View source for William Stephen Richard King-Hall

{{CommRN}} (retired) '''William Stephen Richard King-Hall''', (21 January, 1893 &ndash; ) was an officer in the [[Royal Navy]].  As a torpedo officer, he never commanded a ship, but documented his service in the {{UK-1Southampton|f=t}} at the [[Battle of Jutland]] in a book.

==Life & Career==
The son of Rear-Admiral King-Hall.
King-Hall spent 1911 in the dreadnought {{UK-Neptune|f=p}}.  He would serve in the {{UK-1Hermes|f=t}} and the {{UK-1Pegasus|f=t}} before being appointed to the {{UK-1Southampton|f=t}} in February, 1914.  He would remain in her for three years.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

In 1914, King-Hall attempted to rescue a sailor from {{UK-1Southampton}} from drowning.  He was awarded the [[Royal Humane Society's Bronze Medal]] and received an expression of the Admiralty's appreciation for his effort.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

King-Hall was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 28 February, 1915.  He was thanked for his initiative in inventing a "Torpedo Instructional Appliance."  King-Hall fought at the [[Battle of Jutland]] in ''Southampton''.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

On 16 March, 1917, he left ''Southampton'' for an appointment in the super-dreadnought {{UK-Ramillies|f=p}}.  He remained in her through to September when he was appointed to the {{UK-Vernon|f=pt}} for the Long Torpedo Course.  On 13 April, 1918 he was appointed to {{UK-1Maidstone}} for torpedoes and for submarines of the {{UK-SF|9}}.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

King-Hall received thirty guineas for winning the first Trench-Gascoigne prize for his 1918 essay submitted to the [[Royal United Service Institution]].{{ToL|United Service Institution Prizes|4 June 1919, p. 9}}

King-Hall was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 28 February, 1923.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

King-Hall was appointed to {{UK-Repulse}} as torpedo officer on 16 December, 1926.  Promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} on 3 June, 1928, his appointment in ''Repulse'' ended on 11 July 1928 when he was placed on the books of ''Victory'' for unpaid time.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

King-Hall was placed on the Retired List at his own request on 13 July, 1929.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

==World War II==
King-Hall was granted an exemption from naval mobilisation and was put to work organising the defence of aircraft factories under the Ministry of Aircraft Production.<ref>King-Hall Service Record.  {{TNA|ADM 196/55/129.|}} f. 129.</ref>

King-Hall wrote a memoir entitled "A Naval Lieutenant", which was later published as "A North Sea Diary: 1914-1918".  It is [https://archive.org/details/northseadiary00kingiala/page/n4/mode/2up available online in a variety of formats].

==See Also==
{{refbegin}}
* [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_q=ADM+196+%22name+King-Hall%22+Stephen Service Records]
* [[Second L.C.S. (Royal Navy) at the Battle of Jutland]]
{{refend}}

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==Footnotes==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:King-Hall, William Stephen}}

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{{CatTorpedoOfficer|UK}}
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