{{Short description|Royal Navy Admiral (1924–1999)}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}} {{Infobox military person | honorific_prefix = Admiral | name = Sir William Pillar | honorific_suffix = {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|GBE|KCB|FIMechE}} | image = | alt = | caption = | nickname = | birth_date = {{birth date|1924|02|24|df=yes}} | birth_place = | death_date = {{death date and age|1999|03|18|1924|02|24|df=yes}} | death_place = | burial_place = | allegiance = United Kingdom | branch = Royal Navy | service_years = 1942–1984 | rank = Admiral | service_number = | unit = | commands = Royal College of Defence Studies<br/>Royal Naval Engineering College | battles = Second World War<br/>Korean War | awards = Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire<br>Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath | spouse = Ursula Ransley | relations = | other_work = }} Admiral '''Sir William Thomas Pillar''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|GBE|KCB|FIMechE}}<ref name=LG46786>{{London Gazette|issue=46786| supp=y|page=202|date=6 January 1976}}</ref>(24 February 1924 – 18 March 1999) was a senior Royal Navy officer who served as Chief of Naval Support and a member of the Admiralty.
==Naval career== Educated at Blundell's School and latterly at the Royal Naval Engineering College, Pillar joined the Royal Navy as a cadet in 1942 during the Second World War.<ref name="one">[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/obituaries-admiral-sir-william-pillar-1086929.html Obituary: Admiral Sir William Pillar] ''The Independent'', 13 April 1999</ref> He was promoted to sub-lieutenant (Engineering Branch) on 1 June 1944.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37480|page=1089|date=22 February 1946}}</ref> An acting lieutenant at the war's end, he was promoted to substantive lieutenant (E) on 3 June 1947 (seniority 1 October 1945).<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37984|page=2673|date=13 June 1947}}</ref> Following service in the Korean War he was promoted to lieutenant-commander (E) on 1 October 1953,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40052|page=7034|date=29 December 1953}}</ref> to commander (E) on 31 December 1958<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=41618|page=653|date=27 January 1959}}</ref> and to captain (E) on 31 December 1966.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=44218| supp=y|page=71|date=3 January 1967}}</ref>
Pillar was appointed Assistant to the Director-General, Ships in 1970 and Commander of the Royal Naval Engineering College in 1973.<ref name="one"/> Attaining flag rank as a rear admiral on 7 January 1976,<ref name=LG46786 /> he was made Port Admiral at Rosyth and then Assistant Chief of Fleet Support.<ref name="one"/> Promoted to vice admiral on 2 April 1979,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=47809| supp=y|page=4433|date=3 April 1979}}</ref> he became the first Royal Navy engineer officer to be Chief of Fleet Support. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1980 Birthday Honours,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=48212| supp=y|page=2|date=14 June 1980}}</ref> and was promoted to admiral on 5 January 1982.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=48879| supp=y|page=1401|date=1 February 1982}}</ref> In 1982, he became Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies.<ref name="one"/> Appointed a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 1983 Birthday Honours,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=49375| supp=y|page=5|date=11 June 1983}}</ref> he retired on 6 March 1984.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=49664| supp=y|page=3249|date=5 March 1984}}</ref>
On retirement from the Royal Navy Pillar became Lieutenant-Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Jersey.<ref name="one"/> He was also Commodore and later Life Vice-Commodore of the Royal Navy Sailing Association,<ref>[http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mitchelmore/Mitchelmore/clippings.htm Obituary: Admiral Sir William Pillar] The Times, 6 April 1999</ref> a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron,<ref name="one"/> President of the Royal Navy Modern Pentathlon Association and a Knight of St. John.
==Family== In 1946 Pillar married Ursula Ransley; they had three sons and a daughter.<ref name="one"/>
==References== {{reflist}}
{{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{succession box | title=Chief of Fleet Support | before=Sir James Eberle | after=Sir James Kennon | years=1979–1981}} |- {{s-bef|before=Sir Robert Freer}} {{s-ttl|title=Commandant of the Royal College of Defence Studies|years=1982–1984}} {{s-aft|after=Sir Michael Gow}} |- {{s-gov}} {{s-bef|before=Sir Peter Whiteley}} {{s-ttl|title=Lieutenant Governor of Jersey|years=1985–1990}} {{s-aft|after=Sir John Sutton}} {{end}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Pillar, William}} Category:1924 births Category:1999 deaths Category:People educated at Blundell's School Category:Royal Navy admirals Category:Lords of the Admiralty Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath Category:Governors of Jersey Category:Fellows of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Category:Royal Navy officers of World War II Category:Royal Navy personnel of the Korean War