steel beams that ran through the engine-room deckhead. Over the Christmas 1945 and new year 1946 period, it was assessed whether to carry out repairs or pay the ship off. Eventually it was taken in to Taikoo Dockyard for repairs.
Repairs were completed by mid-February 1946, and Bigbury Bay helped transport Allied former internees — mostly women and children — and escorted merchant ships to protect them from piracy and mines. Later they operated with the US fleet between Japan and Korea on anti-smuggling patrols.
In February 1947 they went to Kure to embark 13 Japanese servicemen who had been accused of war crimes and were transported to Hong Kong to stand trial.
Vice-Admiral Imamura had been the Japanese Naval Commander-in-Chief at Singapore when the officers of the Japanese cruisers Tone had run amok after a wardroom party at sea and murdered 60 prisoners of war on the quarterdeck.
He had also presided over an incident in which Japanese naval ratings had beheaded a number of British naval telegraphists, the alleged culprits in both atrocities being among my prisoners.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fukumoto was accused of responsibility for the massacre of about 500 Chinese civilians at Singapore.
Although these men had not been tried (and must therefore be deemed 'innocent until proven guilty'), we had no doubt in our minds that they had committed the most appalling crimes (the description of the beheading scene on the cruiser's quarterdeck was enough to freeze the blood), yet I could not help feeling sorry for them, particularly the senior officers accused of 'responsibility'.
So much so, in fact, that one evening while on passage south, I invited Vice-Admiral Imamura to dine with me. He spoke excellent English and we had a pleasant evening of small talk and reminiscences. He could not have been more courteous.
After arriving in Hong Kong and disembarking the prisoners, Hall heard that his relief had been appointed. He requested and was granted a return to the surveying service.
Survey ships
From early 1947 Hall served on board a number of survey ships.
HMS Seagull (1947–1949) — a 'home based' survey ship, they spent much of their time carrying out surveys around the British coast. Among the officers at the time was Frank Berncastle, who had previously been part of COPP 2. Hall commented that "we had a very congenial lot in the wardroom" and attributed Berncastle the nickname 'Snooze'
HMNZS Lachlan (1949–51) — Hall had a 'loan appointment', flying to Australia where he met HMAS Lachlan, which was transferring from the Australian to the New Zealand navy. He skippered the ship to Sydney where he handed it over to its regular commander. They then sailed for New Zealand, where it was converted from a frigate to a survey ship.
HMS Franklin (1952) — Hall was given his first command in February 1952 — back on board Franklin, the first survey ship he had served on. With it came promotion to Lieutenant Commander. They carried out surveys around the British coast, including one in fog-bound conditions, relying on the Decca-Navigator system — the successor to QH — to fix their position.
HMS Scott (1953) — when Franklin was paid off in the winter of 1952–53, Hall assumed command of HMS Scott. He skippered the ship when it took part in the Review of the Fleet at Spithead following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Hydrographic department
Upon his promotion from Lieutenant-Commander to Commander, Hall was appointed to a staff role at the Hydrographic Department in Cricklewood. He served as Superintendent of the Oceanographical Branch from 1954–56 but was also delegated much responsibility for tasking the survey fleet.
From 1958–60 he was Officer in Charge of Staff Charts, working in 'the citadel', an annexe to The Admiralty in Whitehall.
In between those appointments, from 1956–58 he commanded HMS Owen in the Indian Ocean.
He returned to Owen in 1960, carrying out operations in the Atlantic (1960–61), South Georgia (1961) and, after promotion to Captain, in the Indian Ocean (1961–62).
He returned to shore in 1962 and undertook the senior officers' war course in Greenwich, the first hydrographer to do so. The course taught a wide range of naval, military, strategic and political issues.
From 1963–65 he served as Assistant Hydrographer, again based at The Admiralty but this time in a first-floor office, assisting the Hydrographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral Edmund Irving. Hall had responsibility for personnel issues, including allocating hydrographer officers to survey ships.
This was a period when the UK was shifting its nuclear deterrent from air delivery to submarine delivery, adopting the Polaris submarine fleet which was capable of achieving much deeper depths than previous submarines. As a consequence, the demand for ocean surveys increased.
Hall oversaw the introduction of new purpose-build survey ships and their allocation into three divisions:
Ocean Survey Ships (OSS)
Coastal Survey Vessels (CSV)
Inshore Survey Craft (ISC).
Hall's role overseeing personnel issues meant that he was able to facilitate his appointment to command one of the new OSS vessels, HMS Hecla, for his final sea-going command. He commanded the ship from 1965–67, including operations off South Africa, in the North Atlantic and around the British Isles.
In 1968 Hall returned to the role of Assistant Hydrographer, now based in the old War Office on Whitehall. However, in early 1969 he started a new role as Assistant Director (Naval) with responsibility for overseeing chart production, based at Taunton. He also appointed honorary aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth — an honour automatically bestowed when he became the most senior Captain in the navy.
Finally, in 1971, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Hydrographer of the Navy.
He held the position until he retired on 13 September 1975. He was 59 and the oldest officer serving in the Navy
When he joined the Burma Star Association in 1989, he was living in Manby, South Lincolnshire.
During WW2, Geoffeey married Mary Carlisle, a WRNS Officer, and they had 3 children.
Geoffrey died in 2005 and is buried in Manby Churchyard with his wife.
(Source:https://www.coppsurvey.uk/geoffrey-hall)
Geoffrey Hall had a lengthy career in the Royal Navy, having joined in 1934 as a cadet and risen to become Rear Admiral, retiring in 1975 at which point he was "the oldest serving officer in the Navy"
Hall started as a cadet on board HMS Frobisher, a training cruiser, from September 1934. Based out of Chatham, his year on the ship included cruises to the Mediterranean, the West Indies and Scandinavia.
In August 1935 Hall joined the light cruiser HMS Dragon as a Midshipman. Serving in the America and West Indies Squadron, by the beginning of 1936 he had been appointed Navigating Officer's Assistant which involved "all sorts of theoretical and practical work connected with astronomy, nautical charts and time"
When Dragon paid off, in 1937 he joined a new cruiser, HMS Southampton, as its Senior Midshipman. Southampton was the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. Initially they spent most of their time carrying out exercises around the British coast, although Hall also spent a week on both HMS Wishart and HMS Wanderer, gaining experience of destroyers.
Towards the end of 1937 Southampton was part of the International Naval Patrol off the northern coast of Spain. They were policing a non-intervention pact in the Spanish Civil War that had been agreed between Germany, Italy, Britain and France. Their time on patrol included 'stand offs' with revolutionary vessels.
After passing his promotion exams and being appointed an Acting Sub-Lieutenant, on New Year's Day 1938 he started a number of training courses at 'stone frigate' shore establishments, including:
HMS Excellent — the Gunnery School on Whale Island in Portsmouth
HMS Vernon — focusing on torpedoes and electrics
HMS Dryad — being taught navigation and pilotage.
The grades achieved on each course could affect the direction of an officer's career and the specialism that he worked in.
After getting the required results and passing an interview with the Hydrographer of the Navy, Vice Admiral Sir John Edgell, in the summer of 1938 Hall was appointed Surveying Assistant, 4th Class on the survey ship HMS Franklin.
Hall was expected to 'learn on the job' and immediately started gaining experience as Franklin carried out surveys off Britain's east and southeast coasts.
But in March 1939 Hall was appointed to HMS Scarborough, a sloop that had just been converted for surveying duties and was about to be re-commissioned into service. With it came promotion to Lieutenant.
Scarborough was destined for the Far East. After arriving in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), they carried out surveys of the approaches to the port in Colombo before relocating to the naval base at Trincomalee. From there, they carried out a number of surveys off the northeast coast of Ceylon.
In mid-August 1939, with the political situation in Europe deteriorating, Scarborough relocated to Singapore. When war broke out, it was earmarked for conversion back to being a sloop to provide anti-submarine escort duties.
But instead of continuing with Scarborough, Hall was appointed First Lieutenant of HMS Derby, one of eight minesweepers that had been laid up in Singapore since the end of the First World War but were now being called back into service to form the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla.
However, it wasn't long before all hydrographers were recalled back to the United Kingdom. Hall was flown back and from January 1940 served on the survey ship HMS Challenger.
Challenger's first role during Hall's time on board was carrying out hydrographic surveys around Scapa Flow following U-boat commander Günther Prien's successful incursion into the anchorage. Scapa Flow was meant to be highly secure but Prien had infiltrated the defences, sunk the battleship HMS Royal Oak, and then made his way out again. Challenger's surveys were a prelude to laying additional minefields.
Similar surveys at locations around the British coast followed before Challenger relocated to Iceland. Britain had invaded Iceland in May 1940. Challenger's first task was to survey a potential anchorage in Hvalfjörður, to the north of Reykjavík on the west coast, including mapping the surrounding countryside.
This survey was followed by smaller ones around Iceland, including of Seyðisfjörður on the east coast.
After returning to British waters in mid-November 1940, Challenger carried out a survey of Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland in spring 1941.
In June 1941, while relocating to Africa, Challenger acted as escort for the troopship Anselm, with two corvettes providing additional cover. However, Anselm was struck by a torpedo and sank. Out of around 2,000 men on board, Challenger rescued 900, with the two corvettes picking up 600 between them.
They left Gambia in mid-January 1942 and were part of a convoy back to the UK, during which the escort HMS Culver was sunk.
Reaching home waters by February 1942, Hall was released for general service. He attended HMS Dryad for his N* navigational course — a course shortened to six weeks due to the war. After passing, he was assigned to be navigational officer for the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla based at Granton on the Forth, sailing on HMS Fraserburgh.
Following Hall joining them, the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla operated initially in the North Sea and North Atlantic. But in September 1942 they were repositioned to Iceland, to help clear mines that hindered the passage of convoys from North America to Russia.
The flotilla was based at the two locations he surveyed while aboard HMS Challenger — initially Seydisfjord on the east coast, and then — after a period in mid-November clearing the Denmark Strait — from late December in Hvalfjord, which by now was an active naval anchorage.
After Christmas 1942, the flotilla relocated back to the UK. When Fraserburgh moored in Greenock, Scotland, Hall was surprised to be met by his replacement as the flotilla's navigational officer — it was a 'swap' with Geoffrey Lyne, and Hall was joining COPP. (The 'swap' was presumably cancelled, even though Hall joined COPP, as Lyne remained with COPP too and took part in operations around Normandy D-Day in June 1944.)
COPP
Hall took charge of COPP 7 and in mid-1943 led them first to the Mediterranean and then on to the Far East. They were the first COPP team to arrive in the theatre, and Hall was instrumental in setting up two COPP bases:
Cocanada in India
Hammenhiel Camp in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
He also took part in at least two operations:
reconnaissance of Akyab and Oyster Island in October 1943 — for which he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
reconnaissance of Sumatra (Thailand) in August 1944 — for which he was mentioned in despatches.
COPP 7 returned to the UK in late 1944 and Hall set about endeavouring to find a new posting.
Hall secured command of HMS Bigbury Bay, a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate. He took command in April 1945, while Bigbury Bay was still being built in the docks in Aberdeen, after undertaking a number of refresher courses. The ship was designed to serve in the Pacific where it could help counter the threat of Japanese 'kamikaze' suicide air attacks.
After being promoted to Lieutenant Commander, although the war had by then ended Bigbury Bay sailed for Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
While en route to join the British Pacific Fleet in Hong Kong, Bigbury Bay sailed through a typhoon which damaged steel beams that ran through the engine-room deckhead. Over the Christmas 1945 and new year 1946 period, it was assessed whether to carry out repairs or pay the ship off. Eventually it was taken in to Taikoo Dockyard for repairs.
Repairs were completed by mid-February 1946, and Bigbury Bay helped transport Allied former internees — mostly women and children — and escorted merchant ships to protect them from piracy and mines. Later they operated with the US fleet between Japan and Korea on anti-smuggling patrols.
In February 1947 they went to Kure to embark 13 Japanese servicemen who had been accused of war crimes and were transported to Hong Kong to stand trial.
Vice-Admiral Imamura had been the Japanese Naval Commander-in-Chief at Singapore when the officers of the Japanese cruisers Tone had run amok after a wardroom party at sea and murdered 60 prisoners of war on the quarterdeck.
He had also presided over an incident in which Japanese naval ratings had beheaded a number of British naval telegraphists, the alleged culprits in both atrocities being among my prisoners.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fukumoto was accused of responsibility for the massacre of about 500 Chinese civilians at Singapore.
Although these men had not been tried (and must therefore be deemed 'innocent until proven guilty'), we had no doubt in our minds that they had committed the most appalling crimes (the description of the beheading scene on the cruiser's quarterdeck was enough to freeze the blood), yet I could not help feeling sorry for them, particularly the senior officers accused of 'responsibility'.
So much so, in fact, that one evening while on passage south, I invited Vice-Admiral Imamura to dine with me. He spoke excellent English and we had a pleasant evening of small talk and reminiscences. He could not have been more courteous.
After arriving in Hong Kong and disembarking the prisoners, Hall heard that his relief had been appointed. He requested and was granted a return to the surveying service.
Survey ships
From early 1947 Hall served on board a number of survey ships.
HMS Seagull (1947–1949) — a 'home based' survey ship, they spent much of their time carrying out surveys around the British coast. Among the officers at the time was Frank Berncastle, who had previously been part of COPP 2. Hall commented that "we had a very congenial lot in the wardroom" and attributed Berncastle the nickname 'Snooze'
HMNZS Lachlan (1949–51) — Hall had a 'loan appointment', flying to Australia where he met HMAS Lachlan, which was transferring from the Australian to the New Zealand navy. He skippered the ship to Sydney where he handed it over to its regular commander. They then sailed for New Zealand, where it was converted from a frigate to a survey ship.
HMS Franklin (1952) — Hall was given his first command in February 1952 — back on board Franklin, the first survey ship he had served on. With it came promotion to Lieutenant Commander. They carried out surveys around the British coast, including one in fog-bound conditions, relying on the Decca-Navigator system — the successor to QH — to fix their position.
HMS Scott (1953) — when Franklin was paid off in the winter of 1952–53, Hall assumed command of HMS Scott. He skippered the ship when it took part in the Review of the Fleet at Spithead following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Hydrographic department
Upon his promotion from Lieutenant-Commander to Commander, Hall was appointed to a staff role at the Hydrographic Department in Cricklewood. He served as Superintendent of the Oceanographical Branch from 1954–56 but was also delegated much responsibility for tasking the survey fleet.
From 1958–60 he was Officer in Charge of Staff Charts, working in 'the citadel', an annexe to The Admiralty in Whitehall.
In between those appointments, from 1956–58 he commanded HMS Owen in the Indian Ocean.
He returned to Owen in 1960, carrying out operations in the Atlantic (1960–61), South Georgia (1961) and, after promotion to Captain, in the Indian Ocean (1961–62).
He returned to shore in 1962 and undertook the senior officers' war course in Greenwich, the first hydrographer to do so. The course taught a wide range of naval, military, strategic and political issues.
From 1963–65 he served as Assistant Hydrographer, again based at The Admiralty but this time in a first-floor office, assisting the Hydrographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral Edmund Irving. Hall had responsibility for personnel issues, including allocating hydrographer officers to survey ships.
This was a period when the UK was shifting its nuclear deterrent from air delivery to submarine delivery, adopting the Polaris submarine fleet which was capable of achieving much deeper depths than previous submarines. As a consequence, the demand for ocean surveys increased.
Hall oversaw the introduction of new purpose-build survey ships and their allocation into three divisions:
Ocean Survey Ships (OSS)
Coastal Survey Vessels (CSV)
Inshore Survey Craft (ISC).
Hall's role overseeing personnel issues meant that he was able to facilitate his appointment to command one of the new OSS vessels, HMS Hecla, for his final sea-going command. He commanded the ship from 1965–67, including operations off South Africa, in the North Atlantic and around the British Isles.
In 1968 Hall returned to the role of Assistant Hydrographer, now based in the old War Office on Whitehall. However, in early 1969 he started a new role as Assistant Director (Naval) with responsibility for overseeing chart production, based at Taunton. He also appointed honorary aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth — an honour automatically bestowed when he became the most senior Captain in the navy.
Finally, in 1971, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Hydrographer of the Navy.
He held the position until he retired on 13 September 1975. He was 59 and the oldest officer serving in the Navy
When he joined the Burma Star Association in 1989, he was living in Manby, South Lincolnshire.
During WW2, Geoffeey married Mary Carlisle, a WRNS Officer, and they had 3 children.
Geoffrey died in 2005 and is buried in Manby Churchyard with his wife.
(Source:https://www.coppsurvey.uk/geoffrey-hall)
Hall started as a cadet on board HMS Frobisher, a training cruiser, from September 1934. Based out of Chatham, his year on the ship included cruises to the Mediterranean, the West Indies and Scandinavia.
In August 1935 Hall joined the light cruiser HMS Dragon as a Midshipman. Serving in the America and West Indies Squadron, by the beginning of 1936 he had been appointed Navigating Officer's Assistant which involved "all sorts of theoretical and practical work connected with astronomy, nautical charts and time"
When Dragon paid off, in 1937 he joined a new cruiser, HMS Southampton, as its Senior Midshipman. Southampton was the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. Initially they spent most of their time carrying out exercises around the British coast, although Hall also spent a week on both HMS Wishart and HMS Wanderer, gaining experience of destroyers.
Towards the end of 1937 Southampton was part of the International Naval Patrol off the northern coast of Spain. They were policing a non-intervention pact in the Spanish Civil War that had been agreed between Germany, Italy, Britain and France. Their time on patrol included 'stand offs' with revolutionary vessels.
After passing his promotion exams and being appointed an Acting Sub-Lieutenant, on New Year's Day 1938 he started a number of training courses at 'stone frigate' shore establishments, including:
HMS Excellent — the Gunnery School on Whale Island in Portsmouth
HMS Vernon — focusing on torpedoes and electrics
HMS Dryad — being taught navigation and pilotage.
The grades achieved on each course could affect the direction of an officer's career and the specialism that he worked in.
After getting the required results and passing an interview with the Hydrographer of the Navy, Vice Admiral Sir John Edgell, in the summer of 1938 Hall was appointed Surveying Assistant, 4th Class on the survey ship HMS Franklin.
Hall was expected to 'learn on the job' and immediately started gaining experience as Franklin carried out surveys off Britain's east and southeast coasts.
But in March 1939 Hall was appointed to HMS Scarborough, a sloop that had just been converted for surveying duties and was about to be re-commissioned into service. With it came promotion to Lieutenant.
Scarborough was destined for the Far East. After arriving in Ceylon (Sri Lanka), they carried out surveys of the approaches to the port in Colombo before relocating to the naval base at Trincomalee. From there, they carried out a number of surveys off the northeast coast of Ceylon.
In mid-August 1939, with the political situation in Europe deteriorating, Scarborough relocated to Singapore. When war broke out, it was earmarked for conversion back to being a sloop to provide anti-submarine escort duties.
But instead of continuing with Scarborough, Hall was appointed First Lieutenant of HMS Derby, one of eight minesweepers that had been laid up in Singapore since the end of the First World War but were now being called back into service to form the 2nd Minesweeping Flotilla.
However, it wasn't long before all hydrographers were recalled back to the United Kingdom. Hall was flown back and from January 1940 served on the survey ship HMS Challenger.
Challenger's first role during Hall's time on board was carrying out hydrographic surveys around Scapa Flow following U-boat commander Günther Prien's successful incursion into the anchorage. Scapa Flow was meant to be highly secure but Prien had infiltrated the defences, sunk the battleship HMS Royal Oak, and then made his way out again. Challenger's surveys were a prelude to laying additional minefields.
Similar surveys at locations around the British coast followed before Challenger relocated to Iceland. Britain had invaded Iceland in May 1940. Challenger's first task was to survey a potential anchorage in Hvalfjörður, to the north of Reykjavík on the west coast, including mapping the surrounding countryside.
This survey was followed by smaller ones around Iceland, including of Seyðisfjörður on the east coast.
After returning to British waters in mid-November 1940, Challenger carried out a survey of Lough Foyle in Northern Ireland in spring 1941.
In June 1941, while relocating to Africa, Challenger acted as escort for the troopship Anselm, with two corvettes providing additional cover. However, Anselm was struck by a torpedo and sank. Out of around 2,000 men on board, Challenger rescued 900, with the two corvettes picking up 600 between them.
They left Gambia in mid-January 1942 and were part of a convoy back to the UK, during which the escort HMS Culver was sunk.
Reaching home waters by February 1942, Hall was released for general service. He attended HMS Dryad for his N* navigational course — a course shortened to six weeks due to the war. After passing, he was assigned to be navigational officer for the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla based at Granton on the Forth, sailing on HMS Fraserburgh.
Following Hall joining them, the 15th Minesweeping Flotilla operated initially in the North Sea and North Atlantic. But in September 1942 they were repositioned to Iceland, to help clear mines that hindered the passage of convoys from North America to Russia.
The flotilla was based at the two locations he surveyed while aboard HMS Challenger — initially Seydisfjord on the east coast, and then — after a period in mid-November clearing the Denmark Strait — from late December in Hvalfjord, which by now was an active naval anchorage.
After Christmas 1942, the flotilla relocated back to the UK. When Fraserburgh moored in Greenock, Scotland, Hall was surprised to be met by his replacement as the flotilla's navigational officer — it was a 'swap' with Geoffrey Lyne, and Hall was joining COPP. (The 'swap' was presumably cancelled, even though Hall joined COPP, as Lyne remained with COPP too and took part in operations around Normandy D-Day in June 1944.)
COPP
Hall took charge of COPP 7 and in mid-1943 led them first to the Mediterranean and then on to the Far East. They were the first COPP team to arrive in the theatre, and Hall was instrumental in setting up two COPP bases:
Cocanada in India
Hammenhiel Camp in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
He also took part in at least two operations:
reconnaissance of Akyab and Oyster Island in October 1943 — for which he was awarded a Distinguished Service Cross (DSC)
reconnaissance of Sumatra (Thailand) in August 1944 — for which he was mentioned in despatches.
COPP 7 returned to the UK in late 1944 and Hall set about endeavouring to find a new posting.
Hall secured command of HMS Bigbury Bay, a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate. He took command in April 1945, while Bigbury Bay was still being built in the docks in Aberdeen, after undertaking a number of refresher courses. The ship was designed to serve in the Pacific where it could help counter the threat of Japanese 'kamikaze' suicide air attacks.
After being promoted to Lieutenant Commander, although the war had by then ended Bigbury Bay sailed for Colombo in Ceylon (Sri Lanka).
While en route to join the British Pacific Fleet in Hong Kong, Bigbury Bay sailed through a typhoon which damaged steel beams that ran through the engine-room deckhead. Over the Christmas 1945 and new year 1946 period, it was assessed whether to carry out repairs or pay the ship off. Eventually it was taken in to Taikoo Dockyard for repairs.
Repairs were completed by mid-February 1946, and Bigbury Bay helped transport Allied former internees — mostly women and children — and escorted merchant ships to protect them from piracy and mines. Later they operated with the US fleet between Japan and Korea on anti-smuggling patrols.
In February 1947 they went to Kure to embark 13 Japanese servicemen who had been accused of war crimes and were transported to Hong Kong to stand trial.
Vice-Admiral Imamura had been the Japanese Naval Commander-in-Chief at Singapore when the officers of the Japanese cruisers Tone had run amok after a wardroom party at sea and murdered 60 prisoners of war on the quarterdeck.
He had also presided over an incident in which Japanese naval ratings had beheaded a number of British naval telegraphists, the alleged culprits in both atrocities being among my prisoners.
Lieutenant-Colonel Fukumoto was accused of responsibility for the massacre of about 500 Chinese civilians at Singapore.
Although these men had not been tried (and must therefore be deemed 'innocent until proven guilty'), we had no doubt in our minds that they had committed the most appalling crimes (the description of the beheading scene on the cruiser's quarterdeck was enough to freeze the blood), yet I could not help feeling sorry for them, particularly the senior officers accused of 'responsibility'.
So much so, in fact, that one evening while on passage south, I invited Vice-Admiral Imamura to dine with me. He spoke excellent English and we had a pleasant evening of small talk and reminiscences. He could not have been more courteous.
After arriving in Hong Kong and disembarking the prisoners, Hall heard that his relief had been appointed. He requested and was granted a return to the surveying service.
Survey ships
From early 1947 Hall served on board a number of survey ships.
HMS Seagull (1947–1949) — a 'home based' survey ship, they spent much of their time carrying out surveys around the British coast. Among the officers at the time was Frank Berncastle, who had previously been part of COPP 2. Hall commented that "we had a very congenial lot in the wardroom" and attributed Berncastle the nickname 'Snooze'
HMNZS Lachlan (1949–51) — Hall had a 'loan appointment', flying to Australia where he met HMAS Lachlan, which was transferring from the Australian to the New Zealand navy. He skippered the ship to Sydney where he handed it over to its regular commander. They then sailed for New Zealand, where it was converted from a frigate to a survey ship.
HMS Franklin (1952) — Hall was given his first command in February 1952 — back on board Franklin, the first survey ship he had served on. With it came promotion to Lieutenant Commander. They carried out surveys around the British coast, including one in fog-bound conditions, relying on the Decca-Navigator system — the successor to QH — to fix their position.
HMS Scott (1953) — when Franklin was paid off in the winter of 1952–53, Hall assumed command of HMS Scott. He skippered the ship when it took part in the Review of the Fleet at Spithead following the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.
Hydrographic department
Upon his promotion from Lieutenant-Commander to Commander, Hall was appointed to a staff role at the Hydrographic Department in Cricklewood. He served as Superintendent of the Oceanographical Branch from 1954–56 but was also delegated much responsibility for tasking the survey fleet.
From 1958–60 he was Officer in Charge of Staff Charts, working in 'the citadel', an annexe to The Admiralty in Whitehall.
In between those appointments, from 1956–58 he commanded HMS Owen in the Indian Ocean.
He returned to Owen in 1960, carrying out operations in the Atlantic (1960–61), South Georgia (1961) and, after promotion to Captain, in the Indian Ocean (1961–62).
He returned to shore in 1962 and undertook the senior officers' war course in Greenwich, the first hydrographer to do so. The course taught a wide range of naval, military, strategic and political issues.
From 1963–65 he served as Assistant Hydrographer, again based at The Admiralty but this time in a first-floor office, assisting the Hydrographer of the Navy, Rear Admiral Edmund Irving. Hall had responsibility for personnel issues, including allocating hydrographer officers to survey ships.
This was a period when the UK was shifting its nuclear deterrent from air delivery to submarine delivery, adopting the Polaris submarine fleet which was capable of achieving much deeper depths than previous submarines. As a consequence, the demand for ocean surveys increased.
Hall oversaw the introduction of new purpose-build survey ships and their allocation into three divisions:
Ocean Survey Ships (OSS)
Coastal Survey Vessels (CSV)
Inshore Survey Craft (ISC).
Hall's role overseeing personnel issues meant that he was able to facilitate his appointment to command one of the new OSS vessels, HMS Hecla, for his final sea-going command. He commanded the ship from 1965–67, including operations off South Africa, in the North Atlantic and around the British Isles.
In 1968 Hall returned to the role of Assistant Hydrographer, now based in the old War Office on Whitehall. However, in early 1969 he started a new role as Assistant Director (Naval) with responsibility for overseeing chart production, based at Taunton. He also appointed honorary aide-de-camp to Queen Elizabeth — an honour automatically bestowed when he became the most senior Captain in the navy.
Finally, in 1971, he was promoted to Rear Admiral and appointed Hydrographer of the Navy.
He held the position until he retired on 13 September 1975. He was 59 and the oldest officer serving in the Navy
When he joined the Burma Star Association in 1989, he was living in Manby, South Lincolnshire.
During WW2, Geoffeey married Mary Carlisle, a WRNS Officer, and they had 3 children.
Geoffrey died in 2005 and is buried in Manby Churchyard with his wife.
(Source:https://www.coppsurvey.uk/geoffrey-hall)
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