Sir Douglas Hall, 14th Baronet

Sir Douglas Hall, Bt
Governor of British Somaliland
In office
1959–1960
Preceded by Theodore Pike
Succeeded by None, independence of Somalia
Secretary for Native Affairs of Rhodesia
In office
1956–1959
Personal details
Born 1 February 1909
Died 8 April 2004(2004-04-08) (aged 95)
Awards Knight of the Order of the Garter
Military service
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  Northern Rhodesia
 British Army
 British Somaliland
Years of service 1930 – 1971
Rank General
Commands Commander-in-Chief of the British Somaliland
Battles/wars Second World War

Sir Douglas Basil Hall, 14th Baronet, KCMG (1 February 1909 – 8 April 2004) was a British colonial administrator and radio enthusiast. He served as the last Governor of the British Somaliland Protectorate before its independence, from 11 July 1959 to 26 June 1960.

Early life

Hall was born on 1 February 1909, the son of Captain Lionel Erskine Hall and Jane Augusta Reynolds.[1] He graduated from Keble College, Oxford and would married Rachel Marion Gartside-Tipping in 1933 (d. 1990).

Career

Early career

Hall developed an interest in home-built radios and electronics at age 15 when he built his first receiver, a detector unit, in 1924.[2] Beginning with an article in Practical Wireless of December 1943, Hall subsequently published over 100 articles with circuits, construction advice and commentary in magazines like Radio Constructor and Radio Bygones.

Colonial Service

Hall joined the Colonial Administrative Service in 1930 and served in Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) for almost 30 years. He was a District Officer from 1932 to 1950 and Senior District Officer from 1950 to 1953, he was promoted Provincial Commissioner in 1953 and Administrative Secretary in 1955. Hall concluded his service in Rhodesia as Secretary for Native Affairs (1956–1959).[3]

Hall was made Companion, Order of St. Michael and St. George (CMG) in 1958 and knighted (KCMG) in 1959.

In 1959, Hall was appointed Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the British Somaliland (1959–1960), the last person to hold this office due to the Independence of Somalia that following year.

Hall retired to Ringmore, Devon, where he became a magistrate, and was a member of the Devon and Cornwall Police Authority from 1971 to 1979.

Hall died in Derbyshire, England on 8 April 2004 at age 95.

References

  1. ↑ Obituary, "The Telegraph" (UK), 3 May 2004
  2. ↑ Sir Douglas Hall (2002). "Autobiographical note". Retrieved 24 May 2011.
  3. ↑ http://thepeerage.com/p42941.htm#i429406
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