Robert Charles Finch Hill (1950-55) died on 4th January 2026 aged 88. He had fought a gallant battle against Parkinson’s Disease for several years. A Vice Admiral in the Royal Navy, Sir Robert was awarded the KBE in 1990. He left a widow Debby, children and grandchildren. A Memorial Service will be held at the Church of St Philip and St James, Norton St Philip BA2 7LY at 2:00pm on 14th March 2026.

Bob Hill entered the Nautical College Pangbourne from St Michael’s, Tavistock Court prep school in north Devon. Joining Harbinger Division, he rose to become Chief of the College in Lent term 1955. Academically gifted, and unusually for that era at the NCP, he gained three ‘A’ levels as a member of Form VI Science and so won an Open Entry award directly into BRNC Dartmouth. In sports, he was mostly prominent on the water, captaining the Sailing team in 1954 and winning the McGeoch Cup in 1953 and 1954. A good fencer, he also won the Services Cadets’ Sabre championship in 1954.

Entering Dartmouth in May 1955 as a Cadet (E), he had a distinguished career in the Royal Navy specialising in engineering and eventually being promoted to Vice Admiral at the end of 1988. Among ships Bob served in were the destroyer Decoy (1958), the T-class diesel submarine Thermopylae (1964) and the Polaris ballistic missile submarine Repulse (1968).

Shore-based jobs included stints at the Royal Navy Engineering College at Manadon (1976). In 1982 he became Director General Ships in the Ministry of Defence. Later, in 1986-87, he had a successful time as Captain of Raleigh, the Torpoint RN new entry training establishment. By 1989 he had risen to become CSO(E) – the officer designated Chief of Staff Engineering to the Commander-in-Chief Fleet. In 1991 he moved to the Ministry of Defence in Bath as Director General of Submarines and also Chief Naval Engineer Officer and Deputy Controller of the Navy.

Non-naval achievements included some high-level sailing, not least as one of the watch leaders in the Admirals crew under Admiral Sandy Woodward for a race from San Sebastian to Plymouth. Always an innovator and blessed with an active and ingenious mind, he once designed a sail called an altosail which blew up to form an aerofoil shape to give the sail more lift, so enabling a boat to sail closer to the wind – “inspirational but illegal!” according to a sailing friend. Another Hill first, years ahead of its time, was to place a catamaran on foils at a world speed championship. More prosaically, in later life he designed a leather wallet to hold glasses, credit cards and two pens that could fit in a top pocket.

On retirement from the RN Bob Hill became president of the Institute of Marine Engineers (IMarEst) and travelled far and wide in this role. Among other IMarEst ventures, he was involved in the European Human Powered Submarine Racing project from its start in 2012. This venture involved teams of university students from as far afield as Canada, United States and New Zealand and was, according to his wife “a lot of fun and definitely challenging for students and judges.”

Several Pangbourne links endured into retirement. Richard Walton (49-54), who had made the theatre his profession, introduced Bob to the management of the Theatre Royal Bath. Subsequently, he joined both the Board and the Production Board and was able to enjoy the delights of frequent evenings at the well-known theatre.

Another lasting Pangbourne link came from a lifelong friendship with Captain Tim Lee RN (51-53). The pair and their wives went on many happy holidays together in retirement. Bob was also instrumental in introducing his cousin Sir Brian Hill, chairman of the leading British construction company Higgs & Hill, to his RN contemporary and chairman of the Board of Governors at Pangbourne Vice Admiral Sir John Webster (46-50) during the building of the Falklands Islands Memorial Chapel. Sir Brian was to serve on the Board with distinction throughout this period.  

Mrs Lee, Tim Lee (1951-53), Lady Hil & Sir Robert Hill (1950-55)

After Bob’s death more than 50 positive comments were posted on a submariners’ website including: “A delightful man and an excellent submariner who inspired many of us” and “A great engineer.” In the words of another OP admiral, submariner and near-contemporary Mike Harris (54-59): “He had a reputation as a ‘good egg’ which, together with modesty, stayed with him throughout his career.”