General Sir Frederick Alfred Pile, 2nd Baronet Pile, 1945 (c)

Photograph, World War Two (1939-1945), 1945 (c).

Frederick Pile (1884-1976) was born in Dublin and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1904. During the First World War (1914-1918) he saw extensive service on the Western Front, a theatre where the role of artillery was all-important. Pile first saw action in 1914 as a battery commander in the Royal Horse Artillery during the retreat from Mons and later served in higher level formations as a Brigade Major and General Staff Officer. For his services and conduct he was mentioned in dispatches and awarded both the Military Cross and the Distinguished Service Order.

An inventive and open-minded soldier, Pile played an important role in the mechanization of the British Army in the inter-war period. In 1923 he transferred to the Tank Corps, becoming Commander of 1st Experimental Mechanized Force and from 1928 he served for four years as Assistant Director of Mechanization at the War Office.

Pile changed his specialism again in 1937 when he took charge of 1st Anti-Aircraft Division. This led to his promotion, on the outbreak of the Second World War, to commander of Anti-Aircraft Command. Tasked with directing Britain's network of search lights and anti-aircraft guns, Pile oversaw the defense of Britain from aerial attack throughout the war. This including the dark days of the Blitz (1940-1941) and combatting the menace of Germany's V weapons (flying bombs and rockets) during 1944-1945. Desperately short of manpower, Pile overcame this problem by the successful integration of over 74,000 women soldiers of the Auxiliary Territorial Service into his command.

One of 102 photographs relating to personalities and individuals serving the Auxiliary Territorial Service, 1939-1949 (c).