Hugh Balfour
{{Short description|Scottish Royal Navy officer}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2020}}
{{EngvarB|date=February 2020}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Hugh Balfour
| honorific_suffix = {{post-nominals|post-noms=CB LVO}}
| birth_date = {{Birth date|df=y|1933|04|29}}
| death_date = {{Death date and age|df=y|1999|06|29|1933|04|29}}
| placeofburial_label =
| placeofburial =
| birth_place = Malta
| death_place =
| placeofburial_coordinates =
| allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch = {{Navy|United Kingdom}}
| serviceyears = 1951–90
| rank = Rear-Admiral
| servicenumber =
| commands = {{HMS|Sheraton|M1181|6}}
{{HMS|Whitby|F36|6}}
{{HMS|Phoebe|F42|6}}
{{HMS|Exeter|D89|6}}
Royal Navy of Oman
| battles = Falklands War
| battles_label =
| awards = Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Military Order of Oman
| relations =
| laterwork =
}}
Rear-Admiral Hugh Maxwell Balfour {{post-nominals|post-noms=CB, LVO}} (29 April 1933 – 29 June 1999) was a Scottish Royal Navy officer.{{Who's Who |title=Balfour, Rear-Adm. Hugh Maxwell |id=U176712 |type=was |volume=2016 |edition=November 2015 online |accessdate=23 March 2016}}
Early life
Hugh Balfour was born in Malta into a Royal Navy family on 29 April 1933, and received his early formal education at Ardvreck School, Crieff, and at Kelly College, Tavistock.{{cite news |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/rear-admiral-hugh-balfour-1114493.html |title=Rear-Admiral Hugh Balfour |newspaper=The Independent |date=22 August 1999 |accessdate=25 March 2016}}
Falklands War
Balfour was the Captain of {{HMS|Exeter|D89|6}} when the Argentine Armed Forces militarily invaded the Falkland Islands on 2 April 1982. Exeter was on duty at that moment in the Caribbean, acting as a guardship for British troops protecting Belize from aggression from the Government of Guatemala. Whilst waiting for orders he prepared the ship for battle with a series of war exercises.
Following the loss of {{HMS|Sheffield|D80|6}} in action at the Falklands, Balfour received orders to sail for them on 5 May 1982. On route Exeter had a secret meeting with the tanker British Esk to refuel, and Balfour received a tactical briefing from Sam Salt, the captain of sunk HMS Sheffield (who was returning with his surviving crew to England) on the naval battle situation raging in the Falklands, where the Royal Navy was under repeat air assaults from fighter jets of the Argentine Navy and Air Force. Exeter reached the Falklands and joined the task force on 22 May 1982, during the British amphibious assault landings to retake the Islands at San Carlos water. Exeter's primary role was to protect the task force, and provide early warning of incoming hostile aircraft and missiles using her Type 1022 Radar. During the fighting over the next three weeks she shot down two attacking Argentine A-4C Skyhawks on 30 May 1982, and a hostile Learjet 35A on 7 June 1982 using her Sea Dart missile system. The conflict ended with the British capture of Port Stanley on 14 June 1982.
Later career
From 1983 to 1985 Balfour was director of the Maritime Tactical School and promoted to Rear-Admiral. Between 1985 and 1990 he was Commander of the Royal Navy of Oman, and awarded the Military Order of Oman on his retirement. In 1990 he was also appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.{{London Gazette |issue=52173 |page=2 |date=15 June 1990 }}
Post-military career
Death
Balfour died from the effects of a cancer on 29 June 1999 in his 67th year.Obituary for Hugh Balfour, 'The Herald (Scotland)', 7 August 1999. https://www.heraldscotland.com/news/12275438.rear-admiral-hugh-balfour/
Personal life
References
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Balfour, Hugh}}
Category:Royal Navy rear admirals
Category:Lieutenants of the Royal Victorian Order
Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath
Category:People educated at Kelly College
Category:People educated at Ardvreck School
Category:Maltese military personnel