GENERAL PILE-BUILDER
By CAPTAIN NEVILE A. D. WALLIS By August, 1914, F. A. Pile had become an outstanding show jumper, and when the Army was mobilised he was appointed A.D.C. to the officer commanding the Royal Horse Artillery, First Cavalry Division. In October he became Captain Pile, and was shortly afterwards given command of a field battery in Kitchener's New Army. In the campaigns that followed he won the M.C. on the Somme in 1916, and was decorated with the D.S.O. at Passchen- daele two years later. In 1919 he was promoted brevet Lieut.- Colonel, passed successfully through the Staff College, and by 1924 was Lieut.-Colonel Pile of the Royal Tank Corps. Three years later he became Assistant Director of Mechanisation at the War Office at a time when Britain's armoured force was the best in the world.
In 1932, Colonel (now Sir Frederick) Pile went to the Disarma- ment Conference at Geneva to make a last stand for the mechan- ised army. When he came back his post at the War Office was gone, and the tank specialist was given command of an infantry brigade in Egypt. But by now he had gained a reputation for versatility ; and the War Office had not forgotten a flexible mind that could adapt itself to the problems arising-from the successive developments in the growth of the mechanised force. Moreover, he was known as a speaker who was apparently fearless in express- ing views that were frequently not those of the politicians—an unusual trait, and somewhat alarming in the late 'thirties. It may therefore be surmised that when Pile—now a Major-General- was given command of the first Anti-Aircraft Division the announce- ment was received with a slight apprehension, which would hardly have been lulled when he told M.P.s (in November, 1937) that he was " frankly appalled by the fool's paradise in which London was living." On this occasion—a dinner given at the House of Com- mons—he told them, in the plain language characteristic of him: " Your city is the best prize in the world. It is the obvious prize for any attack. A short war can only be won against England if it is directed against London." And he went on to warn them of the serious shortages of material, telling how recruits were formed in large squads in front of equipment hopelessly insufficient to allow them to get any adequate individual training. " What an extra- ordinary thing," said Mr. Hore-Belisha, who replied, "—if only some foreign countries could see what is happening here ; the greatest Empire is relying on the eloquence of a General in the British Army, bringing here a map to explain to the citizens of London why and how they ought to defend, themselves."
War came, and General Pile was called on to defend Britain from the ground with insufficient guns, searchlights and obsolete instru- ments. It was fortunate indeed that the A.A. defences were not put to the test until the Battle of Britain a year later. All through that nightmare period General Pile was an inspiring figure, fre- quently accompanying the Prime Minister to London's central plotting-room during the height of the actions, but more often touring the gun-sites and searchlight sites of Greater London, cheering and encouraging his troops to even greater exertions. It
was. then that he gathered round him a team of military scientific advisers and research experts whom he has never failed to consult during every subsequent change of enemy tactics. Indeed, he may well be remembered as the first British Army commander to recog- nise the indispensability of scientists.
Pile's method of conducting these highly technical conferences is impressive. He will allow, say, the representatives of three technical departments to argue• so far until their fundamental problems are apparent to him. Then he will dismiss further unnecessary debate and give directions. He has no time, at these meetings, for any conversation irrelevant to the points at issue. And he is gifted to an extraordinary degree, not only in following the trend of compli- cated scientific arguments sufficiently to grasp the main points, but also in assessing the capabilities of his advisers ; and more than one speaker has sometimes been left with an uncomfortable impression that the chairman has not been ignorant of the answers to the quiet questions he interposes. In fact, the General has a very shrewd idea of jnst how much he may depend on each member of his staff. And usually, after the conference, there is the question: "How long will it take? " " Perhaps a week, Sir." " Then shall we say four days? "—and in four days the technical device or modifi- cation is completed.
One of the best examples of his dry humour is the story (which may be apocryphal—though he has listened to it indulgently) of the night, early in the war, when three raiders, in dose formation, flew up the Thames Estuary. The opening salvo of four rounds succeeded in shooting down the leading aircraft, whereupon the two following planes collided and crashed in flames. The local commander immediately sent a teleprint to Anti-Aircraft Command H.Q. to the effect that he had accounted for three raiders with four rounds. " Congratulations," wired General Pile, " but why the wasted fourth round? " There have been many opportunities for little humours of this sort in the Command, but far more important have been General Pile's acknowledged qualities of discretion and diplomacy. Indeed, discretion has been constantly needed to control a Command which has been described as "unworkable in theory," dependent as it is on the Home Commands for such essential services as accommodation.
The harmonious relations that have existed between General Pile and successive chiefs of Fighter Command, during every phase of the battle in which neither Command could have operated efficiently without the full co-operation of the other partner, are proof of his diplomacy no less than of his warmth of personality. These qualities will now be brought into play in the manifod labour pro- blems that confront him at the Ministry of Works—problems thai will not disconcert him, for he has had labour problems, enough and to spare, in manning all his equipment during the past five years ; and to have had erected, as he has done, over three thou- sand Army huts in East Anglia last winter in two and a half months —when the building trade estimated six months at least—is some measure of his aptitude for overcoming difficulties, Already General Pile has won the loyalty and gratitude of the gunners at homt. Now it is his task to build houses, and speedily, to earn the conC- dence of our men overseas: No one who knows him will doubt of the success of his evolution from master-gunner to master-builder.
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