Richard Hall
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- Service number
- Q1010795 AWMM
- Q1010795Public - Richard - Self - 17 March 2023 - self
- Also known as
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- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- —
- War
- Afghanistan AWMM
- Gulf War, 1990-1991 AWMM
- Northern IrelandPublic - Richard - Self - 17 March 2023 - Self
About
- Title
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- Forenames
- Richard AWMM
- Surname
- Hall AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
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- Service number
- Q1010795 AWMM
- Q1010795Public - Richard - Self - 17 March 2023 - self
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
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- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
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- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
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- Relationship status
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Wars and conflicts
- War
- Afghanistan AWMM
- Gulf War, 1990-1991 AWMM
- Northern IrelandPublic - Richard - Self - 17 March 2023 - Self
- Campaign
- 1990-1991 AWMM Gulf War AWMM
- Afghanistan 2008 AWMM
- 1969 AWMM Northern Ireland AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- Q1010795 AWMM
- Q1010795Public - Richard - Self - 17 March 2023 - self
- Military service
- Gloucestershire RegimentPublic - Richard - Self - 17 March 2023 - self
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- New Zealand Operational Service Medal AWMM
- New Zealand General Service Medal 2002 (Afghanistan - Primary Operational Area) AWMM
- Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit (MNZM) AWMM
- Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) (Military) AWMM
- Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE) AWMM
- United States Meritorious Service Medal AWMM
- British Army General Service Medal Northern Ireland
UNFCYP Medal
NATO Medal AfghanistanPublic - Richard - Self - 10 March 2023 - self
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
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- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- Gloucestershire Regiment AWMM British Army AWMM
- Afghanistan Colonel/Military AWMM Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment AWMM International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
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Last known rank
- Last rank
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- Last rank
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Biographical information
- Colonel (Retired) Richard Hall OBE, MNZM is a senior military leader whose service spans both the British Army and the New Zealand Defence Force, with operational experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
Richard joined the British Army in 1976 and was commissioned into the Gloucestershire Regiment following training at Sandhurst. Over a 24-year career, he served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, the Balkans, and the Middle East, including command of his regiment during an operational tour in South Armagh. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his service during the Gulf War and later awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to defence reform.
After retiring from the British Army, Richard settled in Aotearoa New Zealand and joined the New Zealand Army Reserve. From October 2008 to April 2009, he commanded approximately 150 New Zealand personnel deployed to Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan, leading the Provincial Reconstruction Team. For this service he received the United States Meritorious Service Medal and was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Richard is the author of A Long Road to Progress: Dispatches from a Kiwi Commander in Afghanistan (2010), reflecting on modern peacekeeping, leadership, and cross-cultural engagement. He has since been appointed Honorary Colonel of 3/6 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment and maintains a strong interest in the Korean War.
Colonel (Retired) Richard Hall OBE, MNZM is a senior military leader whose service spans both the British Army and the New Zealand Defence Force, with operational experience across Europe, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
Richard joined the British Army in 1976 and was commissioned into the Gloucestershire Regiment following training at Sandhurst. Over a 24-year career, he served in Northern Ireland, Cyprus, Germany, Africa and the Middle East, including command of his Regiment during an operational tour in South Armagh. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire for his service during the 1991 Gulf War and later awarded an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his contribution to a defence review.
After retiring from the British Army, Richard settled in Aotearoa New Zealand and joined the New Zealand Army Reserves. From October 2008 to April 2009, he was the Senior National Officer in Afghanistan and also commanded the New Zealand Provincial Reconstruction Team in Bamiyan Province, Afghanistan. For this service he received the United States Meritorious Service Medal and was appointed a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.
Richard is the author of A Long Road to Progress: Dispatches from a Kiwi Commander in Afghanistan (2010), reflecting on modern peacekeeping, leadership, and cross – cultural engagement. He has since been appointed Honorary Colonel of 3/6 Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment and maintains a strong interest in the Korean War (Profile written for “A Flight to Remember”, an Anzac Day 2026 initiative by Online Cenotaph and Air New Zealand). AWMM
About death
- Death
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- Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
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- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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- Memorial name
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- Memorial reference
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- Cook, M. (13 January 2010). Role of a lifetime. stuff.co.nz
https://www.stuff.co.nz/auckland/local-news/east-bays-courier/3223026/Role-of-a-lifetime
Further Reference - Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet. (2010, April 13). Military service recognised: Colonel (Rtd) Richard Hall, Commander Blair Gerritsen, Warrant Officer Class One John Barclay, and Chief of
https://gg.govt.nz/image-galleries/7034/media?page=1
Further Reference
- Cook, M. (13 January 2010). Role of a lifetime. stuff.co.nz
- References
- Hall, R. (2010). A long road to progress : dispatches from a Kiwi commander in Afghanistan. Sydney, N.S.W.: ReadHowYouWant.
- This record was part of “A Flight to Remember”, an Anzac Day 2026 commemorative partnership between Online Cenotaph and Air New Zealand, where service stories were shared onboard a dawn flight from Auckland to Sydney.
The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.
Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.