Pidcock was born in Eastbourne, Sussex, and was educated at St Cyprian's School there,^[2] and then at Haileybury College, Hertfordshire, from 1911. He left school in February 1915,^[3] and joined the Royal Flying Corps as a cadet in April 1916.^[4]

Pidcock completed his basic flight training, and was awarded Royal Aero Club Aviators' Certificate No. 3259 on 17 July 1916,^[4] being commissioned as a second lieutenant (on probation) the same day.^[5] He was appointed a flying officer on 4 August,^[6] and was confirmed in his rank on 24 August.^[7] Although posted to No. 60 Squadron in August 1916,^[4] he did not gain his first aerial victory until 5 April 1917, when flying a Nieuport 17 he shared in the driving down out of control of an Albatros D.III over Riencourt with five other pilots.^[1] Soon after, on 14 April, he was appointed a flight commander with the temporary rank of captain,^[8] and shortly afterwards returned to England, where he was transferred to No. 44 Squadron on Home Defence duties.^[4] In October 1917 he was posted to the Fighter Instructors' Refresher Course,^[4] and on 17 December 1917 was promoted to lieutenant.^[9]

Pidcock returned to France in March 1918, posted to No. 73 Squadron, flying the Sopwith Camel, and soon after, on 1 April, the Army's Royal Flying Corps and the Royal Naval Air Service were merged to form the Royal Air Force. A week later, on 7 April, Pidcock drove down a Fokker Dr.I north of Lamotte, and on the 12th he destroyed an Albatros D.V over Lestrem. On 3 May he drove down another D.V over Ploegsteert, and on 11 June gained his fifth victory by destroying another D.V north-east of Courcelles, earning his "ace" status. Two days later, on 13 June, he shared in the destruction of a Type C reconnaissance aircraft south of Thiescourt.^[1] On 23 September he was awarded the Croix de guerre by France.^[10]

Pidcock remained in the Royal Air Force after the end of the war, being granted a short service commission with the rank of flying officer on 24 October 1919.^[11] He was sent to India in early 1920 to serve in No. 1 Squadron,^[4] and on 1 January 1922 he was promoted to flight lieutenant.^[12] On 6 March 1923 his short service commission was made permanent,^[13] and he was then posted to the headquarters of Iraq Command on 23 March,^[14] as a supernumerary officer on administrative duties.^[4] He returned to the Home Establishment on 13 November 1923, temporarily assigned to the RAF Depot,^[15] until posted to No. 19 Squadron, based at Duxford, on 15 December.^[16] On 18 August 1924 Pidcock was posted to the Armament and Gunnery School at Eastchurch,^[17] then on 27 February 1925 to the Staff at the headquarters of No. 7 Group at Andover,^[18] then to the headquarters of the Wessex Bombing Area on 12 April 1926.^[19] On 22 October 1928 he joined the Air Staff at the Directorate of Training, based at the Air Ministry in London,^[20] and there on 25 July 1929 he married Evelyn Catherine Watkin^[21] (née Hardacre), widow of Hugh Watkin.^[22]

Pidcock was promoted to squadron leader on 14 May 1930,^[23] and returned to Iraq to command No. 55 Squadron, based at Hinaidi, until 17 June 1933.^[24] On 26 August he was appointed Armament Officer at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment at Martlesham Heath,^[25] serving there until 1 January 1935,^[26] and on 21 January he returned to Eastchurch to serve as an Armament Officer at the Air Armament School there.^[27] On 1 January 1937 Pidcock was promoted to wing commander,^[28] and on 2 August was appointed Officer Commanding of No. 1 Air Observers School at North Coates Fitties.^[29]

On 28 September 1939, soon after the declaration of war on Germany, Pidcock was appointed Assistant Director Armament (Bombs),^[4] and served as a member of the Ordnance Board, based at the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich.^[30] On 1 January 1940 he was appointed a temporary group captain,^[31] and on 24 April was transferred to the RAF Technical Branch.^[32]

On 1 December 1941 he was appointed a temporary air commodore,^[33] and in February 1942 was appointed Director of Armament Development at the Ministry of Aircraft Production,^[34] where he was involved in the introduction of a number of new weapons. These included the RP-3 rocket projectile, the Hurricane Mk IID "tank-buster" equipped with the 40 mm Vickers S cannon, the Mosquito FB Mk XVIII Tsetse equipped with the Molins 6-pounder gun, and the "Tallboy" and "Grand Slam" earthquake bombs.^[35] On 14 April 1942 he was promoted to group captain, while still holding the temporary rank of air commodore,^[36]

In January 1944 Pidcock was appointed vice-president of the Ordnance Board at the Ministry of Supply,^[35] and on 1 May was appointed an acting air vice-marshal.^[37] On 1 May 1945 he was granted the war substantive rank of air commodore,^[38] and in August 1945 was appointed President of the Ordnance Board.^[35]

Following the end of the war, Pidcock was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) on 1 January 1946,^[39] and the same day he appointed a temporary air vice-marshal.^[40] On 5 November 1946 Pidcock was granted permission to wear the insignia of a Commander of the Legion of Merit which has been conferred on him by the United States,^[41] and presented to him in October by the military attaché Major-General Clayton Lawrence Bissell "for exceptional meritorious service as Director of Armament Development."^[42]

On 1 July 1947 he was promoted to air vice-marshal,^[43] and on 14 October was appointed Director-General of Armament at the Air Ministry.^[35] On 1 January 1948 Pidcock was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).^[44] By 1950 he was serving as Director-General of Technical Services,^[45] and on 23 April 1951 retired at own request.^[46]

Pidcock died on 12 February 1976.^[1]

• Shores, Christopher F.; Franks, Norman & Guest, Russell F. (1990). Above the Trenches: a Complete Record of the Fighter Aces and Units of the British Empire Air Forces 1915–1920. London, UK: Grub Street. ISBN 978-0-948817-19-9.