Percival Hall-Thompson

Admiral Percival Henry Hall-Thompson, (5 May 1874 – 6 July 1950) was a Royal Navy officer who played a key role in the development of the New Zealand Naval Forces and also served in the First World War as commander of . He went on to be First Naval Member and Chief of the Australian Naval Staff.

Early life Hall-Thompson was born Percival Henry Hall Thompson, the son of Henry Hall Thompson and his wife, Agnes Spooner, on 5 May 1874 in Eling, Hampshire. Educated at a private school, he joined the Royal Navy in 1887 as a midshipman. He was posted to the training ship HMS Britannia as a cadet. including a period in Australia as Inspector of War-like Stores at Garden Island, but by 1905 was based in London. He was promoted to post-captain in June 1913. For his services during the war, he was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George

Postwar period In 1919, much to his disappointment as he enjoyed living in New Zealand, Hall-Thompson was recalled to England. The New Zealand defence minister at the time, James Allen, was also disappointed as he had established a good working relationship with Hall-Thompson. A daughter, Mary (later Mary Austin), was awarded the DBE for community service in Australia.