Charles Pizey
Encyclopedia
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.
aboard HMS Conway
and during the First World War. He was promoted to Lieutenant
in 1920, and served on from 1921 to 1923. Pizey then served as a First Lieutenant
, first aboard in the Atlantic Fleet from 1924 to 1925, and then aboard in the Mediterranean from 1926 to 1927.
He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 18 December 1928. 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 and . He was promoted to Commander
on 2 January 1934. From 1935 to 1937, he was the Executive Officer aboard in the Mediterranean, and then commanded the destroyer in the Home Fleet from 1938 to 1939.
. 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 in the Channel and North Sea, seeing action against the German battleships 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 and was also appointed DSO
and was mentioned in despatches. In July 1942, he was given the command of a destroyer depot ship, , and served as a chief staff officer to a Rear-Admiral in charge of protecting Soviet convoys in the North Sea. For this service, he was awarded a bar
to his DSO on 27 November 1942. 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.
and appointed as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, serving aboard . 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
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 and retired in 1958. In 1962, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
of the County of Somerset.
; the couple had two daughters.
He died at Burnham-on-Sea
, Somerset
on 17 May 1993, a month short of 94.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(17 June 1899 – 17 May 1993) was a Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
officer who served as the last Commander-in-Chief and first Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and typically the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication...
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 MidshipmanMidshipman
A midshipman is an officer cadet, or a commissioned officer of the lowest rank, in the Royal Navy, United States Navy, and many Commonwealth navies. Commonwealth countries which use the rank include Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, India, Pakistan, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Kenya...
aboard HMS Conway
HMS Conway (school ship)
HMS Conway was a naval training school or "school ship", founded in 1859 and housed for most of its life aboard a 19th-century wooden battleship. The ship was originally stationed on the Mersey near Liverpool, then moved to the Menai Strait during World War II. While being towed back to Birkenhead...
and during the First World War. He was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in 1920, and served on from 1921 to 1923. Pizey then served as a First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
, first aboard in the Atlantic Fleet from 1924 to 1925, and then aboard in the Mediterranean from 1926 to 1927.
He was promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 18 December 1928. 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 and . He was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
on 2 January 1934. From 1935 to 1937, he was the Executive Officer aboard in the Mediterranean, and then commanded the destroyer in the Home Fleet from 1938 to 1939.
Second World War
In June 1939, Pizey was promoted to CaptainCaptain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
. From 1939 to 1940, he commanded the heavy repair vessel HMS Ausonia
RMS Ausonia
RMS Ausonia, launched in 1921, was one of Cunard's six post-World War I "A-class" ocean liners for the Canadian service.-History:Ausonia was built in Newcastle by Armstrong, Whitworth & Co., launched on 22 March 1921, and completed in June...
as part of the Atlantic convoys. From 1940 to 1942, he commanded the destroyer in the Channel and North Sea, seeing action against the German battleships Gneisenau
German battleship Gneisenau
Gneisenau was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the second vessel of her class, which included one other ship, Scharnhorst. The ship was built at the Deutsche Werke dockyard in Kiel; she was laid down on 6 May 1935...
and Scharnhorst
German battleship Scharnhorst
Scharnhorst was a German capital ship, alternatively described as a battleship and battlecruiser, of the German Kriegsmarine. She was the lead ship of her class, which included one other ship, Gneisenau. The ship was built at the Kriegsmarinewerft dockyard in Wilhelmshaven; she was laid down on 15...
as well as the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen
German cruiser Prinz Eugen
Prinz Eugen was an Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruiser, the third member of the class of five vessels. She served with the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. The ship was laid down in April 1936 and launched August 1938; Prinz Eugen entered service after the outbreak of war, in August 1940...
, for which he was appointed a Companion of the Bath on 27 March 1942 and was also appointed DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
and was mentioned in despatches. In July 1942, he was given the command of a destroyer depot ship, , and served as a chief staff officer to a Rear-Admiral in charge of protecting Soviet convoys in the North Sea. For this service, he was awarded a bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his DSO on 27 November 1942. In December 1943, Pizey was appointed Director of Operations Division (Home) for the Admiralty, commanding HMS President
HMS President (shore establishment)
HMS President is a stone frigate, or shore establishment of the Royal Naval Reserve; on the northern bank of the River Thames near Tower Bridge in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets.-Present day:...
. He served in this capacity until the end of the war.
Postwar career
In 1946, Pizey was appointed a CommodoreCommodore (Royal Navy)
Commodore is a rank of the Royal Navy above Captain and below Rear Admiral. It has a NATO ranking code of OF-6. The rank is equivalent to Brigadier in the British Army and Royal Marines and to Air Commodore in the Royal Air Force.-Insignia:...
and appointed as Chief of Staff to the Commander-in-Chief, Home Fleet, serving aboard . He was promoted to Rear-Admiral
Rear Admiral (Royal Navy)
Rear Admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It is immediately superior to Commodore and is subordinate to Vice Admiral. It is a two-star rank and has a NATO ranking code of OF-7....
in 1948 and served as Senior Naval Liaison Officer and Chief of UK Services Liaison Staff, Australia, aboard HMS Terror
Singapore Naval Base
The Singapore Naval Base , situated in Sembawang at the northern tip of Singapore, was a Royal Navy Shore establishment as well as being a cornerstone of British Defence policy in the Far East between the World Wars.-History:After the Great War, the British government devoted...
(RN base, Singapore). From 1950 to 1951, he served as Flag Officer Commanding, First Cruiser Squadron, aboard HMS Liverpool
HMS Liverpool (C11)
HMS Liverpool , named after the port city of Liverpool in north-west England, was a Town-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy in service from 1938 to 1952....
. On 30 November 1951, he was promoted to Vice Admiral
Vice Admiral (Royal Navy)
Vice admiral is a flag officer rank of the British Royal Navy. It equates to the NATO rank code OF-8 and is immediately superior to rear admiral and is subordinate to the full admiral rank.The Royal Navy has had vice admirals since at least the 16th century...
In October 1951, he replaced Admiral Edward Parry as the last Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Navy
Indian Navy
The Indian Navy is the naval branch of the armed forces of India. The President of India serves as the Commander-in-Chief of the Navy. The Chief of Naval Staff , usually a four-star officer in the rank of Admiral, commands the 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
Chief of Naval Staff of the Indian Navy
The Chief of the Naval Staff is the commander and typically the highest-ranking officer in the Indian Navy. The position is abbreviated CNS in Indian Navy cables and communication...
, 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
Josip Broz Tito
Marshal Josip Broz Tito – 4 May 1980) was a Yugoslav revolutionary and statesman. While his presidency has been criticized as authoritarian, Tito was a popular public figure both in Yugoslavia and abroad, viewed as a unifying symbol for the nations of the Yugoslav federation...
'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
Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth
The Commander-in-Chief, Plymouth was a senior commander of the Royal Navy for hundreds of years. Plymouth Command was a name given to the units, establishments, and staff operating under the admiral's command. In the nineteenth century the holder of the office was known as Commander-in-Chief,...
. He was promoted to a GBE in the 1957 New Year Honours and retired in 1958. In 1962, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of the County of Somerset.
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 BournemouthBournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
; the couple had two daughters.
He died at Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea
Burnham-on-Sea is a town in Somerset, England, at the mouth of the River Parrett and Bridgwater Bay. Burnham was a small village until the late 18th century, when it began to grow because of its popularity as a seaside resort. It forms part of the parish of Burnham-on-Sea and Highbridge...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
on 17 May 1993, a month short of 94.