During the 1914-18 First World War the company designed its first aero-engine, the Eagle, and Hives was involved in its development.

His team directive was "Work till it hurts' and W. A. Robotham said that when he was attached to "this remarkable man for a few (wartime) days I became completely exhausted and made absolutely no contribution towards easing his load.

[11] In 1941-42 Hives had decided 'to go all out for the gas turbine', to ensure the company a leading role in developing jet engines for civil and military aviation.

[13] Vice-Chief of Air Staff Sir Wilfrid Freeman, one of the masterminds behind the dramatic advances in British aircraft production before and during World War II, paid tribute to Hives's dedication in a letter to his wife: That man Hives is the best man I have ever come across for many a year.

[17] At a Derby works lunch, Hives was asked by an American airline executive to what did he attribute the success of Rolls-Royce and replied "I suppose it’s because we are a little better at putting our mistakes right than most of the other people.

When Hives explained that he had known Henry Royce himself, had worked for him, and had absorbed from him his passion for engineering excellence Rickover’s mood and attitude started to improve.

Hives spent much of the lunch telling a captivated Rickover about Royce’s obsession with achieving perfection.

When Hives returned after showing Rickover around, the Admiral was a changed man, subdued, pleasant, cooperative, uncritical, and no further put-downs or denigrations of British engineering escaped his lips.

[21] He retired in 1957 and died on 24 April 1965, aged 79, at the National Hospital for Nervous Diseases in Queen Square, London.

Another son, Pilot Officer Edward Ernest Hives, was killed in action flying with RAF Coastal Command in October 1940.

His younger daughter, Philippa Ann Hives, married Judge Alexander Morrison in 1978.