Vice-admiral Peter Dunt
Played a crucial logistical role during the Falklands conflict
VICE-ADMIRAL PETER DUNT, who has died aged 73, was secretary to Admiral “Sandy” Woodward during the Falklands War.
In 1982, Dunt was a commander and admiral’s secretary to Rear-admiral Sandy Woodward, embarked in the guided missile destroyer Antrim, from where the admiral was conducting the fleet’s annual spring exercises off Gibraltar.
All changed overnight when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. Dunt flew home to London for briefings, then on to Ascension Island, where he rejoined Woodward.
When Woodward and his staff transferred to the carrier Hermes, Dunt was also designated Task Group Logistics Officer. Despite limited communications with Britain, he prioritised the supply of everything from food to missiles. He was also responsible for members of the Press, not all of whom were easy to handle as they clamoured to release copy, all of which had to be monitored.
After the conflict, back in Portsmouth, Dunt tackled a mountain of reports and letters to be written as well as an overflowing diary, all of which he managed with equanimity. Woodward concluded his report on Dunt by describing him as “an invaluable alter ego, organiser and administrative right-hand man, ashore and afloat, under the most testing conditions. Dunt has passed a major trial with flying colours.”
Peter Arthur Dunt was born in Liverpool on June 23 1947, but when he was four his parents moved to Kenya, where his father was ICI’S representative in Mombasa. He was educated at Kenton College and the Duke of York School, Nairobi, and at Merchant Taylors’, Crosby. Dunt excelled at sports, often opening the batting with his brother for Kenya Combined Schools, and played rugby for the first XV.
He entered the Navy in 1965 and spent his midshipman’s year in the frigate Arethusa before specialising as a supply officer.
After the Falklands War, Dunt, now secretary to RearAdmiral Jeremy Black, joined the carrier Invincible in the Far East and Australasia. His older brother John was the weapons engineer commander in Invincible, which caused some confusion among the ship’s company.
Later, his career was centred in the Ministry of Defence, and when promoted to captain in 1987, he was one of the youngest supply officers to achieve this in peacetime. In 1992-94 he commanded the Navy’s new entry training establishment, HMS Raleigh, at Torpoint in Cornwall.
Promoted to rear-admiral in 1997, as chief of staff to the Second Sea Lord he sometimes attended Navy board meetings where his brother was a full member, one of the few times two brothers have attended the board.
In 2000 he became Chief Naval Supply and Secretariat Officer, and changed the department’s name to the Logistics Branch. In 2002 he was appointed Chief Executive, Defence Estates, and was promoted to vice-admiral, becoming responsible for the defence estate around the world, an £18 billion portfolio; one of his largest deals was to sell Chelsea Barracks for £900 million.
After leaving the Navy Dunt embraced a wide range of jobs, including chairman of the Royal Surrey County Hospital, 2010-15, when he improved the trust’s finances, and by regularly “walking the decks” improved the staff ’s moral.
He was appointed CB in 2002, and Deputy Lieutenant of Surrey in 2011.
Cricket was his main sport: he and his brother were capped for the Navy at Lord’s in 1971, and in 1997 he captained Blackheath to the semi-finals of the national village knockout competition. Later he turned to gardening, golf and grandchildren.
In 1974 Peter Dunt married Lesley Gilchrist, whom he met when she was a third officer, WRNS, and who survives him with their two daughters.