Image Gallery: October 2010
22 October 2010
Memorial service for Vice Admiral Peek
Sir Richard Peek began his career as a Cadet Midshipman in 1928 and rose quickly through the ranks to become one of the RANs most respected and forward thinking commanding officers. During World War Two, Sir Richard took part in several critical battles with the Japanese Navy. One onslaught during the Lingayen Gulf landings in January 1945 saw his ship HMAS Australia suffer four direct hits from Kamikazes and one near miss. Once the smoke had cleared, forty four members of Sir Richard's crew lay dead and another sixty nine were wounded. in 1946, Sir Peter's wife died while he was in the UK on the Royal Staff Course. The RAN refused him permission to return home to be with his baby son. Sir Richard spent the rest of his career caring for the rights of Navy members. After returning to sea during the Korean conflict and commands of the RANs two Aircraft Carriers HMA Ships Sydney and Melbourne, Sir Richard served as Chief of Navy from 1970 to 1973.
Sir Richard died in August 2010. He was 96.
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