General A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air force, air and space forces, marines or naval infantry. In some usages, the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colone ...

Sir Thomas Lionel Hunton, (30 October 1885 – 21 April 1970) was a

Royal Marines The Royal Marines provide the United Kingdom's amphibious warfare, amphibious special operations capable commando force, one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy, a Company (military unit), company str ...

officer who served as the inaugural

Commandant General Royal Marines Commandant General Royal Marines is the professional head of the Royal Marines. The title has existed since 1943. The role is held by a General (United Kingdom), General who is assisted by a Deputy Commandant General, with the rank of Brigadier ( ...

from 1943 to 1946.

Early life

Hunton was born on 30 October 1885 in Bristol, Gloucestershire, the son on Theodore and Emma Maria Hunton.

Military career

Hunton joined Royal Marines in 1903 and served in the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

before becoming Deputy Assistant Adjutant General of the Royal Marines in 1930 and Assistant Adjutant General of the Royal Marines in 1935.Sir Thomas Lionel Hunton
Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives He served in the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

as Commander of the Portsmouth Division of the Royal Marines from 1938 and then as Adjutant General Royal Marines (and Commander of the Royal Marine Division) from 1941: it was under his guidance that the Royal Marines Division was broken up between July and September 1943 to provide six new Commandos.Badge, formation, Royal Marine Division & 116th Infantry Brigade, Royal Marines
/ref> He was the first

from January 1943 until he retired in 1946.

Family life

Hunton married Margaret Mary France Steele on 8 September 1919 in Clifton, Bristol; they had a son and a daughter. He died on 21 April 1970 at Lympstone in Devon.

References

External links

Generals of World War II
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hunton, Thomas 1885 births 1970 deaths Knights of the Legion of Honour Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Knights of the Order of the Star of Romania Members of the Royal Victorian Order Officers of the Order of the British Empire Military personnel from Bristol Royal Marines generals of World War II Royal Marines personnel of World War I Royal Marines generals