British Army Officers 1939-1945 -- R

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

Radford, A.J.
to
Rutherford, R.

A.J. Radford to R. Rutherford

Radford,
Alan James
A.J. Radford

Son of James Truth Radford, and of Dorothy Maud Radford (née Heard), of South Woodford, Essex.

(03?).1921
West Ham, Greater London
-
10.09.1943
(KIA) [age 22]
[Bari War Cemetery, Italy, XV.E.3]

Cadet	? [7598568]
2nd Lt.	05.11.1942 [251305]
WS/Lt.	?

15.07.1942			entered, Royal Military College, Sandhurst (awarded the Sword of Honour)
05.08.1942			transferred, Officer Cadet Training Unit, Aldershot
05.11.1942			commissioned, Essex Regiment [emergency commission]
11.11.1942			transferred, Parachute Regiment - Army Air Corps
?	-	10.09.1943	served 6th (10th Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers) Battalion Parachute Regiment (Italy [killed in action])

Railton,
John Parkes
J.P. Railton

Married; one (?) daughter.

(12?).1904
Chester district, Cheshire
-
1993
Cheshire

2nd Lt.	24.03.1944 [313711]
WS/Capt.	25.07.1945
T/Maj.	25.07.1945-(04.1946)

Police inspector in Lancashire.

24.03.1944			commissioned, General List [emergency commission]
			served in NW Europe (Normandy (06.1944), France, Holland & Germany)

Became Land Liaison Officer in Luneburg and police advisor for at least 8 years, thereafter in civilian capacity in Hannover till 1966. Member of the Niederrhein Lodge of the Freemasons.

Randall,
Paul Dominic
P.D. Randall

From Cliftonville.

1913 ?
-
25.02.2007
[age 94]

2nd Lt.	11.10.1941 [210952]
WS/Lt.	01.10.1942
T/Capt.	(1945?)
Maj. TA	23.02.1949
Lt.Col. TA	31.03.1956
Col. TA	31.03.1961, senioritty 31.03.1959 (retd 06.07.1964)

	MBE	20.09.1945	Italy
	TD	?	?

11.10.1941			commissioned, Royal Corps of Signals [emergency commission]
23.02.1949	-	06.07.1964	Territorial Army
06.07.1964	-	?	Territorial Army Reserve of Officers

Rankin,
Colin Whitelock
C.W. Rankin

26.10.1912
Richmond, Surrey
-
1992
London

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	19.10.1940 [153498]
A/Lt.	28.10.1940-(04.1941)
WS/Lt.	05.07.1941
T/Capt.	05.07.1941-(04.1944)
WS/Capt.	16.10.1945 (reld < 04.1946)
T/Maj.	?
Hon. Capt.	< 04.1946

MID

04.04.1946

NW Europe

19.10.1940			commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery [emergency commission]
(04.1941)			specially employed
(04.1944)			specially employed
(1944)	-	(1945)	3rd Battery, 1st Heavy Regiment RA

Ransley,
Eric John
E.J. Ransley

26.09.1921
-
28.04.2008
Frimley Park Hospital

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	28.06.1941 [193677]
...	...
WS/Lt.	05.07.1941
T/Capt.	05.07.1941-(04.1944)
WS/Capt.	16.10.1945 (reld < 04.1946)
T/Maj.	?
Hon. Capt.	< 04.1946

	MBE	?	?
	MC	13.09.1945	?

28.06.1941			commissioned, The Buffs [emergency commission to 31.12.1946]
...	-	...	...

Raymond,
Claud
W.J.M. Raynsford

Son of Lt.Col. Maurice Claud Raymond, CIE, MC, and of Margaret Lilias Nancy Raymond (née Brown), of Fulham, London.

RE Museum biography

22.10.1923
Mottistone, Isle of Wight
-
22.03.1945
Talaku, Burma
(KIA) [age 21]
[Taukkyan Cemetery, Burma, 12.G.9]

2nd Lt.	02.05.1943 [273474]
WS/Lt.	02.11.1943

28.06.1945

Talaku, Burma 22.03.45

02.05.1943

commissioned, Corps of Royal Engineers [emergency commission]

Raynsford,
Wyvill John Macdonald
W.J.M. Raynsford

Son of Richard Montague Raynsford and Daphne Mildred Raynsford; husband of Patricia Howell Raynsford, of Scarborough, Yorkshire.

1921 ?
-
26.06.1944
(KIA) [age 23]
[St. Manvieu War Cemetery, Cheux, IV.C.11]

Cadet RN	01.05.1938
2nd Lt.	02.09.1939 [101748]
WS/Lt.	02.03.1941
T/Capt.	19.11.1941

01.05.1938			joined Royal Navy
24.08.1939			mobilized TA
02.09.1939			commissioned, Royal Armoured Corps - Territorial Army
24.08.1939	-	26.06.1944	2nd Northamptonshire Yeomanry

Rea,
Stanley Charles Walsh Wright
S.C.W.W. Rea, 1945 (Photo courtsey of Mr B.J. Pullen)

From Cheltenham.

16.04.1901
-
03.1984
Fulham, London

2nd Lt.	08.09.1923, seniority 30.08.1922 [26342]
Lt.	30.08.1924
Capt.	01.04.1936
Maj.	30.08.1939 (retd 07.11.1949)
A/Lt.Col.	25.11.1941-24.02.1942
T/Lt.Col.	25.02.1942-14.08.1944
WS/Lt.Col.	15.08.1944
A/Col.	15.02.1944-14.08.1944
T/Col.	15.08.1944-06.03.1945
Hon. Col.	07.11.1949

	OBE	13.12.1945	Italy
	MID	23.03.1944	Sicily

NW Frontier of India Medal & Clasp

08.09.1923			commissioned, The Essex Regiment
(03.1931)			2nd Battalion, The Essex Regiment (Nowshera, India)
(06.1933)			2nd Battalion, The Essex Regiment (Nasirabad, India)
25.07.1936	-	23.04.1937	Staff Captain, British Troops in the Sudan (temporary)
01.11.1938	-	31.10.1940	Adjutant, 2nd/6th Battalion (65th Searchlight Regiment) (Territorial), The Essex Regiment (Southend)
(1945)			British Military training Team (Greece)

Redman,
John Alfred
J.A. Redman

From Sandy, Bedfordshire.

(09?).1907
Staines, Middlesex
-
15.12.1966
Sandy, Bedfordshire

2nd Lt.	20.06.1931 [52042]
Lt.	20.06.1934
Capt.	01.09.1937 (reld < 04.1946)
A/Maj.	01.09.1939-(11.1939)
T/Maj.	22.12.1939-(04.1944)
T/Lt.Col.	?
Hon. Lt.Col.	< 04.1946
Lt.Col.	01.05.1947

	MBE	20.09.1945	Italy
	TD	14.11.1947	?

			late Cadet Under-Officer, Cheltenham College Contingent, Junior Division, Officer Training Corps
20.06.1931			commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery - Territorial Army
20.06.1931	-	(01.1939)	418th (Bedfordshire) Battery, 105th (Bedfordshire Yeomanry) Army Field Regiment RA (Biggleswade)
24.08.1939			mobilized TA
(1939)	-	(1940)	Officer Commanding, "A" Battery, 52nd Heavy Regiment RA
01.03.1949	-	29.12.1962	transferred to Unattached List - Territorial Army Reserve of Officers [age limit]

Company director.

Reeves,
Joseph Henry
J.H. Reeves (Photo courtesy of Mrs Debbie Burton)

Son of Joseph Henry and Ellen Frances Reeves.
Husband of Lena Hilda Reeves, of Catford, London.

Lt. Reeves was murdered whilst trying to escape from Camp 66 Capua, Italy. The United War Commission Charge Sheets clearly state that the Italian officer and guards at the camp were wanted for war crimes for the shooting of Lt. Reeves. He had surrendered and the guards shot at him repeatedly at close range, after which he was denied medical attention for 3 hours. Finally moved to Caserta General Hospital No. 2, where 16 individual bullets were removed from him, another 28 wounds from grape shot were counted. He was refused a blood transfusion following surgery, even though a senior British medical officer requested it. He finally died 2 days later.

07.10.1911
St Olave Bermondsey, London
-
19.08.1942
(died as POW) [age 30]
[Caserta War Cemetery, Italy, II, E, 11]

Private	18.10.1938 [69417]
A/Lance Corporal	13.10.1939
A/Corporal	19.12.1939
Corporal	19.03.1940
A/Colour Sergeant	27.05.1940
Cadet	12.1940?
2nd Lt.	13.07.1941 [200012]
Lt.	15.11.1941

MID	02.03.1944	posthumous; in recognition of gallant and distin-guished services in the field
Def M	?	?
BWM 39-45	?	?
39-45 St	?	?
Afr St	?	?

18.10.1938			enlisted (as a driver), Royal Army Service Corps - Territorial Army
02.09.1939	-	12.10.1939	mobilized TA - 1 BDT Company
13.10.1939	-	11.12.1940	168th (5th City of London Cavalry) Field Ambulance, Royal Army Medical Corps [served in the UK till 17.01.1940 for 1 year, 92 days; embarked for Palestine, serving there from 18.01.1940-11.12.1940 for 328 days]
12.12.1940	-	12.07.1941	1) proceeded to L7T Camp, Port Tewfik en-route for embarkation to RAC Officer Cadet Training Unit, Bangalore, with Fighting Vehicle School (Fighting Vehicle Section), Ahmedmagar [serving in India for 213 days]
13.07.1941			commissioned, Royal Tank Regiment - Royal Armoured Corps [emergency commission] [served in Middle East Forces, Egypt until capture for 225 days]
14.09.1941	-	05.06.1942	42nd Battalion (23rd Bn. The London Regiment) Royal Tank Regiment - Royal Armoured Corps (captured at Gazala) [18.10.1941-15.11.1941 Officer Course at RAC Base Depot and School] *
05.06.1942	-	19.08.1942	in captivity and sent to Capua, Italy, where he died

* In November 1941, when all British tanks, except three, had been knocked out at Sidi Omar, Lt. Reeves, Maj. Rawlings and another officer took charge of the three remaining tanks and tried to hold the gap. Until late in the night, when Maj. Rawlings ordered Lt. Reeves and the other tanks officer to retreat back. Maj. Rawlings' tank was later hit and all where killed the same night.

Reid,
James Charles

Married (07.06.1940, London) Muriel Maud Thomas; two sons, one daughter.

11.06.1918
London
-
26.08.1983
Yeovil, Somerset

Pte.	07.07.1937 [2043384]
L/Cpl.	(1939)
Cpl.	1939
Sgt.	(1940)
Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	20.05.1943 [277115]
WS/Lt.	20.11.1943 (reld 24.03.1946)
T/Capt.	08.12.1945-24.03.1946

07.07.1937			joined Corps of Royal Engineers - Territorial Army (303/26th Anti-Aircraft Battalion, Royal Engineers (Chelsea Barracks))
24.08.1939			mobilized TA
			Officer Training Course, Oswestry, Shropshire
20.05.1943			commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery [emergency commission]
1944	-	1946	2nd Light Anti-Aircraft/Searchlight Battery RA (NW Europe)

Civilian career as an electrical engineer with the Southern Electricity Board in Wiltshire.

Reid,
Robert Tennant

From Glasgow.

05.09.1915
-

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	04.10.1941 [212433]
WS/Lt.	01.10.1942
A/Capt.	29.07.1943-28.10.1943
T/Capt.	29.10.1943-08.11.1944, 15.06.1945-22.07.1945, 09.08.1945-19.02.1946
Capt.	01.07.1946, seniority 20.02.1946
A/Maj.	20.11.1945-19.02.1946
T/Maj.	20.02.1946-17.02.1949
Lt.	19.07.1947, seniority 03.03.1941
Capt.	19.07.1947, seniority 01.07.1946
T/Maj.	01.06.1951-04.09.1951
Maj.	05.09.1951 (retd 29.06.1958)

31.08.1944

Normandy 06.44

1940	-	04.10.1941	served in the ranks for 1 year, 186 days
04.10.1941			commissioned, Royal Regiment of Artillery [emergency commission to 30.06.1946]
(06.1944)			Officer Commanding, F Troop, 318th Battery, 92nd (Loyals) Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment RA (NW Europe; wounded)
20.11.1945	-	(04.1946)	Brigade Major, HQ Royal Artillery Mechanical Traction School (Rhyl)
01.07.1946			short service commission
19.07.1947			permanent commission
29.06.1958	-	25.09.1958	Regular Army Reserve of Officers
25.09.1958	-	?	Territorial Army

Remington-Hobbs,
Edward
E. Remington-Hobbs

Married Susan Mary Sheila Winn. From Oxshott.

07.02.1916
-
07.1997
Maidstone, Kent

2nd Lt.	30.01.1936 [67126]
Lt.	30.01.1939
WS/Capt.	11.05.1941
Capt.	30.01.1944
A/Maj.	11.02.1941-10.05.1941
T/Maj.	11.05.1941-07.04.1943, 30.04.1943-02.04.1945
WS/Maj.	03.04.1945
Maj.	30.01.1949
local Lt.Col.	07.10.1943-20.07.1944
A/Lt.Col.	03.01.1945-02.04.1945
T/Lt.Col.	03.04.1945
Hon. Lt.Col.	?

	DSO	10.05.1945	NW Europe
	OBE	26.06.1947	Netherlands East Indies before 30.11.46

Education: psc

30.01.1936			commisioned, Royal Scots Fusiliers
21.04.1939	-	10.02.1941	Adjutant, ... (TA) (temporary)
29.03.1941			transferred, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders
?			Commanding Officer, 9th Battalion The Cameronians
?	-	07.02.1966	Regular Army Reserve of Officers

Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem (Esquire , 06.01.1961; Officer, 02.07.1963; Commander, 22.08.1969; Knight, 26.04.1977).

Rennie,
Charles Andrew

Son of John and Lucy Rennie; husband of Nan M. Rennie, of Clevedon, Somerset.

biography at Clifton Rugby Football Club website

1914 ?
-
17.03.1945
(DOW) [age 31]
[Maynamati War Cemetery, Bangladesh, 3.B.18]
[Commemorated on the memorial at the St Quiricus and St Julietta Church, Tickenham]

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	17.01.1942 [224079]
WS/Lt.	01.10.1942
T/Capt.	06.08.1943-17.03.1945

12.07.1945

Burma (posthumously)

17.01.1942			commissioned, Royal Armoured Corps [emergency commission]
(04.1944)			seconded to Indian Army
?	-	17.03.1945	attached, 16th Light Cavalry, Indian Armoured Corps (died of wounds received in action)

Rennie,
Tom Gordon
T.G. Rennie

Son of late Dr Thomas Rennie, Foochow, China, and Mrs Rennie, Radlett, Herts, and Torryburn, Kintore, Aberdeenshire. Married (1932) Huldah E.C., daughter of H. Giles Walker, Over Rankeillour, Cupar, Fife (she re-married in 1951 Hugh Edward Richardson); one son, one daughter.

03.01.1900
Foochow, China
-
24.03.1945
(KIA)
[Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany]

Cadet	?
2nd Lt.	16.07.1919 [18139]
WS/Lt.	16.07.1921
Capt.	22.09.1933
Bt. Maj.	01.07.1938
Maj.	01.08.1938
T/Lt.Col.	15.11.1940-07.10.1943
WS/Lt.Col.	08.10.1943
A/Col.	05.05.1943-07.10.1943
T/Col.	08.10.1943-(04.1944)
WS/Col.	12.12.1944
T/Brig.	08.10.1943-(04.1944)
A/Maj.Gen.	12.12.1943-11.12.1944
T/Maj.Gen.	12.12.1944-24.03.1945

CB	28.09.1944	Normandy
DSO	14.01.1943	Middle East
MBE	09.06.1938	HM's birthday 38

Education: Loretto; Royal Military College, Sandhurst; Staff College (1933-1934; psc)

16.07.1919			commissioned, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
11.04.1930	-	20.01.1933	Adjutant, 2nd Battalion The Black Watch
30.05.1936	-	13.04.1938	Brigade Major, Shanghai Area, British Troops in China (temporary)
14.04.1938	-	30.04.1939	General Staff Officer, 3rd grade (GSO3), War Office
01.05.1939	-	06.1940	General Staff Officer, 2nd grade (GSO2), 51st (Highland) Infantry Division (France) (prisoner of war, escaped)
15.08.1940	-	(04.1941)	General Staff Officer, 1st grade (GSO1), Staff Duties and Training Section, HQ Western Command (Chester [UK])
1941	-	1942	Commanding Officer, 5th Battalion Black Watch (Alamein, Sicily) (DSO)
14.12.1942	-	07.01.1943	Commander, 154th (Argyll and Sutherland) Infantry Brigade (Libya) (wounded)
13.05.1943	-	12.12.1943	Commander, 154th (Argyll and Sutherland) Infantry Brigade (N Africa, Sicily, Italy, Sicily, UK)
12.12.1943	-	13.06.1944	General Officer Commanding, 3rd Infantry Division (UK, NW Europe) (wounded)
26.07.1944	-	24.03.1945	General Officer Commanding, 51st (Highland) Infantry Division (NW Europe) (killed in action)

Reynolds,
William
"Willie"
W. Reynolds

?
Shotts, Glasgow, Scotland
-
?
Shotts, Glasgow, Scotland
(knocked down by a car)

Colour Sgt.	?
Lt.	22.03.1941 [178572]
T/Capt.	01.06.1944-(04.1946)
WS/Capt.	25.04.1946?
Capt.	01.12.1948, seniority 25.04.1946 (dismissed by sentence of general Court Martial 26.10.1949)

			served in the ranks, The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment)
22.03.1941			commissioned, The Royal Scots (The Royal Regiment) [emergency commission]
01.12.1948	-	26.10.1949	short service commission

Rice-Evans,
James Alverstone Mackworth
J.A.M. Rice-Evans

08.12.1907
Neath, Breconshire
-
died between 01.1978 and 02.1985

2nd Lt.	02.02.1928 [39447]
Lt.	02.02.1931
Capt.	01.08.1938
A/Maj.	07.07.1940-06.10.1940
T/Maj.	07.10.1940-26.12.1941
WS/Maj.	27.12.1941
Maj.	02.02.1945
A/Lt.Col.	27.09.1941-26.12.1941
T/Lt.Col.	27.12.1941-16.07.1948
Lt.Col.	17.07.1948 (supernumerary 17.07.1951) (retd 14.04.1957)
T/Col.	21.04.1952-13.04.1957
local Brig.	24.02.1954-13.04.1957
Hon. Col.	14.04.1957

02.02.1928			commissioned, The Royal Welch Fusiliers
(03.1931)			2nd Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers (Tidworth, UK)
(06.1933)			2nd Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers (Gibraltar)
(01.1937)			2nd Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers (Hong Kong)
(01.1939)			1st Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers (Blackdown, UK)
23.12.1939	-	30.07.1940	Adjutant, ...
27.09.1941	-	07.1944	Commanding Officer, 4th Battalion The Royal Welch Fusiliers (UK, NW Europe)
15.11.1944	-	04.01.1945	Deputy President, War Office Selection Board
21.04.1952	-	22.02.1954	President, War Office Selection Board (OCS)
1954?	-	1957?	Garrison Commander, Prospect Garrison Bermuda
14.04.1957	-	08.12.1962	Regular Army Reserve of Officers

Richard,
John Ernest Miller
J.E.M. Richard

Married Gaynor Woosnam; one son. Inherited the estate of Kailzie, Peebleshire.

26.10.1894
-
1984

2nd Lt.	15.08.1914 [5782]
Lt.	21.04.1915
Capt.	20.01.1917
Maj.	22.09.1933 (retd 24.09.1938)
Lt.Col. TA	30.06.1939

	OBE	14.06.1945	HM's birthday 45
	TD	?	?

15.08.1914			commissioned, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
09.04.1916	-	10.07.1916	ADC, ...
24.09.1938	-	24.08.1945	Regular Army Reserve of Officers [age limit]
24.08.1939			mobilized TA
30.06.1939	-	14.05.1942	Commanding Officer, 8th Battalion The Royal Scots
?	-	05.09.1951	Territorial Army Reserve of Officers [age limit]

Honorary Colonel, 8th Battalion The Royal Scots, 06.08.1956-01.03.1961. Deputy Lieutenant, Peebles, 09.09.1942.

Richards,
Cecil Harvey
C.H. Richards

(03?).1907
Redruth district, Cornwall
-

2nd Lt.	08.08.1942 [316522]
WS/Lt.	?
WS/Capt.	23.07.1945 (reld 22.03.1952)
T/Maj.	23.07.1945-(04.1946)
Hon. Maj.	22.03.1952

08.08.1942

commissioned, African Colonial Force, Corps of Royal Engineers [emergency commission]

Richards,
Cuthbert Henry
C.H. Richards

(12?).1917
Lichfield district, Staffordshire
-

2nd Lt.

28.12.1940 [165377]