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William Pillar

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Sir William Pillar
Born24 February 1924
Died18 March 1999 (1999-03-19) (aged 75)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service1942–1984
RankAdmiral
Battles/warsKorean War
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath

Admiral Sir William Thomas Pillar GBE KCB FIMechE[1] (24 February 1924 – 18 March 1999) was Chief of Naval Support and a member of the Admiralty.

Naval career

Educated at Blundell's School and latterly at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Pillar joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1942 during World War II.[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]

He 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 KCB in the 1980 Queen's Birthday Honours list,[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, Military Division (GBE) in the Birthday Honours list the following year,[11] he retired on 6 March 1984.[12]

On retirement from the Royal Navy he 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

In 1946 he married Ursula Ransley; they had three sons and a daughter.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b The London Gazette, 6 January 1976
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Obituary: Admiral Sir William Pillar The Independent, 13 April 1999
  3. ^ The London Gazette, 22 February 1946
  4. ^ The London Gazette, 13 June 1947
  5. ^ The London Gazette, 29 December 1953
  6. ^ The London Gazette, 27 January 1959
  7. ^ The London Gazette, 3 January 1967
  8. ^ The London Gazette, 3 April 1979
  9. ^ The London Gazette, 14 June 1980
  10. ^ The London Gazette, 2 February 1982
  11. ^ The London Gazette, 11 June 1983
  12. ^ The London Gazette, 6 March 1984
  13. ^ Obituary: Admiral Sir William Pillar The Times, 6 April 1999
Military offices
Preceded by Chief of Fleet Support
1979-1981 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies
1982–1984 		Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
1985 – 1990 		Succeeded by
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