Richard Peirse (RAF officer)


 * This article is about the late-20th century Air Vice-Marshal. For his father, who reached the rank of Air Chief Marshal during World War II, see Richard Peirse. For his grandfather, see Richard Peirse (Royal Navy officer)

Air Vice-Marshal Sir Richard Charles Fairfax Peirse KCVO, CB (born 16 March 1931) is a former senior Royal Air Force officer who served as Defence Services Secretary from 1985 to 1988.

RAF career
Born the son of Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse, Peirse was educated at Bradfield College and the Royal Air Force College Cranwell. Commissioned a pilot officer in the RAF on 9 April 1952, he was promoted to flying officer on 9 April 1953 and to flight lieutenant on 9 October 1954. He was promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1959 and to wing commander on 1 July 1965.

Peirse became Commanding Officer of No. 51 Squadron in 1968. Promoted to group captain on 1 July 1969, 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, and Director of Personnel (Air) in 1977. Promoted to air commodore on 1 January 1978, 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. He was promoted to substantive air vice-marshal on 6 July. Appointed a CB in the 1984 New Year Honours List, he served as Defence Services Secretary from 1985 to his retirement. On 9 March 1988 Peirse was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, and retired from the RAF on 16 June.

In retirement he was Gentleman Usher of the Scarlet Rod between 1990 and 2002 and Registrar and Secretary of the Order of the Bath between 2002 and 2006.

Family
In 1955 he married Karilie Grace Cox; they had two daughters. After his first marriage was dissolved, he married Deirdre Mary O'Donovan in 1963; they had one son (who died). Following the death of his second wife he married Anna Jill Margaret Long (née Latey) in 1977.