General Sir Peter de la Billière

General Sir Peter de la Billière’s military career spanned four decades, from service as a young infantry officer in Asia and the Middle East to command of British forces in the Gulf War. He also led the Special Air Service (SAS) during the Iranian Embassy siege, an event that brought the regiment into public view. His story is not simply one of a single wartime command: it connects the Army’s special forces, the Falklands conflict and Britain’s role in a multinational campaign.

Early service and the route to the SAS

Peter Edgar de la Cour de la Billière was born in Plymouth on 29 April 1934. His father, a Royal Navy officer, was killed in 1941 when HMS Fiji was sunk by German bombers south-west of Crete. De la Billière attended St Peter’s Court School in Broadstairs and Harrow. In 1952, he enlisted as a private in the King’s Shropshire Light Infantry before receiving a commission as a second lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry. With its 1st Battalion, he served in Japan, Korea and Egypt.

In 1956 he passed selection for the SAS. His first tour with 22 SAS included service in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency and in Oman. In 1959, he received the Military Cross for leading a troop in the assault on Jebel Akhdar. He later returned to the Durham Light Infantry for recruit training and served as adjutant of 21 SAS, the London-based Territorial Army reserve regiment.

His subsequent appointments combined field service and command. Attached to the Federal Army in Aden in 1962, he later became commanding officer of A Squadron, 22 SAS. The squadron served in Borneo during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation from 1964 to 1966; his actions there earned him a bar to his Military Cross. After passing Staff College, he held an intelligence post in Special Forces and became second-in-command of 22 SAS before commanding the regiment from 1972 to 1974.

Commanding the SAS

De la Billière was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in 1976 for his service in Oman, including the battles at Musandam and Dhofar. After administrative appointments, he led the British Army Training Team in Sudan, then returned to the SAS in 1979 as Director SAS. For the next four years, he held overall military command of the SAS Group.

During this period, the regiment became widely known after the 1980 storming of the Iranian Embassy in London. De la Billière was its director, with overall responsibility for military command. The siege made the SAS a public presence, although the regiment’s operations and organisation remained distinct from the work of the regular Army. During the Falklands War, he was also responsible for planning Operation Mikado. In 1982 he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

After leaving the SAS, he served as military commissioner and commander of British forces in the Falkland Islands from 1984. He went on to command Wales District and, from 1988, South East District. In 1987 he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath. These posts preceded his return to operational command in the Middle East.

British command in the Gulf War

On 6 October 1990, despite being due to retire, de la Billière was appointed commander-in-chief of British forces in Operation Granby, the British contribution to the Gulf War. Iraq had invaded Kuwait in August. De la Billière became, in effect, second-in-command of the multinational coalition led by American general Norman Schwarzkopf. His experience in the region, knowledge of its people and some fluency in Arabic were among the reasons for his appointment.

One important issue was the role of special forces. Schwarzkopf was initially sceptical about using the SAS and other special forces in significant roles; de la Billière was largely responsible for persuading him to allow their use. The British Army contingent grew from 14,000 in early November 1990 to more than 45,000 by the end of the engagement and the cessation of hostilities in February 1991. His command therefore involved both directing British forces and working within a coalition whose overall military leadership was American.

In 1991, he was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. He also received Canada’s Meritorious Service Cross. By the end of his service he had reached the rank of general and served as a special adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence on Middle East military matters. He retired in June 1992.

Writing, honours and later life

De la Billière continued to write about his military experience after retirement. He wrote or co-authored 18 books, including an autobiography, an account of the Gulf War and several works about the SAS. His 1992 book Storm Command: A Personal Account of the Gulf War presented his own account of the campaign. His writing added a personal perspective to a career that had involved both public-facing command and special-forces operations.

His honours included the Military Cross and bar, the Distinguished Service Order, and appointments as Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath and Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire. The latter is abbreviated KBE, not the higher rank of Knight Grand Cross (GBE). He also received Saudi Arabia’s Order of King Abdulaziz, 2nd Class, and the United States Legion of Merit. In 1965 he married Bridget Constance Muriel Goode; they have one son and two daughters.

Why Peter de la Billière deserves a place in British Legacy

De la Billière’s place in British Legacy rests on a career that shows how British military responsibility changed across the second half of the twentieth century. He served first as an infantry officer, then in the SAS in Malaya, Oman and Borneo, and later in senior command roles. His leadership of the SAS coincided with the Iranian Embassy siege, which made the regiment familiar to a much wider public. His career also included planning connected with the Falklands War, followed by command of British forces in the Gulf War.

The Gulf command is especially significant because it combined national responsibility with coalition service. De la Billière commanded the expanding British contingent, while serving within a multinational force led by Schwarzkopf. His role in securing approval for a substantial part for British and allied special forces offers a specific example of how senior commanders could influence the conduct of a coalition campaign. The record also makes clear that these achievements were part of a larger military effort, rather than the work of one commander alone.

His books, including a personal account of the Gulf War and works on the SAS, provide another part of his public legacy: a senior officer’s written account of institutions and operations that are often discussed at a distance. Remembering de la Billière means recognising the breadth of his service, while keeping its scale and context in view. For British Legacy, his story connects the Army’s overseas service, special-forces command and Britain’s role in allied operations.

Sources

Peter de la Billière — revision 1379837940 · Peter de la Billière

Adapted in part from Peter de la Billière by Wikipedia contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0. Text has been edited and combined with the existing article; this adapted text is shared under the same licence. Contributor history.