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{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2012}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
{{Infobox military person
| name = Sir George Pirie
| name = Sir George Pirie
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| caption =
| caption =
| nickname =
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{birth date|1896|07|28|df=yes}}
| birth_date = {{birth date|1896|07|28|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| birth_place = [[Pittenweem]], Scotland
| death_date = {{death date and age|1980|01|21|1896|07|28|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1980|01|21|1896|07|28|df=yes}}
| death_place =
| death_place =
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial =
| allegiance = United Kingdom
| allegiance = United Kingdom
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| rank = [[Air Chief Marshal]]
| rank = [[Air Chief Marshal]]
| unit =
| unit =
| commands = [[Air Member for Supply and Organisation]] (1948–50)<br/>[[Inspector-General of the RAF]] (1948)<br/>[[Far East Air Force (Royal Air Force)|Air Command South East Asia]] (1946–47)<br/>RAF in Northern Ireland (1941)<br/>[[RAF Tangmere]] (1933–36)<br/>[[No. 10 Squadron RAF|No. 10 Squadron]] (1929)<br/>[[No. 6 Squadron RAF|No. 6 Squadron]] (1918–19)
| commands = [[Air Member for Supply and Organisation]] (1948–50)<br/>[[Inspector-General of the RAF]] (1948)<br/>{{nowrap|[[Far East Air Force (Royal Air Force)|Air Command South East Asia]] (1946–47)}}<br/>RAF in Northern Ireland (1941)<br/>[[RAF Tangmere]] (1933–36)<br/>[[No. 10 Squadron RAF|No. 10 Squadron]] (1929)<br/>[[No. 6 Squadron RAF|No. 6 Squadron]] (1918–19)
| battles = [[First World War]]<br/>[[Second World War]]
| battles = [[First World War]]<br/>[[Second World War]]
| awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Military Cross]]<br/>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]
| awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>[[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Military Cross]]<br/>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]
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| laterwork =
| laterwork =
}}
}}
[[Air Chief Marshal]] '''Sir George Clark Pirie''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|KCB|KBE|MC|DFC}} (28 July 1896 – 21 January 1980) was a senior commander in the [[Royal Air Force]] during the [[Second World War]] and the immediate post-war years. During the [[First World War]], Pirie served as an infantry officer before transferring to the [[Royal Flying Corps]] where he took up duties as an observer officer.
[[Air Chief Marshal]] '''Sir George Clark Pirie''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100|sep=,|KCB|KBE|MC|DFC}} (28 July 1896 – 21 January 1980) was a senior commander in the [[Royal Air Force]] during the [[Second World War]] and the immediate post-war years. During the [[First World War]], Pirie served as an infantry officer before transferring to the [[Royal Flying Corps]] where he took up duties as an observer officer.


==RAF career==
==RAF career==
Educated at [[Fettes College]] in [[Edinburgh]] and the [[University of St Andrews]], Pirie volunteered for service with the [[Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)]] just after the outbreak of the [[First World War]].<ref name=air>[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Pirie.htm Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir George Pirie]</ref> He was gazetted as a second lieutenant on 19 September 1914.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=28910 |date=22 September 1914 ||pages=7483–7484 }}</ref> In March 1916 Pirie began training to be an observer with [[No. 2 Squadron RAF|No. 2 Squadron]] of the [[Royal Flying Corps]].<ref name=air/> He became Officer Commanding [[No. 6 Squadron RAF|No. 6 Squadron]] on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in 1918.<ref name=air/> Pirie was still serving with 6 Squadron when it moved to the Middle East and served with the squadron when he was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] (DFC) for services in Mesopotamia. The citation for his DFC, which was listed in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' dated 28 October 1921, stated the award was: "For great gallantry and good work, especially during operations in the relief of Diwaniyah and during our retirement to Hillah. This officer showed remarkable ability in quick initiative when leading his flight during 'operations".<ref>London Gazette</ref>
Educated at [[Fettes College]] in [[Edinburgh]] and the [[University of St Andrews]], Pirie volunteered for service with the [[Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)]] just after the outbreak of the [[First World War]].<ref name=air>[http://www.rafweb.org/Biographies/Pirie.htm Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir George Pirie]</ref> He was gazetted as a second lieutenant on 19 September 1914.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=28910 |date=22 September 1914 ||pages=7483–7484 }}</ref> In March 1916 Pirie began training to be an observer with [[No. 2 Squadron RAF|No. 2 Squadron]] of the [[Royal Flying Corps]].<ref name=air/> He became Officer Commanding [[No. 6 Squadron RAF|No. 6 Squadron]] on the [[Western Front (World War I)|Western Front]] in 1918.<ref name=air/> Pirie was still serving with 6 Squadron when it moved to the Middle East and served with the squadron when he was awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] (DFC) for services in Mesopotamia. The citation for his DFC, which was listed in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' dated 28 October 1921, stated the award was:


{{Quote|"For great gallantry and good work, especially during operations in the relief of Diwaniyah and during our retirement to Hillah. This officer showed remarkable ability in quick initiative when leading his flight during 'operations".<ref>London Gazette</ref>}}
⚫
After the war he served as Officer Commanding [[No. 29 Squadron RAF|No. 29 Squadron]] before becoming Station Commander at [[RAF Tangmere]] in 1933.<ref name=air/> He was made Deputy Director of Operations at the [[Air Ministry]] in 1936 and Air [[Attaché]] in [[Washington D. C.]] in 1937.<ref name=air/> He served in the [[Second World War]] as Air Officer Commanding the RAF in Northern Ireland and as Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Middle East Command before becoming Director of War Organisation and then Director-General of Organisation at the [[Air Ministry]].<ref name=air/> He completed his war service as Deputy Air Commander in Chief at Air Command South East Asia in 1945.<ref name=air/>

⚫
After the war he served as Officer Commanding [[No. 29 Squadron RAF|No. 29 Squadron]] before becoming Station Commander at [[RAF Tangmere]] in 1933.<ref name=air/> He was made deputy director of Operations at the [[Air Ministry]] in 1936 and Air [[Attaché]] in [[Washington D. C.]] in 1937.<ref name=air/> He served in the [[Second World War]] as Air Officer Commanding the RAF in Northern Ireland and as Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Middle East Command before becoming Director of War Organisation and then Director-General of Organisation at the [[Air Ministry]].<ref name=air/> He completed his war service as Deputy Air Commander in Chief at Air Command South East Asia in 1945.<ref name=air/>


After the War he was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Command South East Asia and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Command Far East before becoming [[Inspector-General of the RAF]] in 1948.<ref name=air/> He was made [[Air Member for Supply and Organisation]] in September 1948 and Head of the RAF Staff in [[Washington D. C.]] in 1950 before retiring in 1951.<ref name=air/>
After the War he was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Command South East Asia and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Command Far East before becoming [[Inspector-General of the RAF]] in 1948.<ref name=air/> He was made [[Air Member for Supply and Organisation]] in September 1948 and Head of the RAF Staff in [[Washington D. C.]] in 1950 before retiring in 1951.<ref name=air/>


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}
{{Reflist}}


==External links==
==External links==
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[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)]]
[[Category:British air attachés]]
[[Category:People from Pittenweem]]
[[Category:Scottish airmen]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Fife]]
[[Category:Scottish knights]]

Latest revision as of 00:53, 12 December 2023

Sir George Pirie
Born(1896-07-28)28 July 1896
Pittenweem, Scotland
Died21 January 1980(1980-01-21) (aged 83)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army (1914–18)
Royal Air Force (1918–51)
Years of service1914–1951
RankAir Chief Marshal
CommandsAir Member for Supply and Organisation (1948–50)
Inspector-General of the RAF (1948)
Air Command South East Asia (1946–47)
RAF in Northern Ireland (1941)
RAF Tangmere (1933–36)
No. 10 Squadron (1929)
No. 6 Squadron (1918–19)
Battles/warsFirst World War
Second World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Military Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross
Mentioned in Despatches

Air Chief Marshal Sir George Clark Pirie, KCB, KBE, MC, DFC (28 July 1896 – 21 January 1980) was a senior commander in the Royal Air Force during the Second World War and the immediate post-war years. During the First World War, Pirie served as an infantry officer before transferring to the Royal Flying Corps where he took up duties as an observer officer.

RAF career

[edit]

Educated at Fettes College in Edinburgh and the University of St Andrews, Pirie volunteered for service with the Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) just after the outbreak of the First World War.[1] He was gazetted as a second lieutenant on 19 September 1914.[2] In March 1916 Pirie began training to be an observer with No. 2 Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps.[1] He became Officer Commanding No. 6 Squadron on the Western Front in 1918.[1] Pirie was still serving with 6 Squadron when it moved to the Middle East and served with the squadron when he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) for services in Mesopotamia. The citation for his DFC, which was listed in the London Gazette dated 28 October 1921, stated the award was:

"For great gallantry and good work, especially during operations in the relief of Diwaniyah and during our retirement to Hillah. This officer showed remarkable ability in quick initiative when leading his flight during 'operations".[3]

After the war he served as Officer Commanding No. 29 Squadron before becoming Station Commander at RAF Tangmere in 1933.[1] He was made deputy director of Operations at the Air Ministry in 1936 and Air Attaché in Washington D. C. in 1937.[1] He served in the Second World War as Air Officer Commanding the RAF in Northern Ireland and as Air Officer Administration at Headquarters Middle East Command before becoming Director of War Organisation and then Director-General of Organisation at the Air Ministry.[1] He completed his war service as Deputy Air Commander in Chief at Air Command South East Asia in 1945.[1]

After the War he was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Command South East Asia and Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Air Command Far East before becoming Inspector-General of the RAF in 1948.[1] He was made Air Member for Supply and Organisation in September 1948 and Head of the RAF Staff in Washington D. C. in 1950 before retiring in 1951.[1]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i Air of Authority – A History of RAF Organisation – Air Chief Marshal Sir George Pirie
  2. ^ "No. 28910". The London Gazette. 22 September 1914. pp. 7483–7484.
  3. ^ London Gazette
[edit]
Military offices
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief Air Command South East Asia
Air Command Far East from 30 September 1946
1946–1947 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Inspector-General of the RAF
January – September 1948 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Air Member for Supply and Organisation
1948–1950 		Succeeded by
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