Hugh Pye, OBE

Hugh William Kellow Pye, OBE, died peacefully on 30th May 2024 aged 86. Hugh was beloved husband of Mary, much loved father of Robert and Victoria and grandfather of Tabitha, Lizzie, Avelyn, Edward, Katie, Olivia and Jemima.

Hugh was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales’s) in 1958, and served his regiment and his country with great distinction until his retirement from the army in 1992, since when he has been Treasurer (and de facto, Chief Executive) of the Society of Merchant Venturers of Bristol.

For 36 years Hugh military career took him across the world. He served in the Middle East, Cyprus, Germany, Hong Kong and the United States. Three times he was posted to Northern Ireland where, at the height of the troubles, he was Commanding Officer of his regiment, by then the renamed 9th/12th Royal Lancers – one of the most distinguished cavalry regiments in the British Army. He was Mentioned in Dispatches for his service in Ulster and later had the honour of receiving the regiment’s new guidon from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. He was subsequently posted to the Ministry of Defence, to Cyprus, where he was Deputy Chief of Staff and Commander of the British Contingent of the United Nations Forces, to the Army Staff College, and to the Oman Command and Staff College, which he founded and built.  He ended his military career as Deputy Commander South West District and Commander of the British Contingent Allied Command Europe Mobile Force (Land) – a role that saw him directing operations on the geographical flanks of NATO and required, amongst other things, a commitment to annual training in the arctic circle.

Hugh then re-launched himself in an entirely new direction as Treasurer of the Society of Merchant Venturers. In addition to the considerable administrative and managerial tasks of this post, Hugh extended his work and commitment to the support of endowments and other charitable works both connected with the Venturers and elsewhere. His contributions included working across the fields of education, youth, and the underprivileged, in Bristol and further afield. He was Chairman of Governors at Colston’s Collegiate School from 1994-2003 and a Governor at Colston’s Girls’ School; Treasurer of St Monica’s Home; Vice-Chairman of the South West Foundation and previously a Trustee of the Greater Bristol Foundation; he is a patron of Fast Track and of Bristol Foyer - projects which support and guide underprivileged young people into housing and work. He has continued his military connections as Colonel of the 9th / 12th Lancers and as Honorary Colonel both of the Leicestershire and Derbyshire Yeomanry and of the City and County of Bristol Army Cadet Force. He acted as an official pall bearer at the funeral of her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. He went on to support CLIC reversing the charity’s financial position and ensured that £1 million pledged to support the rebuilding of the Bristol Royal Hospital for Children could be paid. Hugh was known for his vision, and for his formidable organisational and influencing skills, but for his prodigious energies which derive from a deep concern for those who find themselves in a less fortunate place in our society.

He enjoyed polo as player and referee and was a fanatical gardener and fisherman. He had an impressive command of foreign languages, speaking French, German, Greek, Turkish and Arabic - linguistic skills ably used in his military career. Hugh was awarded an OBE in 2003.

Hugh was a family man and our thoughts are with his wife, Mary, and his children Robert and Victoria.

Adapted from a piece written by Michael Stevens.

The photo above was taken at a Prize Giving with headmaster David Crawford, his wife Mary and Mrs Judy Crawford (in yellow) and Roger Smedley OC  (Master of the Society of Merchant Venturers).