John Piper (military officer)

==Military career==
He was commissioned as an ensign in the [[New South Wales Corps]] in 1791, and sailed on the convict ship ''[[Pitt (ship)|Pitt]]'', arriving in Sydney in February 1792. In 1793 he was sent, at his own request, to the [[convict settlement]] of [[Norfolk Island]], perhaps because of a scandalous love affair. There was certainly an illegitimate daughter born around this time.<ref name=dab>{{Dictionary of Australian Biography|First=John|Last=Piper|shortlink=0-dict-biogP-Q.html#piper1 |accessdate=19 October 2008 }}</ref><ref name=adb>{{Australian Dictionary of Biography|last=Barnard |first=Marjorie |authorlink= Marjorie Barnard |year=1967|id=A020295b|title= Piper, John (1773–1851)|accessdate=6 November 2009 }}</ref>

Piper was promoted lieutenant and returned to Sydney in 1795; from 1797 to 1799 he was on leave.<ref name=adb/> In 1800 Piper was promoted to the local rank of captain. Piper supported [[John Macarthur (wool pioneer)|John Macarthur]] in the struggle between the New South Wales Corps and Governor [[Philip Gidley King|King]], and acted as his second in a duel with Colonel [[William Paterson (governor)|Paterson]], his commanding officer.  Piper was arrested and [[court-martial]]led in 1802, but apologised and was acquitted, to King's disgust.<ref name=adb/>

Piper returned to Norfolk Island in 1804 and, when Lieutenant-Governor [[Joseph Foveaux]] left on prolonged sick leave, became acting commandant.  His rule was mild, one of the convicts later writing that he "had the good will and respect of everyone, for he had always conducted himself as a Christian and a gentleman."  He was promoted to the full rank of [[Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)|captain]] in 1806. During Piper's period of leadership on Norfolk Island the British government decided it was too costly to maintain, and planned to close the settlement and transfer the inhabitants to Sydney or [[Van Diemen's Land]].  Piper showed both tact and organising ability in arranging for the transfers, especially of those settlers who had built up farms and families on the island.<ref name=dab/>

Piper returned to Sydney in 1810, having avoided all the turmoil of the [[Rum Rebellion]].<ref name=":1" />  He sailed for England in 1811, but resigned his commission and returned to Sydney in February 1814, as Naval Officer.<ref name=":0" />