# Harry Viener

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The Venerable Harry Viener Born (1868-12-26)26 December 1868 Died 7 May 1947(1947-05-07) (aged 78) Allegiance United Kingdom Branch Royal Navy Royal Air Force Service years 1901–1926 Rank Air Commodore Unit Royal Navy Chaplaincy Services Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch Conflicts World War I

**Harry Dan Leigh Viener**, [CBE](/source/CBE), [UCd'I](/source/Order_of_the_Crown_of_Italy) (26 December 1868 – 7 May 1947) was an eminent [Anglican](/source/Anglican) [Chaplain](/source/Chaplain) in the first half of the 20th century. In 1918, he joined the fledgling [Royal Air Force Chaplains Branch](/source/Royal_Air_Force_Chaplains_Branch) as its first Chaplain-in-Chief.

## Early life and education

Viener grew up in the White House in [Poulton-le-Fylde](/source/Poulton-le-Fylde), Lancashire

Viener was born on 26 December 1868 in [Blackpool](/source/Blackpool), England,[1][2] and initially lived at [The White House](/source/The_White_House_(Poulton-le-Fylde)), the family home, in nearby [Poulton-le-Fylde](/source/Poulton-le-Fylde).[3] He was educated at [Malvern College](/source/Malvern_College), then an all-boys [public school](/source/Public_school_(United_Kingdom)) in [Malvern](/source/Malvern%2C_Worcestershire), [Worcestershire](/source/Worcestershire). He studied at [St John's College, Oxford](/source/St_John's_College%2C_Oxford). In 1890, he was awarded a Casberd [exhibition](/source/Exhibition_(scholarship)).[4]

On 5 October 1882, he was commissioned into the 1st (Oxford University) Volunteer Battalion, [Oxfordshire Light Infantry](/source/Oxfordshire_Light_Infantry), as a [second lieutenant](/source/Second_lieutenant#United_Kingdom_and_Commonwealth); nicknamed the *Oxford University Volunteers*, this battalion was the precursor to the [Oxford University Officers' Training Corps](/source/Oxford_University_Officers'_Training_Corps).[5] He resigned his commission on 25 March 1893.[6] From 1892 to 1899, he was a schoolmaster and private tutor.

## Ordained ministry

Viener was [ordained](/source/Ordained) in the [Church of England](/source/Church_of_England) as a [deacon](/source/Deacon#Anglicanism) in 1899 and as a [priest](/source/Priest#Anglican_or_Episcopalian) in 1900.[7] He served his [curacy](/source/Curacy) at St Peter's Church, [Walsall](/source/Walsall), in the [Diocese of Lichfield](/source/Diocese_of_Lichfield).

On 12 November 1901, Viener was commissioned as a [chaplain](/source/Military_chaplain) of the [Royal Navy](/source/Royal_Navy) [Chaplaincy Service](/source/Royal_Navy_Chaplaincy_Service) (RNCS).[8] 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](/source/Royal_Air_Force) [Chaplains Branch](/source/Royal_Air_Force_Chaplains_Branch) as its [Chaplain-in-Chief](/source/Chaplain-in-Chief) and was granted the relative rank of [brigadier-general](/source/Brigadier-general_(United_Kingdom)).[9] In 1920, he was granted the relative rank of [air commodore](/source/Air_commodore).[10] He retired from the military on 25 October 1926, and was succeeded as Chaplain-in-Chief by [Robert Hanson](/source/Robert_Hanson_(priest)).[11]

After serving 25 years as a [military chaplain](/source/Military_chaplain), he returned to civilian ministry. From 1927 to 1934, he was [Rector](/source/Rector_(ecclesiastical)) of St Nicholas' Church, [Chawton](/source/Chawton), in the [Diocese of Winchester](/source/Diocese_of_Winchester). He retired from full-time ministry in 1934.[12]

## Later life

Viener died on 7 May 1947.[13]

## Personal life

In 1925, Viener married Violet Margaret Keatch.[14]

## Honours

Following the [1908 Messina earthquake](/source/1908_Messina_earthquake), Viener was appointed an [Officer of the Order of the Crown of Italy](/source/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".[15][16] On 10 October 1919, he was appointed a [Commander of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Commander_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (CBE) "in recognition of distinguished services rendered during [the War](/source/World_War_I)".[17] During his time as [Chaplain in Chief](/source/Chaplain_in_Chief), he was appointed an [Honorary Chaplain to the King](/source/Honorary_Chaplain_to_the_King) (KHC).[11]

## References

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Baptisms at Christ Church in the Parish of Blackpool](https://www.lan-opc.org.uk/Blackpool/christchurch/baptisms_1865-1887.html)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** ["Who was Who" 1897-2007](/source/Who's_Who) London, [A & C Black](/source/A_%26_C_Black), 2007 [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-19-954087-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-19-954087-7)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** *The Malvern College Register 1865-1914: Edited for the Old Malvernian Society*. W. H. Lovell. 1915. p. 174.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** "University Intelligence: Oxford". *The Morning Post*. No. 36699. 29 January 1890. p. 4.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LG_4_October_1892_5-0)** ["No. 26331"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26331/page/5562). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 4 October 1892. p. 5562.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LG_24_March_1893_6-0)** ["No. 26385"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/26385/page/1845). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 24 March 1893. p. 1845.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Jackson's Oxford Journal (Oxford, England), Saturday, 16 June 1900; Issue 7683. (1493 words). Ordinations Lichfield

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LG_12_November_1901_8-0)** ["No. 27376"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27376/page/7292). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 12 November 1901. p. 7292.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LG_7_January_1919_9-0)** ["No. 31112"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31112/page/370). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 7 January 1919. p. 370.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LG_13_August_1920_10-0)** ["No. 32017"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32017/page/8410). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 13 August 1920. p. 8410.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-LG_26_October_1926_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-LG_26_October_1926_11-1) ["No. 33215"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33215/page/6824). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 26 October 1926. p. 6824.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** [Crockford's Clerical Directory](/source/Crockford's_Clerical_Directory) 1940-41 Oxford, [OUP](/source/OUP), 1941

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** *Obituary Rev H.D.L. Viener, C.B.E.* [The Times](/source/The_Times) Saturday, 10 May 1947; pg. 4; Issue 50757; col C

1. **[^](#cite_ref-14)** ["Personals: to be married"](https://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1924/1924%20-%200738.html). *[Flight](/source/Flight_International)*. **16** (47): 738. 20 November 1924. Retrieved 21 June 2016.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LG_16_April_1912_15-0)** ["No. 28599"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28599/page/2702). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)*. 16 April 1912. p. 2702.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-16)** [Messina Earthquake Awards](https://www.northeastmedals.co.uk/britishguide/colonial/messina_earthquake_awards.htm)

1. **[^](#cite_ref-LG_7_October_1919_17-0)** ["No. 31592"](https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/31592/supplement/12525). *[The London Gazette](/source/The_London_Gazette)* (Supplement). 7 October 1919. p. 12525.

Military offices New title Chaplain-in-Chief of the Royal Air Force 1918–1926 Succeeded by Robert Edward Vernon Hanson

v t e Royal Air Force Chaplains-in-Chief Harry Viener Robert Hanson Sidney Clarke James Walkey Maurice Edwards John Jagoe Leslie Wright Alan Giles Francis Cocks Wilfred Payton Leonard Ashton Hewitt Wilson Herbert Stuart Glyndwr Renowden Brian Halfpenny Brian Lucas Robin Turner Peter Bishop Ron Hesketh Peter Mills Ray Pentland Jonathan Chaffey John Ellis Giles Legood Archdeacons for the RAF (since 2001) Ron Hesketh, Chaplain-in-Chief Ray Pentland, Principal Anglican Chaplain Ray Pentland, Chaplain-in-Chief Jonathan Chaffey, Chaplain-in-Chief John Ellis, Chaplain-in-Chief Giles Legood, Chaplain-in-Chief

Authority control databases International VIAF WorldCat National United States

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