Summary
Air Vice Marshal Sir Richard Charles Fairfax Peirse, KCVO, CB (16 March 1931 – 8 February 2014) [1] was a senior Royal Air Force officer who served as Defence Services Secretary from 1985 to 1988.
Sir Richard Charles Fairfax Peirse | |
|---|---|
| Born | 16 March 1931 Blackheath, London |
| Died | 8 February 2014 (aged 82) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | Royal Air Force |
| Years of service | 1952–88 |
| Rank | Air Vice Marshal |
| Commands held | Royal Air Force College Cranwell (1982–85) RAF Waddington (1973–76) No. 51 Squadron (1968–69) |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Companion of the Order of the Bath |
| Relations | Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse (father) Admiral Sir Richard Peirse (grandfather) |
| Other work | Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod Registrar and Secretary of the Order of the Bath |
Early life edit
Peirse was born on 16 March 1931, the son of Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse. He was educated at Bradfield College.
Military career edit
He attended the Royal Air Force College Cranwell.[2] Commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF on 9 April 1952,[3] he was promoted to flying officer on 9 April 1953[4] and to flight lieutenant on 9 October 1954.[5] He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1959 [6] and to wing commander on 1 July 1965.[7]
Peirse became Commanding Officer of No. 51 Squadron in 1968.[2] Promoted to group captain on 1 July 1969,[8] he became Deputy Captain of the Queen's Flight that year. He was Station Commander at RAF Waddington in 1973 and deputy director of Operational Requirements in 1976,[2] and Director of Personnel (Air) in 1977. Promoted to air commodore on 1 January 1978,[9] he became Director of Operational Requirements in 1980.
On 30 January 1982, Air Commodore Peirse was appointed Commandant of the Royal Air Force College Cranwell, with the acting rank of air vice marshal.[2][10] He was promoted to substantive air vice marshal on 6 July.[11] Appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1984 New Year Honours List,[12] he served as Defence Services Secretary from 1985 to his retirement.[2] On 9 March 1988 Peirse was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order,[13] and retired from the RAF on 16 June.[14]
Later life edit
In retirement, he was Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod between 1990 and 2002[15] and Registrar and Secretary of the Order of the Bath between 2002 and 2006.[16][17]
Personal life edit
In 1955 Peirse married Karalie Grace Cox; they had two daughters, Amanda and Susan. After his first marriage was dissolved, he married Deirdre Mary O'Donovan in 1963; they had one son, who died (Richard b. 1965). Following the death of his second wife he married Anna Jill Margaret Long (née Latey) in 1977.[2]
References edit
- ^ PEIRSE
- ^ a b c d e f Who's Who 2010, A & C Black, 2010, ISBN 978-1-408-11414-8
- ^ The London Gazette, 29 April 1952
- ^ The London Gazette, 17 April 1953
- ^ The London Gazette, 15 October 1954
- ^ The London Gazette, 30 June 1959
- ^ The London Gazette, 2 July 1965
- ^ The London Gazette, 1 July 1969
- ^ The London Gazette, 10 January 1978
- ^ The London Gazette, 9 February 1982
- ^ The London Gazette, 20 July 1982
- ^ The London Gazette, 30 December 1983
- ^ "No. 51273". The London Gazette. 15 March 1988. p. 3125.
- ^ The London Gazette, 26 July 1988
- ^ "No. 52243". The London Gazette. 14 August 1990. p. 13271.
- ^ "No. 56510". The London Gazette. 15 March 2002. p. 3289.
- ^ "No. 58010". The London Gazette. 13 June 2006. p. 8073.