Harry Viener

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2021}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = [[The Venerable]] | name = Harry Viener | honorific_suffix = | image = | image_size = | alt = | caption = | birth_name = | other_name = | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date|1868|12|26|df=y}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{Death date and age|1947|5|7|1868|12|26|df=y}} | death_place = | burial_label = | burial_place = | burial_coordinates =  | allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}} | branch = {{navy|United Kingdom}} <br /> {{air force|United Kingdom}} | service_years = 1901–1926 | rank = [[Air Commodore]] | service_number =  | unit = [[Royal Navy Chaplaincy Services]] <br /> [[Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch]] | commands = | battles_label = | battles = [[World War I]] | awards = | memorials = | spouse =  | relations = | other_work = | signature = | signature_size = | signature_alt = | website =  | module = }} ''' Harry Dan Leigh Viener''', [[CBE]], [[Order of the Crown of Italy|UCd'I]] (26 December 1868 – 7 May 1947) was an eminent [[Anglican]] [[Chaplain]] in the first half of the 20th century. In 1918, he joined the fledgling [[Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch]] as its first Chaplain-in-Chief.

==Early life and education== [[File:White House, Poulton-le-Fylde.jpg|thumb|Viener grew up in the White House in [[Poulton-le-Fylde]], Lancashire]] Viener was born on 26 December 1868 in [[Blackpool]], England,<ref>[https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Blackpool/christchurch/baptisms_1865-1887.html Baptisms at Christ Church in the Parish of Blackpool]</ref><ref>[[Who's Who|"Who was Who" 1897-2007]] London, [[A & C Black]], 2007 {{ISBN|978-0-19-954087-7}}</ref> and initially lived at [[The White House (Poulton-le-Fylde)|The White House]], the family home, in nearby [[Poulton-le-Fylde]].<ref>{{Cite book |title=The Malvern College Register 1865-1914: Edited for the Old Malvernian Society |publisher=W. H. Lovell |year=1915 |pages=174}}</ref> He was educated at [[Malvern College]], then an all-boys [[Public school (United Kingdom)|public school]] in [[Malvern, Worcestershire|Malvern]], [[Worcestershire]]. He studied at [[St John's College, Oxford]]. In 1890, he was awarded a Casberd [[Exhibition (scholarship)|exhibition]].<ref>{{cite news|title=University Intelligence: Oxford|work=The Morning Post|issue=36699|date=29 January 1890|page=4}}</ref>

On 5 October 1882, he was commissioned into the 1st (Oxford University) Volunteer Battalion, [[Oxfordshire Light Infantry]], as a [[Second lieutenant#United Kingdom and Commonwealth|second lieutenant]]; nicknamed the ''Oxford University Volunteers'', this battalion was the precursor to the [[Oxford University Officers' Training Corps]].<ref name="LG 4 October 1892">{{London Gazette |issue=26331 |date=4 October 1892 |page=5562 }}</ref> He resigned his commission on 25 March 1893.<ref name="LG 24 March 1893">{{London Gazette |issue=26385 |date=24 March 1893 |page=1845 }}</ref> From 1892 to 1899, he was a schoolmaster and private tutor.

==Ordained ministry== Viener was [[ordained]] in the [[Church of England]] as a [[Deacon#Anglicanism|deacon]] in 1899 and as a [[Priest#Anglican or Episcopalian|priest]] in 1900.<ref>Jackson's Oxford Journal (Oxford, England), Saturday, 16 June 1900; Issue 7683. (1493 words). Ordinations Lichfield</ref> He served his [[curacy]] at St Peter's Church, [[Walsall]], in the [[Diocese of Lichfield]].

On 12 November 1901, Viener was commissioned as a [[Military chaplain|chaplain]] of the [[Royal Navy]] [[Royal Navy Chaplaincy Service|Chaplaincy Service]] (RNCS).<ref name="LG 12 November 1901">{{London Gazette |issue=27376 |date=12 November 1901 |page=7292 }}</ref> The RNCS does not give ranks to its chaplain and so while he served with the Royal Navy, Viener simply held the appointment ''Chaplain''.

On 11 October 1918, he joined the fledgling [[Royal Air Force]] [[Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch|Chaplains Branch]] as its [[Chaplain-in-Chief]] and was granted the relative rank of [[Brigadier-general (United Kingdom)|brigadier-general]].<ref name="LG 7 January 1919">{{London Gazette |issue=31112 |date=7 January 1919 |page=370 }}</ref> In 1920, he was granted the relative rank of [[air commodore]].<ref name="LG 13 August 1920">{{London Gazette |issue=32017 |date=13 August 1920 |page=8410 }}</ref> He retired from the military on 25 October 1926, and was succeeded as Chaplain-in-Chief by [[Robert Hanson (priest)|Robert Hanson]].<ref name="LG 26 October 1926">{{London Gazette |issue=33215 |date=26 October 1926 |page=6824 }}</ref>

After serving 25 years as a [[military chaplain]], he returned to civilian ministry. From 1927 to 1934, he was [[Rector (ecclesiastical)|Rector]] of St Nicholas' Church, [[Chawton]], in the [[Diocese of Winchester]]. He retired from full-time ministry in 1934.<ref>[[Crockford's Clerical Directory]] 1940-41 Oxford, [[OUP]], 1941</ref>

==Later life== Viener died on 7 May 1947.<ref>'' Obituary Rev H.D.L. Viener, C.B.E. '' [[The Times]] Saturday, 10 May 1947; pg. 4; Issue 50757; col C</ref>

==Personal life== In 1925, Viener married Violet Margaret Keatch.<ref>{{cite journal|title=Personals: to be married|journal=[[Flight International|Flight]]|date=20 November 1924|volume=16|issue=47|page=738|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1924/1924%20-%200738.html|accessdate=21 June 2016}}</ref>

==Honours== Following the [[1908 Messina earthquake]], Viener was appointed an [[Order of the Crown of Italy|Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy]] "in recognition of valuable services rendered by them at the time of the earthquake in Southern Italy in the year 1908".<ref name="LG 16 April 1912">{{London Gazette |issue=28599 |date=16 April 1912 |page=2702 }}</ref><ref>[https://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/colonial/messina_earthquake_awards.htm Messina Earthquake Awards]</ref> On 10 October 1919, he was appointed a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] (CBE) "in recognition of distinguished services rendered during [[World War I|the War]]".<ref name="LG 7 October 1919">{{London Gazette |issue=31592 |date=7 October 1919 |page=12525 |supp=y }}</ref> During his time as [[Chaplain in Chief]], he was appointed an [[Honorary Chaplain to the King]] (KHC).<ref name="LG 26 October 1926" />

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{S-start}} {{S-mil}} {{S-new}} {{S-ttl|title=[[Chaplain-in-Chief]] of the [[Royal Air Force]]|years= 1918–1926}} {{S-aft|after=[[Robert Edward Vernon Hanson]]}} {{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Viener, Harry}} [[Category:1868 births]] [[Category:1947 deaths]] [[Category:Royal Navy chaplains]] [[Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Category:Honorary chaplains to the King]] [[Category:Royal Air Force Chaplains-in-Chief]] [[Category:World War I chaplains]] [[Category:People from Blackpool]] [[Category:People educated at Malvern College]] [[Category:Alumni of St John's College, Oxford]] [[Category:19th-century British Army personnel]] [[Category:People from Chawton]] [[Category:Royal Air Force generals of World War I]] [[Category:Military personnel from Lancashire]] [[Category:Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry officers]]