Richard Peek ( admiral ) Vice Admiral Sir Richard Innes Peek KBE CB DSC ( 30 July 191428 August 2010 ) was a senior officer in the Royal Australian Navy , who served as First Naval Member of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board from 1970 to 1973 . Naval career . Peek joined the Royal Australian Navy College in 1928 as a cadet midshipman and graduated with maximum honours . His specialist gunnery training followed , with the Royal Navy as was typical of the era , at Whale Island , Portsmouth . He was consolidating his training as a gunnery officer , serving in , at the outbreak of the Second World War . In 1941 he returned to Australia and served as a Lieutenant gunnery officer in ( " Leander " class light cruiser ) at the Battle of the Coral Sea , and later ( " County " class cruiser ) until 1944 . While serving in HMAS Australia , Peek was injured during the kamikaze attack at the Battle of Leyte Gulf — that took the lives of Captain Emile Dechaineux and thirty others — and for his efforts immediately after was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his " Skill , determination and courage " during the battle . Peek was additionally decorated with the Distinguished Service Cross for " Gallantry and skill " during assault operations on the Lingayan Gulf . Lieutenant Commander Peek was posted to England after the war to undertake the Staff Course at the Royal Naval College , Greenwich , and also led the RAN contingent at the London victory celebrations on 8 June 1946 , then the following year he attended the Joint Services Staff College . After return to Australia Peek served in various positions before his promotion to commander . From 1951 he served as commanding officer of ( River class frigate ) and commander of the First Frigate Squadron , before going on to command . During the Korean War , he commanded the destroyer and for his service was awarded the United States ' Legion of Merit . From 1954 he served as Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel . After promotion to captain he again commanded HMAS Tobruk from 1956 to 1958 and was also Captain ( Destroyers ) of the 10th Destroyer Squadron . The ship was part of the Malayan Emergency response . He was again posted to the Admiralty , and he also completed the 1961 course at the Imperial Defence College . From 1962 he commanded the aircraft carrier , and then the aircraft carrier and RAN flagship . In 1964 he was promoted to rear admiral and appointed as the Fourth Naval Member and Chief of Supply of the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board . From 1965 to 1967 , he was Deputy Chief of Naval Staff , and from 1967 was Flag Officer Commanding HMA Fleet which included oversight of the British Commonwealth ' s Far East Strategic Reserve . During this period the RAN first participated in naval bombardment operations against North Vietnam , beginning with . In 1968 , Peek was appointed as Second Naval Member and Chief of Personnel . Peek was promoted to vice admiral in 1970 on appointment as First Naval Member . On 1 January 1971 , he was appointment as a Companion of the Order of the Bath ( CB ) . He was further honoured , on 1 January 1972 , when he was knighted via appointment as a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( KBE ) . During his three - year tenure , the RAN ' s involvement in the Vietnam War ended , and he was heavily involved in restructuring the Navy as a result of the decision by the Whitlam government to combine the separate departments of the Navy , Army , and Air into the Department of Defence . Plans were well advanced for an Australian light destroyer ( designated " DDL " ) and an RAN replenishment ship . The Australian government changed in 1972 and , due to the new Whitlam government ' s opposition to the planned DDL project , in August 1973 Peek advised the Government to not proceed . Retirement and later life . Peek retired on 22 November 1973 , and became a pastoralist in Monaro district of southern New South Wales near Cooma . He remained active in naval and military affairs , and campaigned for the welfare of veterans . His many activities included : Family . Richard Peek died on 28 August 2010 . Peek was predeceased by his first wife , Margaret , and his second wife , Catherine . He was survived by his son Matthew , and daughters Jane and Rachel .