Frederick Pile

Sir Frederick Pile
Sir Frederick Pile in 1937
Born	(1884-09-14)14 September 1884 Dublin, Ireland
Died	14 November 1976(1976-11-14) (aged 92)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1904–45
Rank	General
Unit	Royal Artillery Royal Tank Regiment
Commands held	Anti-Aircraft Command (1939–45) 1st Anti-Aircraft Division (1937–39) Canal Brigade (1932–36)
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Mentioned in Despatches Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)

General Sir Frederick Alfred Pile, 2nd Baronet, GCB, DSO, MC (14 September 1884 – 14 November 1976) was a senior British Army officer who served in both World Wars. In the Second World War he was General Officer Commanding Anti-Aircraft Command, one of the elements that protected Britain from aerial attack.

Pile was born in Dublin as the second child of Sir Thomas Devereux Pile, 1st Baronet and his wife, Caroline Maude Nicholson, Sir Thomas served as the Lord Mayor of Dublin from 1900 to 1901.

Pile had an older sister and two younger brothers. His youngest brother, Cyril John Pile, served in the Royal Flying Corps during the First World War, and was killed in action in 1917.

Pile was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1904. He initially served in India.

He served in the First World War and was involved in the retreat from Mons and was a Staff Captain with 1st Division before becoming a Brigade Major with 40th Division in 1916. In the closing stages of the War he became a General Staff Officer with 22nd Corps in France.

After the war he was appointed a Brigade Major at Brighton and Shoreham District. He transferred to the Royal Tank Corps in 1923. In 1928 he became Commander of the 1st Experimental Mechanized Force and Assistant Director of Mechanisation at the War Office. He went to Egypt in 1932 as Commander of the Canal Brigade Mechanized Force.