Toby Frere

Frere was born in London, the son of publisher Alexander Stuart Frere-Reeves CBE and Patricia Marion Caldecott Wallace. His mother was the daughter of writer Edgar Wallace.[3] J. B. Priestley was his godfather.[4] He was named after his great-grandfather Henry Tobias Frere, a first-class cricketer. When he was 1, his father legally dropped Reeves from their surname.[5][6]

He was educated at Eton College and the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth.[3]

Frere joined the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve through National Service in 1955 and was commissioned into the Royal Navy in 1958.[7] During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, as a submariner based at Halifax, he was involved in setting up a barrier patrol with American air support off Newfoundland.[8]

He commanded the submarines HMS Andrew, HMS Odin and HMS Revenge before taking charge of the frigate HMS Brazen.[7] Promoted to Rear-Admiral, he was appointed Director-General, Fleet Support (Policy & Services) in 1988[9] and then Flag Officer, Submarines and Commander Submarines for the Eastern Atlantic in 1991[10] before becoming Chief of Fleet Support in 1994 and retiring in 1997.[7]

In retirement, he became the First Chairman of The Prison Service Pay Review Body[11] as well as Chairman of the Governors of Oundle School.[12]

In 1968, he married Jane Barraclough; they had two daughters.[7]

• Telegraph obituary