Capt Hugh Corbett - Telegraph At the outbreak of war Corbett was junior hand in Impulsive, but was soon appointed first lieutenant of Brazen. He was due to leave her to take a course in torpedo and anti-submarine warfare, but insisted on staying at sea. On 15 April 1940, while escorting a landing force to Harstad during the Norwegian campaign, Brazen and her fellow destroyer Fearless attacked the German submarine U-49. Five depth charges were dropped and the U-boat burst to the surface . All but one of the 42-man crew were saved, and while engaged in the rescue work Brazen picked up papers which gave the entire U-boat disposition for the German invasion of Norway. Corbett was mentioned in despatches. After Brazen was sunk off Dover by German aircraft on July 20 1940, Corbett served briefly as first lieutenant in the Hunt-class Tyndale, and in June 1941 he joined the newly-built Lookout, which took part in Arctic convoys, in Operation Ironclad (the occupation of Madagascar) and Operation Pedestal (to resupply Malta). Under a new commanding officer, in May 1943 Corbett took part in Operation Retribution, which prevented the escape by sea of German forces from North Africa to Sicily . Only a few hundred Germans escaped the blockade, and Corbett was awarded a DSC. In September 1943 Corbett was given command of Wheatland, and was at the Allied landings at Salerno until deployed to the Adriatic . Post-war, between staff appointments, he commanded the destroyers Charity and Cockade (1954-56) and Caesar (1960-62); he was also Captain of the 8th Destroyer Squadron. In 1965 Corbett was given the task of bringing the assault ship Fearless into service. The following year Fearless was fully operational, and in October 1967 she enabled Irish Guards ferried in RAF helicopters to mount a surprise raid on rebels in Oman. Corbett's last appointment was as Head of Naval Manpower Future Policy in 1967. He retired in 1969, a year after being appointed CBE. Corbett then became Warden of the University Centre, Cambridge, which offers social facilities for graduate and research students. Hugh Corbett married, in 1945, Patricia Spens, who survives him with their three sons. Captain Hugh Corbett, born June 25 1916, died April 19 2012