Admiral Sir William Thomas Pillar, GBE, KCB, FIMechE[1](24 February 1924 – 18 March 1999) was a senior Royal Navy officer who served as Chief of Naval Support and a member of the Admiralty.
Admiral Sir William Pillar | |
|---|---|
| Born | 24 February 1924 |
| Died | 18 March 1999 (aged 75) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | Royal Navy |
| Years of service | 1942–1984 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | Royal College of Defence Studies Royal Naval Engineering College |
| Battles / wars | Second World War Korean War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath |
| Spouse(s) | Ursula Ransley |
Naval career
editEducated at Blundell's School and latterly at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Pillar joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1942 during the Second World War.[2] He was promoted to sub-lieutenant (Engineering Branch) on 1 June 1944.[3] An acting lieutenant at the war's end, he was promoted to substantive lieutenant (E) on 3 June 1947 (seniority 1 October 1945).[4] Following service in the Korean War he was promoted to lieutenant-commander (E) on 1 October 1953,[5] to commander (E) on 31 December 1958[6] and to captain (E) on 31 December 1966.[7]
Pillar was appointed Assistant to the Director-General, Ships in 1970 and Commander of the Royal Naval Engineering College in 1973.[2] Attaining flag rank as a rear admiral on 7 January 1976,[1] he was made Port Admiral at Rosyth and then Assistant Chief of Fleet Support.[2] Promoted to vice admiral on 2 April 1979,[8] he became the first Royal Navy engineer officer to be Chief of Fleet Support. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1980 Birthday Honours,[9] and was promoted to admiral on 5 January 1982.[10] In 1982, he became Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies.[2] Appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 1983 Birthday Honours,[11] he retired on 6 March 1984.[12]
On retirement from the Royal Navy Pillar became Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Jersey.[2] He was also Commodore and later Life Vice-Commodore of the Royal Navy Sailing Association,[13] a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron,[2] President of the Royal Navy Modern Pentathlon Association and a Knight of St. John.
Family
editIn 1946 Pillar married Ursula Ransley; they had three sons and a daughter.[2]
References
edit- ^ a b "No. 46786". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 January 1976. p. 202.
- ^ a b c d e f g Obituary: Admiral Sir William Pillar The Independent, 13 April 1999
- ^ "No. 37480". The London Gazette. 22 February 1946. p. 1089.
- ^ "No. 37984". The London Gazette. 13 June 1947. p. 2673.
- ^ "No. 40052". The London Gazette. 29 December 1953. p. 7034.
- ^ "No. 41618". The London Gazette. 27 January 1959. p. 653.
- ^ "No. 44218". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 January 1967. p. 71.
- ^ "No. 47809". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 April 1979. p. 4433.
- ^ "No. 48212". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 June 1980. p. 2.
- ^ "No. 48879". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 February 1982. p. 1401.
- ^ "No. 49375". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1983. p. 5.
- ^ "No. 49664". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 March 1984. p. 3249.
- ^ Obituary: Admiral Sir William Pillar The Times, 6 April 1999