Richard HammondView profile
Senior Lecturer
Dr Richard Hammond serves as a Senior Lecturer in War Studies within the History and Politics Division of Brunel University London's College of Business, Arts and Social Sciences. Previously holding positions at King's College London and the Universities of Portsmouth and Exeter, he completed his PhD at the University of Exeter in 2012 focusing on Allied anti-shipping operations in the Mediterranean during World War II. His educational qualifications include a PhD in History (University of Exeter), BA (Hons), and MA. He holds Fellow status with the Higher Education Academy (FHEA) and serves as Director of Postgraduate Taught Programmes since 2021. Hammond's research centers on Military History with specialized expertise in World War II naval operations, Mediterranean theater strategy, and Anglo-Italian military relations. His work critically examines inter-service rivalries within British armed forces, the evolution of maritime air power, and sociopolitical dimensions of total war. Key contributions include analysis of multinational naval cooperation, anti-shipping campaigns, and strategic perceptions of enemy capabilities during wartime. His publication record reveals consistent focus on Mediterranean naval-air operations during 1939-1945, demonstrating how logistical warfare shaped Axis defeat. Recent work expands into sociopolitical dimensions of 'total war' while maintaining technical analysis of command structures and operational learning across military services. Scientific recognition includes: Corbett Prize in Modern Naval History (Proxime Accessit) from the Institute for Historical Research Moncado Prize awarded by the Society for Military History Dr Hammond actively supervises doctoral research on modern military history, currently guiding Colin Browning's study of political education in WWII British Army and Suncica Mandic's work on Tito and Clausewitz. He recently completed supervision of James Halstead's research on operational learning in British/Indian Armies and Nick Blackman's study of Royal Navy helicopter development. His research has received competitive funding including the Truman Library Institute Research Grant ($2,500, 2021) and General/Mrs Ridgway History Research Grant ($1,500, 2019). As Vice President of the Second World War Research Group and Editor of War in History journal since August 2024, Hammond maintains significant professional engagement. His public outreach includes televised documentaries such as 'How to lose a War' (2022) and 'Factories at War' (2019), translating academic research for broader audiences.









