Richard Hull Field Marshal Sir Richard Amyatt Hull , KG , GCB , DSO , DL ( 7 May 1907 – 17 September 1989 ) was the last Chief of the Imperial General Staff ( 1961 – 1964 ) and the first Chief of the General Staff , and as such the professional head of the British Army and then Chief of the Defence Staff , the professional head of all British Armed Forces . He served in World War II and later advised the British Government on the response to the Indonesia – Malaysia confrontation . Military career . Born the son of Major - General Sir Charles Patrick Amyatt Hull and Muriel Helen Hull ( née Dobell ) , and educated at Charterhouse School and Trinity College , Cambridge , Hull was commissioned into the 17th / 21st Lancers on 1 November 1926 . Posted with his regiment to Egypt in October 1928 , he was promoted to lieutenant on 7 May 1931 and to captain on 1 June 1933 before going on to India in October 1933 . After serving in the Directorate of Staff Duties at the War Office from February 1940 , Hull was appointed Commander of C Squadron of his regiment in March 1941 and then Commanding Officer of the regiment in August 1941 before joining the staff of the 1st Canadian Armoured Division in June 1942 . He was given command of " Blade Force " , a unit based on the 17th / 21st Lancers , in September 1942 : the unit landed in North Africa and advanced at speed to Tebourba for which he was awarded the DSO on 11 February 1943 . He became brigade commander of 12th Infantry Brigade in April 1943 and then 26th Armoured Brigade in North Africa in late 1943 , being mentioned in despatches for services on 27 January 1944 , before becoming Deputy Director of Staff Duties at the War Office in December 1943 . He became General Officer Commanding of the 1st Armoured Division in Italy in August 1944 , leading the division through the fierce battles of Operation " Olive " on the Gothic Line ; he was checked by the Germans at Coriano . Following the division ' s disbandment at the end of September , he became the commander of the 5th Division in November 1944 , leading the division through the final phases of the war in North West Europe and , having been promoted to the substantive rank of major on 7 May 1945 , he was appointed CB on 5 July 1945 . Promoted to colonel on 13 April 1946 , he was appointed Commandant of Staff College , Camberley in May 1946 , having been promoted again to major - general on 13 June 1947 , he became Director of Staff Duties at the War Office in September 1948 and Chief Army Instructor at the Imperial Defence College on 1 January 1951 . He became Chief of Staff at headquarters Middle East Land Forces on 26 January 1953 . He was appointed General Officer Commanding British troops in Egypt on 15 June 1954 and , having been promoted to lieutenant general on 29 September 1954 and advanced to KCB in the New Year Honours 1956 , he became Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff on 5 October 1956 . He was appointed Commander in Chief Far East Land Forces on 25 June 1958 and , having been promoted to full general on 13 February 1959 and advanced to GCB in the Queen ' s Birthday Honours 1961 , he became Chief of the Imperial General Staff on 1 November 1961 ( restyled Chief of the General Staff in April 1964 ) . In this capacity he advised the British Government on the response to the Indonesia – Malaysia confrontation . Having been promoted to field marshal on 8 February 1965 , he was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 16 July 1965 . He retired from the British Army on 5 August 1967 . He was also appointed Colonel of the 17th / 21st Lancers from July 1947 , Honorary Colonel of the Cambridge University Contingent from 30 May 1958 and Colonel Commandant of the Royal Armoured Corps from April 1968 . In retirement he became a Non - Executive Director of Whitbread . He was appointed Constable of the Tower of London from 1 August 1970 , Lord Lieutenant of Devon from 5 October 1978 and a Knight of the Garter on 23 April 1980 . His interests included shooting , fly fishing and gardening ; he knew every plant in his garden by their English , latin and local name . He died of cancer at his home , Beacon Downe in Pinhoe in Devon on 17 September 1989 . Family . In 1934 he married Antoinette Labouchére de Rougement ; they had a son and two daughters .