Career
Educated at Felsted School, Hardy was commissioned into the Royal Marines in 1924 and qualified as Physical Training Officer. On 29 December 1944, 3 Commando Brigade, under Hardy"s command, carried out an unopposed landing on the island of Akyab in Burma. Between 22 and 23 January 1945 he led a successful defence against Japanese forces at the Battle of Hill 170.
After the war he became Chief Instructor at the School of Combined Operations at Fremington, was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1948, and then served as Commander of 3 Commando Brigade again in Malta, Hong Kong and Malaya.
He made an unofficial visit to the 45 Commando landing zone at Suez in 1956, was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1957, and retired in 1959. In retirement he became Director of the Coal Utilisation Council.
He lived at Bunch Lane House at Bunch Lane in Haslemere.
