Allegiance United Kingdom Rank Major general Died 1966 | Name Claude Liardet Years of service 1899 - 1945 | |
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Commands held Lancashire and Cheshire Coast Brigade, RGA106 (Lancashire Yeomanry) Brigade, RFA64 (7th London) Field Brigade, RA56th (London) Infantry DivisionRAF Regiment Battles/wars World War IWorld War II Other work Director of Bevington, Vaizey, and Foster Ltd Similar People William Coltman, Jon Latimer, Gerald Grosvenor - 6th Duke | ||
Major General Sir Claude Francis Liardet, (26 September 1881 – 5 March 1966) was a businessman and long-serving artillery officer in Britain's part-time Territorial Army before becoming the first Commandant General of the RAF Regiment.
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Early life
Claude Liardet was born on 26 September 1881, the son of Commander Henry Maughan Lairdet of Her Majesty's Indian Navy. He was educated at Bedford School.
Military career
Liardet joined the Lancashire Artillery in 1899. He transferred to the Lancashire and Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillery in 1905 and served in the First World War, during which he was mentioned in despatches four times and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He became Commanding Officer (CO) of the Lancashire and Cheshire Coast Brigade of the Royal Artillery in 1919, and CO of the 106th (Lancashire Yeomanry) Brigade, Royal Field Artillery in 1923.
In 1929 Liardet became CO of 64th (7th London) Field Brigade, RFA, serving in 47th (2nd London) Division and in 1934 he was promoted to Commander Royal Artillery (CRA) of that division. When the 47th Division was disbanded in 1936 he transferred as CRA to 56th (1st London) Division. Liardet was promoted to command the 56th Division in the rank of major general in 1938, and held that post during the early part of the Second World War.
In 1941 Liardet was appointed Inspector General of Aerodrome Defence and Director General of Ground Defence at the Air Ministry. In 1942 he became Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment until the end of the war, when he retired.
Business career
Liardet was a director of the Lloyd's of London insurance brokers Bevington, Vaizey, and Foster Ltd.
Family life
Liardet married, firstly, on 11 January 1906, Dorothy Hopper, daughter of Dr A.R. Hopper. They had two children:
He married secondly, on 25 May 1928, Dorothy Clare Borrett, OBE, daughter of Admiral George Holmes Borrett. They had one child:
Claude Liardet died in 1966.