Peter de la Billière
| Sir Peter de la Billière | |
|---|---|
| Born |
29 April 1934 Plymouth, Devon, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1952–92 |
| Rank | General |
| Service number | 424859 |
| Commands held | British Forces Middle East (1990–91) South East District (1988–90) General Officer Commanding Wales (1985–87) Director SAS (1979–83) 22 SAS Regiment (1972–74) |
| Battles/wars |
Korean War Malayan Emergency Jebel Akhdar War Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation Dhofar Rebellion Falklands War Gulf War |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross & Bar Mentioned in Despatches Legion of Merit (United States) |
General Sir Peter Edgar de la Cour de la Billière,KCB, KBE, DSO, MC & Bar (born 29 April 1934) is a former British Army officer who was Director SAS during the Iranian Embassy siege and Commander-in-Chief of the British forces in the Gulf War. He is often known by the acronym DLB.
Peter de la Billière was born in Plymouth, Devon, the son of Surgeon Lieutenant Commander Denis de la Billière and his wife Kitty Lawley. On 22 May 1941, his father was killed when his ship, HMS Fiji, was sunk by German bombers in an attack southwest of Crete. His father is of Huguenot decent.
He was educated at Wellesley House School, in the coastal town of Broadstairs in Kent, and Harrow School at Harrow-on-the-Hill in North West London. A “Peter de la Billière” is mentioned as pupil evacuee of St. Peter’s, Broadstairs, Kent sent to Crediton, Devon in Our Land at War by Duff Hart-Davis. The book (p48) states “during the night of 23 January 1945 the building caught fire, and pupils and staff alike, trapped on balconies, were forced to abseil down makeshift ropes …"
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