Pierre was born in 1922 in Maidenhead, Berkshire and was the only child of Hector and Laura nee Dunkley. Pierre’s grandparents were French born and the family owned a wooden smoking pipe company and were also cigar dealers. Hector served in WW1 in the Intelligence Corps and predeceased his son dying in 1938. In 1939 Pierre and his widowed mother Laura were living at Old Cottage, Wokingham with her brother Harvey and his wife Dorothy. Harvey is listed as a stockbroker and Laura was a student of dancing.

It is unknown to date when Pierre enlisted. He was training at RAF Heany, Bulawayo as a cadet pilot. His death record states that he died from multiple injuries sustained when his aircraft Oxford P6849 crashed one mile north of Balla Balla.