Major General Sir Claude Francis Liardet, KBE, CB, DSO, TD, DL (26 September 1881 – 5 March 1966) was an insurance broker, businessman and a long-serving artillery officer in Britain's part-time Territorial Army before becoming the first Commandant General of the RAF Regiment.

[2][3] The unit became the Lancashire and Cheshire Royal Garrison Artillery when the Territorial Force (TF) was formed in 1908 and Liardet served in the World War I, during which he was mentioned in despatches four times and awarded the Distinguished Service Order.

[1][2] In 1919 he became Commanding Officer (CO) of his unit, which became the Lancashire & Cheshire Coast Brigade, RGA when the TF was converted into the Territorial Army (TA) in 1921.

[1][2][4][5] 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 World War II.

[1][2][7] He was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 64th (7th London) Field Brigade, RA, on 16 October 1937.