Campbell Hardy

General Sir Campbell Richard Hardy (1906–1984) was a Royal Marines officer who became Commandant General Royal Marines.

Military career
Educated at Felsted School, Hardy was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1924 and qualified as Physical Training Officer. He served in World War II as the first Commanding Officer of 46 Commando in Normandy from 1943 and as Commander of 3 Commando Brigade in Burma and Hong Kong from 1944. On 29 December 1944, 3 Commando Brigade, under Hardy's command, carried out an unopposed landing on the island of Akyab in Burma. Between 22 and 23 January 1945 he led a successful defence against Japanese forces at the Battle of Hill 170. After the battle, the commander of the XV Indian Corps—Lieutenant General Sir Philip Christison—stated in a special order of the day to 3rd Commando Brigade, "The Battle of Kangaw had been the decisive battle of the whole Arakan campaign and that it was won was very largely due to your magnificent defence of Hill 170."

After the War he became Chief Instructor at the School of Combined Operations at Fremington and then became Commander of 3 Commando Brigade again in Malta, Hong Kong and Malaya. He went on to be Commander of the Royal Marines Depot at Deal in 1951, Chief of Staff of the Royal Marines in 1952 and Commandant General Royal Marines in 1955. He made an unofficial visit to the 45 Commando landing zone at Suez in 1956 before retiring in 1959.

Honours and awards
On 6 September 1943 Hardy was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) For gallant and distinguished services while operating with the Army in Normandy and in 1945 was awarded a bar to the original DSO for For courage, example and enthusiasm during commando operations in Northern Europe. In the King's Birthday Honours 1948 Hardy was appointed as Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). On 19 October 1951 Hardy was promoted with an additional appointment to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). In the New Year Honours 1957 Hardy was appointed a Knight Commander of The Order of the Bath (KCB)

Retirement
In retirement he became Director of the Coal Utilisation Council. He lived at Bunch Lane House at Bunch Lane in Haslemere.