Educated at West Buckland School in Devon, Tippet joined the Royal Navy in 1946.

[1] Promoted to Rear-Admiral on 7 July 1979,[3] he was appointed Assistant Chief of Fleet Support in 1979 and then Flag Officer and Port Admiral at Portsmouth as well as Chief Naval Supply & Secretariat Officer in 1981.

Promoted to Vice-Admiral, he was appointed Chief of Fleet Support in 1983 and retired in 1987.

[2] In retirement he became General Manager and then Chief Executive of the Great Ormond Street Hospital.

[4] In 1950 he married Lola Bassett; they had three sons, Simon, Mark & Charles and one daughter, named AEneone.