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British Army Officers
1939-1945

 

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Oakeshott, J.F.F.
to
Ozzard Low, L.D.

 

J.F.F. Oakeshott  to  L.D. Ozzard Low
Oakeshott,
John Field Fraser
J.F.F. Oakeshott 		02.09.1899
-
2nd Lt.
 		20.09.1918
..
 		...
T/Brig.
 		30.09.1942
20.09.1918

commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery
25.11.1939
 -
 		29.03.1942
 		ADOS, War Office
O'Connor,
Sir Richard Nugent
 "Dick"
R.N. O'Connor R.N. O'Connor
R.N. O'Connor R.N. O'Connor
R.N. O'Connor R.N. O'Connor
R.N. O'Connor R.N. O'Connor
R.N. O'Connor 
 Son of Major Maurice Nugent O'Connor, Royal Irish Fusiliers.
Married 1st (1935) Jean (died 1959), daughter of Sir Walter Ross, KBE, of Cromarty.
Married 2nd (1963) Dorothy, widow of Brigadier Hugh Russell, DSO.
° Wikipedia
° papers
21.08.1889
Srinagar, Kashmir, India
-
17.06.1981 
King Edward VII Hospital for Officers, London
2nd Lt.
 		18.09.1909 [936]
Lt.
 		06.05.1911
Capt.
 		11.03.1915
Bt. Maj.
 		01.01.1917
Maj.
 		16.12.1926
Bt. Lt.Col.
 		17.12.1926
Lt.Col.
 		12.01.1936
Col.
 		03.04.1936, seniority 17.12.1929
Maj.Gen.
 		29.09.1938, seniority 06.01.1938
local Lt.Gen.
 		05.10.1940-02.11.1940
A/Lt.Gen.
 		03.11.1940-17.05.1944
Lt.Gen.
 		18.05.1944, seniority 10.08.1941
Gen.
 		17.04.1945 (retd 30.01.1948)

KT (1971), GCB (1947; KCB 1941; CB 1940), DSO (1917), MC, LLD, idc, psc
 WWI: Mention in Despatches (17.2.1915, 1.1.1916, 4.1.1917, 15.5.1917, 18.12.1917, 30.5.1918, 4.12.1918, 6.1.1919, 5.6.1919); Military Cross (18.2.1915); Distinguished Service Order (1917) and Bar; 1914 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal; Palestine: Mention in Despatches (15.9.1939); Palestine 1936-1939 Medal & Clasp; WWII: Companion of the Order of the Bath (1940); Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (4.3.1941); Mention in Despatches (1.4.1941, 27.1.1944, 22.3.1945); 1939-45 Star; France and Germany Star; Legion of Honour, Commander, Croix de Guerre with palm; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (1947); Knight of the Thistle (7.1971)

Education: Wellington College (1903-1907); Royal Military College, Sandhurst (1908)
18.09.1909

commissioned, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
1913
 -
 		1914
 		Signal Officer, Malta Brigade
1914
 -
 		1918
 		served European War: France & Belgium (9.1914-11.1917), Italy (11.1917-4.11.1918) (A. Sig. Serv. 15.9.1914-28.10.1916) (despatches 9 times, DSO, bar, MC, Italian Silver medal for valour)
08.1914
 -
 		11.1915
 		Signal Officer, 22nd Brigade (UK, France & Belgium)
11.1915
 -
 		28.10.1916
 		Commander, Signal Company, 7th Division (France)
29.10.1916
 -
 		29.05.1917
 		Brigade-Major, 91st Brigade (France)
04.06.1917
 -
 		19.03.1919
 		Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion The Honourable Artillery Company (France, Italy) (T/Lt.Col.)
10.04.1919
 -
 		15.12.1919
 		Adjutant, 2nd Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (UK)
22.01.1920
 -
 		12.1920
 		Staff College
21.01.1921
 -
 		28.02.1921
 		General Staff Officer 3rd grade (GSO3), 3rd Division, Southern Command (UK)
01.03.1921
 -
 		27.01.1924
 		Brigade-Major, Experimental Brigade, Aldershot Command (UK)
12.02.1924
 -
 		31.08.1925
 		Adjutant, 1st Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (UK)
03.09.1925
 -
 		31.08.1927
 		Commander, Company of Gentleman Cadets (General Staff Officer 2nd grade (GSO2)), Royal Military College, Sandhurst (UK)
01.10.1927
 -
 		20.01.1930
 		instructor (General Staff Officer 2nd grade (GSO2)), Staff College, Camberley (UK)
01.1930
 -
 		12.1930
 		Commander, Machine Gun Company, 1st Battalion The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) (Egypt)
12.1930
 -
 		04.1932
 		Brigade Machine Gun Officer (Egypt, India)
07.04.1932
 -
 		14.01.1935
 		General Staff Officer 2nd grade (GSO2), Directorate of Staff Duties, War Office (UK)
15.01.1935
 -
 		1936
 		student, Imperial Defence College
03.04.1936
 -
 		28.09.1938
 		Commander Peshawar Brigade (India) (T/Brig.)
29.09.1938
 -
 03.11.1939
 		Military Governor of Jerusalem & General Officer Commanding, 7th Infantry Division (Palestine, Egypt), redesignated as: *
03.11.1939
 -
 		02.11.1940
 		General Officer Commanding, 6th Infantry Division (Egypt, Palestine) (5.10-2.11.1940 local Lt.Gen.), redesignated as: *
03.11.1940
 -
 		15.02.1941
 		Commander, Western Desert Force (Egypt, Syria, Libya) (from 3.11.1940-17.5.1944 A/Lt.Gen.), redesignated as: *
16.02.1941
 -
 		08.04.1941
 		General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, British Troops in Egypt, redesignated as: *
09.04.1941
 -
 		06.04.1942
 		Commander, XIII Corps (Egypt, Libya) (POW, escaped successfully in Dec. 1943 after 5 attempts) *
21.01.1944
 -
 		01.12.1944
 		Corps Commander, VIII Corps (Normandy, NW Europe)
01.1945
 -
 		11.1945
 		General Officer Commanding­in­Chief, Eastern Command, India
11.1945
 -
 		05.1946
 		General Officer Commanding­in­Chief, North Western Army, India
07.1946
 -
 		08.1947
 		Adjutant­General to the Forces (UK)
Colonel, The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), 1951-1954. Lord Lieutenant, County of Ross & Cromarty, 1955-1964. Aide de Camp General to the King, 1946-1948. Commandant, Army Cadet Force, Scotland, 1948-1959. Lord High Commissioner, Church of Scotland General Assembly, 1964. Justice of the Peace, Ross and Cromarty, 1952.
Literature: Corelli Barnett. The desert generals (1960); Charles E. Pfannes & Victor A. Salamone. The great commanders of World War II. Vol. II: The British (1981); 
John Baynes.The forgotten victor : General Sir Richard O'Connor, KT, GCB, DSO, MC (1989)
* Dates given are from the official personnel records. Redesignations were in effect on other dates.
O'Donnell,
Godfrey
G. O'Donnell
?
-
Lt.
 		20.01.1940 [116965]
WS/Capt.
20.01.1941 (reld > 04.1946)
Education: MB
20.01.1940

commissioned, Royal Army Medical Corps [emergency commission]
Offord,
John Harman
J.F. Offord
 		07.08.1924
-
25.01.2007
Southsea, Hampshire
Cadet
 		? [2601670]
2nd Lt.
 		02.02.1944 [308150]
WS/Lt.
 		02.08.1944 *
A/Capt. TA
 		10.12.1948
Capt. TA
 		07.08.1951, seniority 16.07.1949
Lt.
 		07.01.1952, seniority 25.06.1947
Capt.
 		07.01.1952, seniority 25.12.1951
T/Maj.
 		19.10.1955-(02.1957)
Maj.
 		25.12.1958 (retd 30.09.1965)

* Unemployed List (Release Registers 1945) 07.12.1947-06.01.1952

Education:  BSc



served in the ranks for 330 days
02.02.1944

commissioned, Royal Corps of Signals [emergency commission to 27.06.1948]



transferred to Corps of Royal Engineers - Territorial Army 
16.07.1949

transferred to Royal Corps of Signals - Territorial Army
07.01.1952
 -
 		30.09.1965
 		permanent commission, Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
O'Flaherty,
Antony Thomas
A.T. O'Flaherty
 Son of Col. Austin Romauld O'Flaherty (died 1941).
Married 1st ...; two sons.
Married 2nd [while still married] (10.02.1945, Lucknow, India) Daphne Joan Thomas (died 1995) (marriage dissolved); one daughter.
 		1924 ?
-
2nd Lt.
 		19.11.1939 [105621]
WS/Lt.
19.05.1941
A/Capt.
 		(1945)
Lt.
 		18.11.1946, seniority 19.05.1941
Capt.
 		01.11.1947 (retd 31.10.1952)
Efficiency Medal (Militia) EM
 19.07.1949
 ?
19.11.1939

commissioned, The Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) [emergency commission]
(1945)

attached, Royal Indian Army Service Corps
18.11.1946

transferred, Royal Army Service Corps [short service commission]
31.10.1952
 -
 		01.07.1959
 		Regular Army Reserve of Officers (Class II, from 18.11.1954 Class III)
Emigrated to New Zealand, 1960s, to become a fire fighter.
O'Flaherty,
Denis William Venables Patrick
 D.W.V.P. O'Flaherty
 From Portsmouth.

Jim Scott recounts this anecdote: "I was a cadet at Sandhurst in 1960 and remember (then Major) O'Flaherty recounting the story of how he lost his eye in the Vaagso raid. He and "Monkey" Blacker were pinned down behind a house by a German sniper. (I can't now remember which eye O'Flaherty lost but for the sake of his story assume it was he left eye). Anyway O'Flaherty and Monkey Blacker disagreed about which side of the house the sniper was covering and to settle the argument tossed a coin. O'Flaherty won, and went round the left side of the house and was promptly shot through the left eye by the sniper. (Of course if it was the right eye then it was the other way about). However in later conversations with Monkey Blacker (who in 1960 was also on the staff at Sandhurst) it transpired that the loss of O'Flaherty's eye did not remove him from the Vaagso battle. He continued in the action with the side of his face bandaged and it was not until the base plate of a grenade, that he had thrown up a flight of stairs while clearing a house, clipped the top of his head severely wounding him again and forced his medivac. O'Flaherty also told us that the false eye that he subsequently wore was a real asset to him in a subsequent posting in Africa (unfortunately I don't now remember exactly which country was involved, though I think it might have been Nigeria). Every time he left his quarters he would put his glass eye on the mantle piece and tell his servants that he was still watching them even though he was not there! None of his property was ever stolen and his servants were in absolute awe of him."
 		28.10.1920
-
died between 1975 and 1985
2nd Lt.
 		04.11.1939 [106695]
Lt.
 		04.05.1941
A/Capt.
 		22.07.1943-21.10.1943
T/Capt.
 		22.10.1943-05.09.1944
WS/Capt.
 		06.09.1944
Capt.
 		01.07.1946
A/Maj.
 		06.06.1944-05.09.1944
T/Maj.
06.09.1944-25.09.1944,
28.03.1947-02.09.1947
Maj.
 		04.11.1952
Lt.Col.
 		06.09.1961 (supernumerary 06.09.1964)
Col.
 		24.02.1967, seniority 11.08.1965
Brig.
 		31.12.1968, seniority 30.06.1968 (retd 10.12.1975)
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (Civil Division) CBE
 14.06.1975
 HM's birthday 75

Distinguished Service Order

 DSO
 03.04.1942
 Vaagsö & Maaloy 26.12.41
Mention in Despatches MID
 03.04.1942
 Vaagsö & Maaloy 26.12.41
Bronze Star Medal (US) BSM
 08.06.1951
 Korea
Education: Staff College, Camberley (psc)



served in the ranks for 64 days
04.11.1939

commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery
(12.1941)

No. 3 Commando (Vaagsö)
06.06.1944
 -
 		26.09.1944
 		General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2) (L), Commando Group
01.08.1945
 -
 		01.10.1945
 		General Staff Officer, 3rd grade (GSO3) (Operations), Commando Group
(1950?)

attached US Army 116 Field Battery, 45 Field Regiment (Korea)
04.07.1951
 -
 		01.07.1952
 		General Staff Officer, 3rd grade (GSO3), General HQ Far East Land Forces
17.02.1955
 -
 		21.02.1957
 		Brigade Major, Royal Artillery, ... Infantry Division
30.11.1963
 -
 		(02.1967)
 		College Commander, Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst
Ogg,
George
G. Ogg



06.08.1914
Glasgow, Scotland
-
18.04.2008
Troon, Scotland
2nd Lt.
 		25.09.1943 [307417]
WS/Lt.
 		25.03.1944
T/Capt.
 		01.12.1944-(04.1946)
Hon. Capt.
 		01.01.1949
Mention in Despatches MID
 19.07.1945
 Italy
25.09.1943
  
 		 
 		commissioned, Intelligence Corps [emergency commission]
01.01.1949
 -
 		?
 		Regular Army Reserve of Officers
Publisher.
Olive,
Richard Francis
R.F. Olive
 Son of Charles and Mary Olive; husband of Mabel K. Olive, of Willaston, Cheshire. 
 		(03?).1908
[= 09.12.1907 ?]
Kettering, Northamptonshire
-
31.05.1940
(KIA) [age 32]
[Dunkirk Memorial, Nord, France, column 56]
2nd Lt.
 		09.12.1925 [33855]
Lt.
 		09.12.1928
Education: Oakham School; Cambridge University (BA)



late Cadet Lance-Corporal, Oakham School Contingent, Junior Division, Officer Training Corps
09.12.1925

commissioned, The Gloucestershire Regiment - Supplementary Reserve of Officers
24.08.1939

mobilized
24.08.1939
 -
 		31.05.1940
 		2nd Battalion The Gloucestershire Regiment (Plymouth & France)
O'Neil,
William Henry
W.H. O'Neil 		?
-
deceased
Cadet
 		?
2nd Lt.
 		29.03.1941 [180021]
...
 		...
WS/Capt.
 		13.10.1945
T/Maj.
 		13.10.1945-(04.1946)
A/Lt.Col.
 		?



Officer Cadet Training Unit
29.03.1941
 -
 		?
 		commissioned, Royal Corps of Signals [emergency commission]
 
Openshaw,
Herbert Stanley
H.S. Openshaw 		1889 ?
-
T/Lt.
 		?
T/Capt.
 		?
2nd Lt.
 		02.08.1941 [202147]
WS/Lt.
 		02.08.1941
Military Cross MC
 11.12.1916
 *
* For conspicuous gallantry in action. He rendered most valuable assistance in the organisation and digging of new trenches. On two occasions he voluntarily took out patrols to get into touch with our flanks under intense fire.



East Surrey Regiment
25.09.1918
  
 		 
 		temporary commission, 2nd Lt. (KB) & Hon. Capt. RAF (Flying Branch)
02.08.1941

commissioned, General List [emergency commission]
(04.1944)
  
 		 
 		specially employed
Ormrod,
Peter Charles
P.C. Ormrod
Telegraph obituary
 		31.08.1922
Pen-y-lan, North Wales
-
02.09.2007
Pen-y-lan, North Wales
2nd Lt.
 		03.07.1942 [237398]
WS/Lt.
 		03.01.1943
T/Capt.
 		20.10.1945-(04.1946)
Lt.
 		20.03.1948, seniority 01.03.1945
Capt.
 		31.08.1949 (retd 05.10.1953)
Capt. TA
 		06.03.1958, seniority 30.01.1954
Maj. TA
 		01.05.1961
Military Cross MC
 10.07.1951
 Korea
03.07.1942

commissioned, Scots Guards [emergency commission]
20.03.1948

transferred, 8th King's Royal Irish Hussars - Royal Armoured Corps
06.03.1958
 -
 		01.09.1963
 		served Territorial Army (Royal Welch Fusiliers & 28.04.1962-11.06.1963 Unattached List)
01.09.1963
 -
 		?
 		Territorial Army Reserve of Officers
Honorary Colonel of 3rd Territorial Battalion Royal Welch Fusiliers, ...-18.11.1989. He served for many years as a JP and was High Sheriff for Denbighshire. Deputy Lieutenant of Clwyd from 14.07.1972 to 1980.
O'Rorke,
George McKenzie
G.M. O'Rorke 		?
-
T/ Lt.
 		30.01.1915
Lt.Col.
 		1918?
Lt.
 		05.03.1940 [119836]
WS/Capt.
 		05.06.1940
T/Maj.
 		05.06.1940-(04.1941)
WS/Maj.
 		10.06.1941
T/Lt.Col.
 		10.06.1941-(04.1944)
Hon. Lt.Col.
 		11.07.1945
Member of the Order of the British Empire MBE
 03.06.1918
 Mesopotamia
Companion of the Order of the Indian Empire CIE
 03.06.1919
 Mesopotamia
05.03.1940

commissioned, Corps of Royal Engineers [emergency commission]
(04.1946)

Unemployed List
Orr-Ewing,
John Anthony
J.A. Orr-Ewing 		1915 ?
-
25.01.2007
[age 92]
Hampshire
Lt.
 		07.12.1935
A/Capt.
 		06.01.1941-(04.1941)
WS/Capt.
07.12.1942
?

commissioned, 16ht/5th Lancers - Royal Armoured Corps
?

transferred to Supplementary Reserve (later Regular Army Reserve of Officers)
24.08.1939

mobilized
Orr Ewing,
 [Sir] Ronald Archibald;
5th Baronet
J.A. Orr-Ewing 		14.05.1912
-
14.09.2002
2nd Lt.
 		01.09.1932
...
 		...
Capt.
 		01.09.1940
Maj.
 		01.07.1946 (retd 14.07.1953)
01.09.1932

commissioned, Scots Guards
?
 -
 		?
 		?
DL
Osborne,
John Frater
J.F. Osborne
 Son of James Frater Osborne and Isabella Osborne, of Glasgow.
 		1921 ?
-
01.10.1944
(KIA) [age 23]
[Coriano Ridge War Cemetery, Italy, XV.D.L]
Cadet
 		? [10577805]
2nd Lt.
04.04.1944 [323185]
Mention in Despatches MID
 19.07.1945
 Italy [posthumously]
04.04.1944

commissioned, The Seaforth Highlanders (Ross-shire Buffs, The Duke of Albany's)
Otto,
Penelope Ellison
(Miss)
P.E. Otto
 From Kings Sutton.
Married (post-war) Lt.Col. James W. Phillips; one son, one daughter.

Times obituary
 		05.06.1916
-
10.02.2007
Burnworthy, Churchstanton
[aged 90]
2nd Sub.
 		09.11.1941 [231808]
WS/Jun.Comd.
01.11.1943 (reld > 04.1946)

Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division)

MBE
 18.02.1943
 Middle East
Croix de Guerre (France) CdeG
 < 1941
 ?
09.11.1941

commissioned, Auxiliary Territorial Service

Otway,
Terence Brandram Hastings
T.B.H. Otway T.B.H. Otway
T.B.H. Otway
biographical sketch 1
Wikipedia
 Batterie de Merville website
 		15.06.1914
Cairo, Egypt
-
23.07.2006
Tadworth, Surrey
2nd Lt.
 		30.08.1934
Lt.
 		30.08.1937
A/Capt.
 		03.09.1939-30.09.1939,
15.03.1940-16.05.1940
T/Capt.
 		17.05.1940-15.08.1941
WS/Capt.
 		16.08.1941
Capt.
 		30.08.1942
A/Maj.
 		11.03.1941-03.04.1941,
09.06.1941-15.08.1941
T/Maj.
 		16.08.1941-22.10.1941,
01.02.1942-27.05.1943,
16.06.1943-22.07.1944
WS/Maj.
 		23.07.1944
Maj.
 		30.08.1947 (retd 09.05.1949)
A/Lt.Col.
 		23.04.1944-22.07.1944
T/Lt.Col.
23.07.1944-(01.1946)
Hon. Lt.Col.
 		09.05.1949

Distinguished Service Order

 DSO
 19.10.1944
 ?
NW Frontier of India 1937-1939 Medal & Clasp
 		Education: Staff College, Camberley (psc)
30.08.1934

commissioned, Royal Ulster Rifles
01.10.1939
 -
 		08.06.1941
 		Adjutant, ...



Commanding Officer, 9th Battalion The Parachute Regiment (Army Air Corps)
Owen,
Courtney Bourchier Vyvyan
C.B.V. Owen 		?
-
Gnr.
 		WW1 [70042]
Sgt.
 		? [1411499]
2nd Lt.
 		24.12.1943, seniority 01.10.1941 [230908]
WS/Lt.
01.10.1941
WS/Capt.
 		20.01.1946
T/Maj.
 		20.01.1946-(04.1946)
Mention in Despatches MID
 12.10.1940
 Dunkirk ?
Efficiency Medal (Militia) EM
 29.04.1957
 ?
Imperial Service Medal ISM
 30.03.1962
 GPO Brighton
British War Medal 1914-20 BWM 14|20
 ?
 ?
1939-1945 Star 39|45 St
 ?
 ?
Africa Star Afr St
 ?
 ?
Defence Medal Def M
 ?
 ?
British War Medal 1939-1945 BWM 39|45
 ?
 ?
Skilled workman, Post Office, 02.03.1931.



served in the ranks, Royal Corps of Signals
24.12.1943

commissioned, General List [emergency commission]
28.04.1944

transferred, Royal Corps of Signals
Technical Officer, General Post Office, Brighton.
Owen,
David Ronald Moorsom
D.R.M. Owen

 Telegraph obituary
 		15.09.1916
Harleston, Norfolk
-
10.10.2007
Devon
2nd Lt.
 		27.08.1936 [69021]
Lt.
 		27.08.1939
A/Capt.
 		26.01.1939-25.01.1940
T/Capt.
 		26.01.1940-29.11.1940
WS/Capt.
 		30.11.1940
Capt.
 		27.08.1944
A/Maj.
 		30.08.1940-29.11.1940
T/Maj.
 		30.11.1940-26.08.1949
Maj.
 		27.08.1949
T/Lt.Col.
 		20.03.1958-11.04.1958
Lt.Col.
 		12.04.1958 (supernumerary 12.04.1961)
Col.
 		10.10.1962 (retd 16.09.1971)

Distinguished Service Order

 DSO
 28.06.1945
 ?
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) OBE
 31.12.1960
 New Year 61
Mention in Despatches MID
 19.07.1945
 ?
27.08.1936

commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery
(1940)
 -
 		(1945)
 		2nd Medium Regiment RA
04.08.1945
 -
 		14.09.1945
 		Brigade Major, ... Division
21.10.1945
 -
 		01.01.1946
 		Brigade Major, ... Division
...
 -
 		...
 		...
Owen,
Frederick Stanley
F.S. Owen 		?
-
2nd Lt.
 		14.01.1940 [113587]
WS/Lt.
 		14.07.1941
T/Capt.
15.12.1941-02.11.1943
WS/Capt.
 		03.11.1943 (reld < 04.1946)
14.01.1940

commissioned, The Lancashire Fusiliers [emergency commission]
Ozzard Low,
Laurence David
L.D. Ozzard Low 		16.08.1909
-
2nd Lt.
 		30.01.1931
...
 		...
T/Lt.Col.
09.07.1944
30.01.1931

commissioned into the Prince of Wales's Volunteers
30.01.1934

transferred to the South Lancashire Regiment
01.05.1939

transferred to the Royal Army Ordnance Corps
       
 
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