Richard Trowbridge

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Richard Trowbridge
21 January 1920 - 4 May 2003

Rear Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge
Place of birth Flag of England Hampshire, England
Place of death Portsmouth, England
Allegiance Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1935 – 1975
Rank Rear Admiral
Battles/wars World War II
Other work Governor of Western Australia

Rear Admiral Sir Richard John Trowbridge, KCVO (21 January 1920 - 4 May 2003) was Western Australia's twenty-fifth Governor from 25 November 1980 to 24 November 1983, and the last British-sent vice-regal representative in Australia. He was appointed Governor on the recommendation of Premier Sir Charles Court in an unusual move, seen by some as reactionary, given that it had become established custom that Australian State Governors should be Australian-born [1] On the election of an Australian Labor Party (ALP) government in 1983, Sir Richard's term of office was terminated by the new Premier Brian Burke and he returned to retirement in England.

[edit] Biography

Richard John Trowbridge was born on 21 January 1920 to a farming family[2] in the county of Hampshire, England.[3] He was educated at Andover Grammar School and was fully expecting to become a farmer until a downturn in agriculture saw him leave school in 1935 at just 15 years of age to join the Royal Navy as a boy seaman. Trowbridge was quickly promoted through the navy ranks, and was commissioned as sub-Lieutenant in 1940, serving throughout the 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, on 26 February 1955.

From 1956 to 1958 he captained the destroyer HMS Carysfort[4] in the Mediterranean, and following this served as the second-in-command of the cruiser HMS Bermuda from 1958 to 1959. He then returned to the gunnery school at Whale Island in Portsmouth, where he was promoted to captain in 1960. From 1962 to 1964 he was in charge of the Fishery Protection Squadron, and from 1967 to 1969 he commanded the guided missile destroyer HMS Hampshire.

Trowbridge became extra equerry to the Queen in 1970 and he served as Flag Officer from 1970 to 1975. He was the first officer to rise from boy seaman to captain of the Queen's yacht HMY Britannia.

He was appointed Governor of Western Australia in 1980, leaving in 1983. Sir Richard and Lady Trowbridge returned to Portsmouth, where he died on 4 May 2003.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Trowbridge's two immediate predecessors, Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle (1975-80) and Air Commodore Sir Hughie Edwards VC (1974-75) were both Australian-born.
  2. ^ Staff writer. "Obituary of Rear-Admiral Sir Richard Trowbridge Officer", The Daily Telegraph, London: Telegraph Group Limited, 2003-05-09, p. 31. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. "Richard John Trowbridge was born on January 21 1920 into a farming family, and educated at Andover Grammar School" 
  3. ^ Staff writer. "Trowbridge dies at 83.", The West Australian, West Australian Newspapers Limited, 2003-05-10. Retrieved on 2008-02-17. "He came from a farming family in Hampshire, England" 
  4. ^ Commanding Officers of HMS Carysfort

[edit] References

Government offices
Preceded by
Air Chief Marshal Sir Wallace Kyle		 Governor of Western Australia
1980–1983		 Succeeded by
Professor Gordon Reid
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