looked after by torpedomen but they had become so complex a new separate branch was deemed necessary. He then commanded HMS Illustrious'(1948–1949) and after that was Vice-Controller of the Navy in Bath, 1950–1952, and then Flag Officer, Heavy Squadron, Home Fleet, 1952–3. A strict disciplinarian, he was sometimes known as 'Hughes-Hitler'. Political career Hughes-Hallett retired from the Royal Navy in 1954 as Vice-Admiral on his adoption as a Conservative Parliamentary candidate. A problem arose when he enquired of the Secretary of the Admiralty what pension he could expect, at that time MPs got no pension, and the Secretary erroneously gave him a figure that was far too high. When he discovered this he threatened legal proceedings and as he was now an MP this was very embarrassing to the Government; it was discussed at Cabinet level on at least two occasions. (Cabinet Minutes in National Archives). First elected in September 1954, he served as the Member of Parliament for Croydon East, later Croydon North East, until the 1964 election, defeating Labour's Walter Wolfgang at the 1959 general election. He was a British Representative at the Council of Europe between 1958 and 1960 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Ministry of Transport for Shipping and Shipbuilding, 1961 to 1964. In the 1958–59 parliament, he successfully piloted his private members bill through parliament, although only tenth in the ballot. It became the Road Traffic (Driving of Motor Cycles) Act. He was very popular among the Young Conservatives and always interested in their activities. Later years In the late 1960s he suffered a serious stroke which hampered further activities. In his last years he lived in Slindon, near Arundel, Sussex, England and died in 1972. He never married. His brother, Sir (Cecil) Charles Hughes-Hallett was a Rear Admiral. He had drafted memoirs, but they have not as yet been published. Film portrayals Captain Hughes-Hallett was a major character in the Canadian CBC miniseries Dieppe, in which he was played by actor Robert Joy. Homage Around 1990, a street in Caen (France) was named after Commodore Hughes-Hallett, linking avenue Amiral Mountbatten to avenue Maréchal Montgomery and rue Colonel Rémy, in a district close to the Mémorial pour la Paix museum, where a majority of streets commemorate personalities linked with the Second World War, the Résistance, and the subsequent making of the European Community. Unfortunately, the surname is misspelt: rue Commodore J.H. Hallet. Notes External links