British Army Officers 1939-1945 -- B

British Army Officers
1939-1945

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A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Babbage, C.A.E.
to
Best, J.K.

Bethell, R.B.W.
to
Butterworth, F.W.A.

C.A.E. Babbage to J.K. Best

Babbage,
Christopher Albert Edward
C.A.E. Babbage

Son of Christopher Thomas Babbage, and Matilda Slingo.
Residences over the years: Surrey & Sussex.
At least one daughter from an unmarried relationship.

20.11.1913
Hartley Wintney, Hampshire
-
1981
Hastings, Sussex

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	12.12.1942 [255555]
WS/Lt.	?, seniority 12.12.1942 (reld from active service < 04.1946 with rank of Hon. Lt.)
Lt.	14.11.1946, seniority 12.12.1942
T/Capt.	(1948)
Capt.	24.10.1949
Maj.	24.10.1956 (reld 08.06.1959)
Hon. Maj.	08.06.1959

MID

07.01.1949

Palestine 27.03-30.06.48

12.12.1942			commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery [emergency commission]
(1943)			204th (Cumberland Yeomanry) Battery, 109th Field Regiment RA (TA) (Chudleigh, near Newton Abbot, Devon)
14.11.1946			short service commission
22.05.1954			transferred, Corps of Royal Military Police

Backhouse,
Edward Henry Walford
E.H.W. Backhouse

Elder son of Rev. E.B. Backhouse, Northwood, Middx. Married (1920) Eileen Noël Newby Jenks, Colchester; one son, one daughter.

07.02.1895
Bosmere, Suffolk
-
20.11.1973
[Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk ?]

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	25.02.1914 [8321]
Lt.	11.12.1914
Capt.	01.01.1917
Bt. Maj.	01.01.1932
Maj.	06.03.1935
Bt. Lt.Col.	01.01.1937
Lt.Col.	14.02.1938
Col.	28.8.1939 (retd 10.02.1948)
T/Brig.	28.08.1939
Hon. Brig.	10.02.1948

	CBE	31.12.1960	New Year 61: Chairman T&A Forces Association
	MID	01.08.1946	Malaya 42

WWI medals: 1914 Star and Clasp; British War Medal; Victory Medal

Education: St Lawrence College; Royal Military College, Sandhurst; Staff College, Camberley (21.01.1927-1928; psc)

25.02.1914			commissioned into the Suffolk Regiment
15.08.1914	-	20.08.1914	served in France (wounded and POW, Le Cateau, France)
26.09.1929	-	20.01.1932	Staff Captain, Southern Command (UK)
21.01.1932	-	25.09.1933	Brigade Major, 10th Infantry Brigade, Eastern Command (UK)
1934	-	1935	Officer Commanding, Depot Suffolk Regiment
17.01.1936	-	04.02.1938	Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (DAAG), War Office (UK)
05.02.1938	-	13.02.1938	General Staff Officer, grade 2 (GSO2), War Office (UK)
1938	-	1939	Commanding Officer, 1st Battalion Suffolk Regiment
28.08.1939	-	15.02.1942	Commander, 54th Infantry Brigade (UK, India, Malaya) (captured, POW)
20.04.1940	-	14.05.1940	acting General Officer Commanding, 18th Infantry Division (UK)
10.02.1948	-	07.02.1953	Regular Army Reserve of Officers [age limit]

Colonel, Suffolk Regiment, 10.06.1947-10.06.1957. Deputy Lieutenant (DL) Suffolk, 28.03.1949. Vice-Lieutenant of Suffolk, 1965-1973. Chairman, Suffolk Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association, 1953-1959. Member. W. Suffolk Cricket Club, 1958-1970.

Bagg,
Sidney Cecil

see:

RNVR section

Bagnall,
John Gordon
J.G. Bagnall

Son of Harold Gordon Bagnall, and Dorethea Livett.

29.08.1920
-
04.1997
North Dorset, Dorset

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	04.02.1940 (regimental seniority 16.12.1939) [118398]
Lt.	04.08.1941 (regimental seniority 16.06.1941)
A/Capt.	21.05.1942-20.08.1942
T/Capt.	21.08.1942-29.12.1942, 22.02.1943-30.06.1946
Capt.	01.07.1946
Maj.	04.02.1953 (regimental seniority 16.12.1952)
Lt.Col.	22.06.1962 (supernumerary 22.06.1965)
Col.	?
Brig.	30.06.1967 (retd 28.08.1975)

	OBE	12.06.1965	HM's birthday 65
	MC	26.10.1944	Italy

Education: psc

04.02.1940			commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery
(1944)			12th Honourable Artillery Company, Royal Horse Artillery (Italy)
09.02.1951	-	03.06.1953	instructor, RMAS
01.09.1954	-	03.09.1956	AMA to High Commissioner for UK, India
01.09.1952	-	30.03.1962	General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2), HQ Northern Command
11.02.1965	-	10.11.1966	General Staff Officer, 1st grade (GSO1), HQ British Army of the Rhine
1968?	-	1970?	Commander, Woolwich Garrison & Depot, Royal Artillery

Bagnold,
Ralph Alger
R.A. Bagnold

Son of late Col. Arthur Henry Bagnold, CB, CMG (1854-1944), and Mrs Alger (née Wills). Brother of novelist Enid Bagnold.
Married (08.05.1946, Rottingdean) Dorothy Alice (15.04.1906-06.1989), daughter of late A.E. Plank; one son, one daughter.

03.04.1896
Stoke, Devonport
-
28.05.1990
Hither Green, London

2nd Lt.	10.02.1915 [10231]
A/Capt.	16.11.1917-30.03.1918
Capt.	31.03.1918
Maj.	26.06.1927 19.08.1927, seniority 08.06.1927 (half-pay 01.04.1935) (retd 01.08.1939) (reactivated 1939)
A/Lt.Col.	22.11.1940-(04.1941)
WS/Lt.Col.	01.02.1942 (reverted to retd 07.06.1944)
T/Col.	15.09.1942-(04.1944)
A/Brig.	01.07.1943-(04.1944)
T/Brig.	1944?
A/Maj.Gen.	20.10.1943-19.11.1943
Hon. Brig.	07.06.1944

OBE	08.07.1941	Middle East 12.40-02.41
MID	02.01.1917	France
MID	01.09.1931	NW Frontier 04-09.30
MID	30.12.1941	Middle East 02.41-07.41

WWI medals: Chevalier, Ordre de Leopold (avec palme) (Belgium), 05.04.1919, etc.

Education: Malvern College; Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge University (1919-1921; MA)

10.02.1915			commissioned, Corps of Royal Engineers
1915	-	1918	served European War, Western Front (despatches)
1920			transferred Royal Corps of Signals (service in Ireland, Egypt, India, China)
23.10.1923	-	11.10.1924	Instructor (Class CC from 22.08.1924), School of Signals
1930			served NorthWest Frontier of India (despatches)
(03.1931)			served at Catterick
05.10.1931	-	11.07.1932	Instructor (Class Z), School of Signals
(06.1933)			served in China
01.04.1935	-	06.11.1946	Regular Army Reserve of Officers [age limit]
07.1940	-	01.07.1941	raised and commanded Long Range Desert Group in Middle East (despatches) [from 22.11.1940 "specially employed"]
1943	-	1944	Deputy Signal Officer-in-Chief, Middle East

Organised and led numerous explorations in Libyan Desert and elsewhere (Founder's Medal of Royal Geographical Society, 1935), 1925-1932. G.K. Warren Prize, US Academy of Sciences, 1969; Penrose Medal, Geological Society of
America, 1970; Wollaston Medal, Geological Society of London, 1971; Sorby Medal, International Association of Sedimentologists, 1978. AMIEE. FRS, 1944. Director of Research for Shell Refining and Marketing Company, 1947-1949, then research at Imperial College London on transport of solids by water flow. Consultant on movement of sediments by wind and water, since 1956; Fellow of Imperial College, University of London, since 1971.
Published: Libyan Sands, 1935, new ed. 1987; Physics of Blown Sand and Desert Dunes, 1941; papers, etc, on deserts, hydraulics, beach formation, and random distributions.

Bailey,
Edwin
E. Bailey (Photo courtesy of Mrs Angela Bailey)

08.09.1914
Barnsley, South Yorkshire
-
09.02.2006
Llangollen, Denbighshire

2nd Lt.	21.11.1940 [202809]
T/Capt.	12.02.1945-(04.1946) (reld late 1946?)

MID

possibly

Education: Sheffield University (c. 1936-38; MA (economics))
Served with the Metropolitan Police (c. 1935-36) and United Africa Company (Nigeria) (1938-39).

21.11.1940			commissioned, General List, African Colonial Forces Section [emergency commission]
1942	-	?	10th Battalion The Nigeria Regiment (Arakan)
1945?			posted to the Lincolnshire Regiment (Germany)

Served as Information Officer with Central Office of Information, c. 1953-1972, postings inclued: Canada, Pakistan, Tanzania, Singapore; retired 1972.

Baillon,
Joseph Aloysius
J.A. Baillon

7th son of late Louis Augustin and Mary Julia Baillon, at one time of the Falkland Islands.
Married (1925) Gertrude Emily, daughter of A.B. Fellowes Prynne, Plymouth; two sons, one daughter.

06.10.1895
Wandsworth, London
-
11.04.1951

T/2nd Lt.	01.02.1915-20.09.1917
2nd Lt.	21.09.1917, seniority 01.11.1915 [10592]
Lt.	21.09.1917, seniority 25.08.1916
T/Capt.	06.10.1917-29.11.1919
Capt.	07.10.1923
Bt. Maj.	01.07.1936
Maj.	01.08.1938
Bt. Lt.Col.	01.07.1939
A/Lt.Col.	26.08.1940-25.11.1940
T/Lt.Col.	26.11.1940-22.01.1942
WS/Lt.Col.	23.01.1942
A/Col.	23.07.1941-22.01.1942
T/Col.	23.01.1942-30.12.1942
Col.	31.12.1942, seniority 01.07.1942
A/Brig.	20.10.1941-19.04.1942
T/Brig.	20.04.1942-02.09.1943
A/Maj.Gen.	03.09.1942-02.09.1943
T/Maj.Gen.	03.09.1943-28.07.1947
Maj.Gen.	29.07.1947, seniority 24.08.1944 (retd 30.03.1949)

CB	10.06.1948	HM's birthday 48
CBE	05.08.1943	Persia / Iraq
OBE	30.12.1941	Middle East (East Africa and Madagascar) 02.41-07.41
MC	02.04.1919	*
MID	24.05.1918	?
MID	23.12.1943	Persia / Iraq

WWI medals: 1914-15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal
Commander of the Crown with Palm & Croix de Guerre 1940 with Palm (Belgium; 15.02.1952)
* As Adjutant during the advance through Abancourt on the afternoon of 9th October, 1918, he frequently, under heavy fire, proceeded in advance of the battalion in order to find the route. Both before and after this event he carried out his duties regardless of his personal safety under the most adverse conditions, and often under heavy artillery fire.

Education: King Edward's School, Birmingham; St Bede's College, Lancashire; Staff College, Camberley (psc)

			served in the ranks Mobilized Special Reserve for 180 days
14.11.1915	-	18.03.1916	served in Egypt
19.03.1916	-	30.06.1916	Egyptioan Expeditionary Force
01.07.1916	-	11.11.1918	served in France
21.09.1917			commissioned into the South Staffordshire Regiment
06.10.1917	-	30.04.1919	Captain, 7th Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment (Adjutant 16.10.1917-30.04.1919)
01.05.1919	-	24.10.1919	Staff Captain, ... (France)
04.02.1929	-	20.01.1931	Adjutant, ... Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment
15.10.1934	-	08.12.1936	Staff Captain, War Office (UK)
09.12.1936	-	30.11.1938	General Staff Officer (GSO) for Weapon Training, Aldershot Command (UK)
03.06.1939	-	07.08.1940	General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2), 6th Australian Division (Australia) [enlisted Australian Army 01.04.1940, discharged 25.05.1940]
14.08.1940	-	23.08.1940	General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2), British Troops in Egypt
26.08.1940	-	21.07.1941	General Staff Officer, 1st grade (GSO1), British Troops in Sudan
23.07.1941	-	19.10.1941	Deputy Director of Military Training, Middle East
20.10.1941	-	02.09.1942	Brigadier General Staff, Middle East
03.09.1942	-	24.11.1943	Chief of General Staff, Persia and Iraq
11.12.1943	-	04.02.1945	Chief of General Staff, Middle East Forces
1945?	-	1946	Director of Organisation, War Office
1946	-	1948	General Officer Commanding, Aldershot District

Director of Messrs Beamish and Crawford Ltd, Brewers, Cork, 1949-1951.

Baker,
David Pearse
D.P. Baker

Married Daphne ...

1925
-
29.03.2008

Cadet	? [14679860]
2nd Lt. ACF	14.02.1943-12.11.1943 [283921]
2nd Lt.	20.12.1944 [283921]
WS/Lt.	20.06.1945

14.02.1943	-	12.11.1943	Kent Comm., Army Cadet Force - Territorial Army Reserve of Officers
20.12.1944			commissioned, The Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment [emergency commission]

Baker,
Euston Edward Francis
E.E.F. Baker

05.04.1895
Fulham, London
-
17.01.1981

2nd Lt.	15.08.1914 [23973]
Lt.Col.	20.02.1923
Bt. Col.	20.02.1927 (supernumerary 01.01.1936 & 01.10.1937)
Col.	01.10.1937, seniority 20.02.1927 (retd 09.03.1945; ill-health)
T/Brig.	27.08.1939
Hon. Brig.	09.03.1945

CB	01.01.1957	New Year 57
CBE	23.06.1936	HM's birthday 36
DSO	15.02.1919	*
MC	26.09.1917	?
MC	26.07.1918	**
TD	?	?
MID	04.01.1917	?
MID	24.05.1918	?
MID	09.07.1919	?

WWI medals: 1914-15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal
* For conspicuous gallantry and able leadership. In particular, in the successful attacks on the Fresnes-Rouvroy line on October 7th and Drocourt-Queant line on .October 11th, 1918, resulting in the capture of many prisoners and much material, his resourcefulness and gallantry under fire were most marked. He personally exploited successes, and by his grasp of the situation in the afternoon was instrumental in seizing a most important tactical point which was holding up the corps on the right.
** For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty after assuming command of his battalion. Throughout the operations he did yeoman service in maintaining the efficiency and fighting spirit of the battalion and in covering the withdrawal of other troops. He showed great coolness and efficiency in handling his men.

15.08.1914			commissioned, 5th Middlesex Regiment - Territorial Force
20.02.1923	-	19.02.1930	Commanding Officer, 8th Battalion The Middlesex Regiment
20.02.1930	-	31.03.1931	Territorial Army Reserve of Officers - 8th Battalion The Middlesex Regiment
01.04.1931	-	01.01.1936	Commanding Officer, 7th City of London Regiment
01.01.1936	-	10.06.1936	Territorial Army Reserve of Officers (General List, Infantry)
11.06.1936	-	01.10.1937	Commanding Officer, 8th Battalion The Middlesex Regiment
27.08.1939	-	06.10.1939	Commander, ... Brigade (temporary)
07.10.1939	-	28.04.1940	Commander, 35th Infantry Brigade (UK)
21.10.1940	-	18.11.1941	Commander, 213th Independent Infantry Brigde (Home) (UK), redesignated:
18.11.1941	-	23.07.1942	Commander, 213th Infantry Brigade (UK)

ADC (Additional) to the King, 12.06.1941-11.06.1951. Honorary Colonel, 5th Battalion The Middlesex Regiment, 17.01.1942-05.04.1963. Honorary Colonel, 11th Parachute Battalion (Middlesex), TA, 08.10.1947.
Deputy Lieutenant (DL), Middlesex, 27.07.1938. Justice of the Peace (JP).

Baker,
Patrick George
P.G. Baker

?
-

2nd Lt.	31.05.1941 [189481]
WS/Lt.	01.10.1942
WS/Capt.	?

			served in the ranks, The Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
31.05.1941	-	09.09.1952	commissioned, The Middlesex Regiment (Duke of Cambridge's Own) [emergency commission]
09.09.1952			transferred, Australian Military Forces

Baker-Baker,
Henry Conyers
H.C. Baker-Baker

Son of V.Adm. William Henry Baker, OBE, RN (1862-1932), and Harriett Constance Middleton (1875-?).
Married (11.1963) Elspeth Grizel Gifford (1st married Hugentobler) (died 22.10.2007).

11.11.1912
-
12.1992
Northumberland West, Northumberland

2nd Lt.	02.02.1933 [58154]
Lt.	02.02.1936
A/Capt.	08.03.1940-07.06.1940
T/Capt.	08.06.1940-01.02.1941
Capt.	02.02.1941
A/Maj.	07.08.1941-06.11.1941
T/Maj.	07.11.1941-17.04.1944
WS/Maj.	18.04.1944
Maj.	01.07.1946
Bt. Lt.Col.	01.07.1952
A/Lt.Col.	18.01.1944-17.04.1944
T/Lt.Col.	18.04.1944-20.05.1946, 03.10.1949-13.03.1952
local Lt.Col.	21.05.1946-30.05.1948
Bt. Lt.Col.	01.07.1952
Lt.Col.	06.05.1955
local Col.	12.03.1952-13.03.1952
T/Col.	14.03.1952-03.05.1954
Col.	24.11.1957, seniority 05.02.1957 (retd 23.05.1960)
Hon. Brig.	23.05.1960

DSO	23.09.1943	Sicily
DSO	07.06.1945	NW Europe 44-45
MBE	18.02.1943	Middle East (Egypt and Libya)
MID	15.12.1942	Mddle East 11.41-04.42
MID	09.08.1945	NW Europe 44-45

Palestine 1936-39 Medal & Clasp

Education: psc

02.02.1933			commissioned into The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
20.09.1939	-	12.02.1940	ADC to General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Middle East
13.02.1940	-	11.08.1940	Staff Captain, Egypt
12.08.1940	-	27.10.1940	General Staff Officer, 3rd grade (GSO3), ...
28.10.1940	-	23.03.1941	Staff Captain, Middle East
07.08.1941	-	05.02.1943	Deputy Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General (DAA&QMG), ...
17.02.1943	-	01.03.1943	Brigade Major, ..
13.01.1944	-	01.11.1944	General Staff Officer, 1st grade (GSO1), HQ 51st (Highland) Infantry Division
1944	-	1945	Commanding Officer, 2nd Battlion The Glasgow Highlanders (The Highland Light Infantry)
25.02.1945	-	08.03.1945	acting Commander, 46th Infantry Birgade (NW Europe)
...			...

Colonel, Black Watch, 01.06.1964-27.06.1969.

Balfour-Davey,
Charles George Cunningham
C.G.C. Balfour-Davey

Son of Colonel the Hon. Horace Scott Davey, CMG (1865-1935), and of Lady Anne Caroline Davey (née Cuningham).
Husband of K.H. Balfour-Davey, of Westminster, London.
Changed last name from Davey to Balfour-Davey by deed poll of 27.11.1935.

28.08.1896
India
-
25.07.1943
[Fernhurst Burial Ground, grave 224]

2nd Lt.	01.10.1914
...	...
Maj.	03.03.1934
Bt. Lt.Col.	01.07.1935
A/Lt.Col.	25.08.1939
Col.	25.08.1939, seniority 01.07.1938
A/Brig.	15.02.1941?

26.07.1918

WWI medals: 1914-15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal
* For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He handled his company with great dash and skill in a week's fighting. On one day he drove off three attacks, constantly patrolling the line and encouraging his men. When ordered to withdraw he did so successfully from close touch with the enemy and consolidated a position in rear, keeping the line intact against repeated bombing attacks.

Education: idc; psc

01.10.1914			commissioned, Gordon Highlanders
1915	-	1918	served in France & Belgium (wounded)
...	-	...	...
17.01.1933	-	16.01.1936	General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2), Staff College
22.10.1936	-	16.01.1939	General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2), War Office
15.02.1941	-	22.09.1941	Commander, 215th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home)

Balfour-Paul,
Ian Valentine
I.V. Balfour-Paul

Son of John William Balfour-Paul (1873-1957), and Muriel Cassels Monteith (1882-1964).

14.02.1916
Christchurch district, Hampshire
-

Scotland

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	29.03.1941 [179620]
WS/Lt.	29.09.1942
T/Capt.	17.12.1944-(04.1946)

	MC	24.01.1946	NW Europe
	MID	09.08.1945	NW Europe

Education: Wellington and Pembroke College, Cambridge

?	-	28.03.1941	either 141st or 142nd Officer Cadet Training Unit
29.03.1941			commissioned, Corps of Royal Engineers [emergency commission]
(06.1944)	-	(05.1945)	B Squadron, General HQ Liaison Regiment ("Phantom") (NW Europe; Phantom patrol with on D-Day)
(06.1944)			patrol with 3rd Canadian Infantry Division (Normandy)
(11.1944)