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{{CommRN}} (retired) '''Geoffrey Victor Hickman''', D.S.C. (1 May, 1890 &ndash; ) served as a navigating officer in the [[Royal Navy]]. He earned a few favourable evaluations and notices, but was generally found lacking, and possessed a frail constitution. However, he delivered good service when crisis found him as second command in {{UK-1Broke}} at the [[Second Battle of Dover Strait]]. ==Life & Career== Hickman gained two and a half months' time on passing out of {{UK-1Britannia}}. On 7 February, 1908, Hickman was admitted to Portland Hospital, suffering from debility after a bad case of enteric fever. He was fit on 20 August, 1908. On 27 April, 1909 Hickman was suffering from myocarditis and was given 42 days sick leave. In December, 1911, Captain [[Warren Hastings D'Oyly|D'Oyly]] noted that Hickman was "[n]ot good at taking charge. Forgetful." Hickman earned his watchkeeping certificate in March 1912 and was promoted to the rank of {{LieutRN}} on 30 June, 1912. In May 1913, his name was noted for navigating duties. In June, 1914, Hickman was appointed to {{UK-Savage}} as first and navigating lieutenant. He was sick with influenza for nine days in February, 1915 but returned to the ship until an unusually adverse report from Vice-Admiral Mediterranean (which must mean Vice-Admiral Eastern Mediterranean [[John Michael de Robeck, First Baronet|John Michael de Robeck]]) stated that Hickman was "slovenly & dirty in habits and not fitted to be 1st Lieut. of a destroyer." Hickman was therefore ordered home in {{UK-Blenheim}} in June, 1915. On 18 September, he was appointed as navigating officer in the {{UK-Woolwich|f=tp}}. On 10 November, 1916, he was appointed to {{UK-Seymour}} as navigating officer, but only stayed in her long enough to transfer to {{UK-1Broke}}, likely within the month. On 20-21 April, 1917, Hickman was navigator and second in command of {{UK-1Broke}} at the [[Second Battle of Dover Strait]] in which he was credited with "great coolness in handling the ship in action", helping Commander [[Edward Ratcliffe Garth Russell Evans, First Baron Mountevans|Edward R. G. R. Evans]] alter course from ramming an already-torpedoed enemy so that the blow could strike the next enemy astern. Hickman was awarded a D.S.C. for this performance, gazetted on 10 May 1917. ==Post-War== Hickman was appointed out of {{UK-1Broke}} on 31 March, 1919 to the {{UK-MarshalSoult|f=t}}. On 13 August, he was ordered over to {{UK-1Grafton|f=p}}. Hickman was promoted to the rank of {{LCommRN}} on 30 June, 1920. On 2 July, he was appointed as navigating officer in {{UK-RoyalArthur}}. In December, 1922 he was appointed to {{UK-1Pandora}} as navigating officer. In January 1923 he was sent to {{UK-Constance}} to be her navigator, but defective vision caused his name to be removed from the list of navigating officers on 30 May, 1923. In August, 1924 Captain [[Colin Alfred Molyneux Sarel|Sarel]] of {{UK-Assistance}} wrote that Hickman had a "[v]ery poor knowledge of duties. Gen bearing poor. Abrupt manner. Lacks self confidence & organising ability. untidy." Furthermore, Vice-Admiral Sinclair noted that Hickman was "unfavourably commented on [by Rear Admiral Boyle] when the ''Assistance'' was inspected." On 26 May, 1925 Hickman was appointed in command of a group of destroyers in reserve. This work busied him until he was put on unpaid time in April, 1926. Hickman was placed on the Retired List as medically unfit owing to psychasthenia on 16 December, 1927. Hickman was promoted to the rank of {{CommRN}} (retired) on 1 May, 1930. ==World War II== Despite Hickman's uneven merits, the exigencies of the Second World War prompted his appointment as E.D.O., Milford Haven on 25 August, 1939. On 2 August, 1941, his role was altered to X.D.O., Milford Haven, and as N.C.O., vice [[Cornelius Octavius Regnart|Regnart]]. On 21 June, 1943 Hickman was appointed on the Staff of the Flag Officer Commanding, Dover. In 1944, his role at Dover was enlarged to make him Staff Officer, Navigation and Duty Commander. Hickman was reverted to the Retired List on 6 September, 1945. ==See Also== {{refbegin}} * [http://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/results/r?_rv=simple&_q=ADM+Geoffrey+Victor+Hickman Service Records] {{WP|https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geoffrey_Victor_Hickman}} {{refend}} ==Bibliography== {{refbegin}} <div name=fredbot:bib></div name=fredbot:bib> {{refend}} <div name=fredbot:appts></div name=fredbot:appts> ==Footnotes== {{reflist}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Hickman, Geoffrey Victor}} {{CatPerson|UK|1890|}} {{CatBritannia|May, 1905}} {{CatNavigatingOfficer|UK}} {{CatComm|UK}}

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