Peter Cairns


Peter William Cairns is a retired officer of the Canadian Forces. He was Commander Maritime Command from 1992 to 1994.

Career

Cairns joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1956 and was appointed a midshipman in 1959. He became Commanding Officer of the submarine in 1972, Commander of the First Canadian Submarine Squadron in 1974 and Commanding Officer of the destroyer in 1976. He went on to command the destroyers in 1977 and in 1978. He became Deputy Commandant of the Canadian Forces Fleet School at Halifax in 1978. After that he was appointed Chief Project Technical Officer at Canadian Forces Maritime Command in 1979, Commandant of the Canadian Forces Maritime Warfare School later that year and Commander Fifth Canadian Destroyer Squadron in 1981. Next he became Chief of Personnel Careers at the National Defence Headquarters in 1983, Director-General Personnel Careers in 1985 and Deputy Chief of Staff to the Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic in 1987. His last appointments were as Commander Maritime Forces Pacific in 1989 and as Commander Maritime Command in 1992 before he retired in 1994.
In retirement Cairns became Director of Business Development at the Aviation Services Division of Spar Aerospace.

Awards and decorations

Cairns's personal awards and decorations include the following:


RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Military Merit
  • Appointed Commander on 8 June 1990
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 1977
  • Canadian version
    • Canadian Forces Decoration
  • with two Clasp for 32 years of services
  • He was a qualified Submariner and as such wore the Canadian Forces Submariner Dolphins