Charles Pizey

Sir Charles Pizey
Born	17 June 1899
Died	17 May 1993
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Navy
Years of service	1912 - 1958
Rank	Admiral
Commands held	Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy Plymouth Command
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar

Admiral Sir Charles Thomas Mark Pizey, GBE, CB, DSO & Bar, DL (17 June 1899 – 17 May 1993) was a Royal Navy officer who served as the last Commander-in-Chief and first Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy from 1951 to 1955.

Early Life and Career

Pizey was born in Axbridge, Somerset, the son of the Rev. Charles Edward Pizey (18?-1932), and Geraldine Fowle (1866–1949). He joined the Royal Navy in 1912 and served as a Midshipman aboard HMS Conway and HMS Revenge during the First World War. He was promoted to Lieutenant in 1920, and served on HMS Danae from 1921 to 1923.^[1] Pizey then served as a First Lieutenant, first aboard Atlantic Fleet from 1924 to 1925, and then aboard HMS Winchelsea in the Mediterranean from 1926 to 1927.

He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 18 December 1928.^[2] and served from 1929 to 1930 as Flag Lieutenant-Commander to Vice-Admiral Sir W.A. Howard Kelly in the Mediterranean, aboard the battleship HMS Revenge. From 1930 to 1932 he commanded the destroyers Commander on 2 January 1934.^[3] From 1935 to 1937, he was the Executive Officer aboard Home Fleet from 1938 to 1939.

Second World War

In June 1939, Pizey was promoted to Captain. From 1939 to 1940, he commanded the heavy repair vessel HMS Ausonia as part of the Atlantic convoys. From 1940 to 1942, he commanded the destroyer Gneisenau and Scharnhorst as well as the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen, for which he was appointed a Companion of the Bath on 27 March 1942^[4] and was also appointed DSO and was mentioned in despatches. In July 1942, he was given the command of a destroyer depot ship, bar to his DSO on 27 November 1942.^[5] In December 1943, Pizey was appointed Director of Operations Division (Home) for the Admiralty, commanding HMS President. He served in this capacity until the end of the war.

Postwar career

In 1946, Pizey was appointed a Commodore^[1] and appointed as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, serving aboard HMS Nelson. He was promoted to Rear-Admiral in 1948 and served as Senior Naval Liaison Officer and Chief of UK Services Liaison Staff, Australia, aboard HMS Terror (RN base, Singapore). From 1950 to 1951, he served as Flag Officer Commanding, First Cruiser Squadron, aboard HMS Liverpool. On 30 November 1951, he was promoted to Vice Admiral^[6] In October 1951, he replaced Admiral Edward Parry as the last Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Navy. He was knighted with the KBE in the Coronation Honours List of 1953, and promoted to Admiral the following year. In April 1955, Pizey became the first Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy, which had replaced the former designation of Commander-in-Chief, Indian Navy. He was honoured with the Order of the People's Army of Yugoslavia that year upon Josip Broz Tito's state visit to India.

Pizey was succeeded in his post by Vice-Admiral Stephen Hope Carlill in July 1955. From later that year he served as Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth. He was promoted to a GBE in the 1957 New Year Honours^[7] and retired in 1958. In 1962, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of the County of Somerset.^[1]

Personal Life and Death

In 1928, Pizey married Phyllis May D'Angibau (27 November 1904 - 4 April 1993), the eldest daughter of Alfred D'Angibau (1865–1926), and Florence May D'Angibau (?-1947), formerly of Bournemouth; the couple had two daughters.

He died at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset on 17 May 1993, a month short of 94.

References

1. ^ ^{a b c} Royal Navy (RN) Officers 1939-1945
2. ^ London Gazette: no. 33448. p. 8327. 18 December 1928. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
3. ^ London Gazette: no. 34011. p. 52. 2 January 1934. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
4. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35506. p. 1445. 27 March 1942. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
5. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35805. p. 5225. 27 November 1942. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
6. ^ London Gazette: no. 39398. p. 6250. 30 November 1951. Retrieved 2010-08-07.
7. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40960. p. 6. 1 January 1957. Retrieved 2010-08-07.

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Alexander Madden	Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth 1955–1958	Succeeded by Sir Richard Onslow

Persondata
Name	Pizey, Charles
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	17 June 1899
Place of birth
Date of death	17 May 1993
Place of death