Liardet was commissioned into the part-time
1st Lancashire Volunteer Artillery in
Liverpool on 21 June 1899. The unit became the
Lancashire and Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillery when the
Territorial Force (TF) was formed in 1908 and Liardet served in the
First World War, during which he was
mentioned in despatches four times and awarded the
Distinguished Service Order. In 1929 Liardet became CO of
64th (7th London) Field Brigade, Royal Artillery, serving in
47th (2nd London) Division and in 1934 he was promoted to Commander Royal Artillery (CRA) of that division. When the 47th Division was disbanded in 1936 he transferred as CRA to the combined London) Division (later the
56th (London) Infantry Division). Liardet was promoted to command the 56th Division in the rank of major general in 1938 – a rare honour for a TA officer – and held that post during the early part of the
Second World War. In 1941 Liardet was appointed Inspector General of Aerodrome Defence and Director General of Ground Defence at the
Air Ministry. In 1942 he became
Commandant-General of the RAF Regiment until the end of the war, when he retired. He was appointed
Honorary Colonel of the 64th (7th London) Field Brigade, RA, on 16 October 1937. ==Business career==