Hugh Marrack

Hugh Richard Marrack (5 July 1888 – 12 February 1972) was a submarine specialist serving in the British Royal Navy, who commanded both the Portland and China Submarine flotillas and was Commodore Superintendent, Gibraltar, 1943–45. Marrack later became an ADC to King George VI.

Early life Hugh Marrack was born in Walton in Gordano, Somerset, the fourth child of John Reed Marrack and his wife Mary (nee Saunders). He was educated at Blundell's School in Tiverton, before joining the Royal Navy as a cadet on 15 January 1903, being trained aboard HMS Britannia.

Service biography Marrack was promoted to midshipman on 15 July 1904, After serving for a short time aboard the battleship ,

On 26 October 1911 Marrack was appointed to at Devonport to take command of the submarine , and was promoted to lieutenant commander on 30 June 1918.

After the armistice in November 1918 Marrack remained in command of E51

Marrack was 'loaned' to the Royal Australian Navy on 1 April 1927 to command the submarine HMAS Oxley,

On 2 February 1931 Marrack was appointed to command of the submarine depot ship and of the 4th Submarine Flotilla on the China Station. However, despite this Marrack remained in active service, being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Birthday Honours of 2 June 1943, and serving as Commodore Superintendent at Gibraltar Dockyard from 1943 until the end of the war in 1945.

Personal life Marrack married Christine Banbury Pilkington (nee Hallett) at the Old Parish Church in Upper Dovercourt on 7 July 1917. Christine Pilkington was the widow of Lieutenant George Pilkington who died when was lost on 7 January 1915. They had no children.

Rear Admiral Marrack died in the Royal Naval Hospital at Haslar on 12 February 1972.

Papers The Imperial War Museum in London holds the papers of Rear Admiral Hugh Marrack 1932–1937 (ref: 72/52/1), including his account of the seizure of the Chinese quarter of Shanghai by the Chinese Nationalist Army led by General Chiang Kai-shek in April 1927 (written 1932); an account of his service as commanding officer, HMS Carlisle, Africa Station 1934–1937; an account of a visit of Carlisle to Tristan da Cunha in 1937; and two files of papers relating to submarines.