fbpx
Wikipedia

Ouvry Lindfield Roberts

January 06, 2023

General Sir Ouvry Lindfield Roberts, GCB, KBE, DSO (3 April 1898 – 16 March 1986) was a senior officer of the British Army and the British Indian Army during the First and Second World Wars.

Military career

Educated at Cheltenham College, the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and King's College, Cambridge, Ouvry Roberts was commissioned into the Royal Engineers on 6 June 1917.[1] He served on the North West Frontier of India during the Third Anglo-Afghan War in 1919 and in Waziristan 1919–21.[2][3]

Roberts played first-class cricket for the University of Cambridge in 1925, and for the Free Foresters in 1926.[4] After attending the Staff College, Camberley from 1934 to 1935, he served as Deputy Director of Military Operations and Intelligence in India from 17 September 1939 to 28 January 1941.[1][2]

In January 1941 Roberts was appointed GSO1 (Chief Staff Officer) of the 10th Indian Infantry Division, which was then forming at Ahmednagar in India. Three months later the division was ordered to Iraq.[5] The RAF training base at Habbaniya, defended by 1,200 locally recruited Assyrians and Kurds and some armoured cars, was threatened by an Iraqi force in late April and three companies from the 1st Battalion , King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster) were sent by air to reinforce the base. Roberts was sent to Habbaniya on 1 May to review the situation,[6] and assumed the de facto command of the land operations at RAF Habbaniya after the departure of Air Vice Marshal Harry George Smart who had been injured in a car accident.[7] Roberts was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for commanding the ground forces defending RAF Habbaniya.[8]

Roberts commanded what became known as the "Habbaniya Brigade" and, on 19 May 1941, participated in the successful capture of Fallujah.[9] The Habbaniya Brigade was formed in the week following the end of the Iraqi siege of the British garrison at Habbaniya. Roberts formed the brigade by grouping the infantry reinforcements from Basra (2/4 Gurkha) and from Kingcol (1 Essex).[10] Roberts returned to 10th Indian Division after completing what his divisional commander, Major General William Slim, later described as "one of the best single-handed jobs any officer of his then rank had performed in the war".[11]

As chief staff officer, Roberts played an important role in the 10th Indian Division's involvement in the Euphrates expedition during the Syria–Lebanon campaign in July 1941 and the Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran a month later, earning him promotion to Commanding Officer of the division's 20th Indian Infantry Brigade in Iraq in January 1942.[6]

From 1 July 1942 until 24 January 1943,[6] Roberts was the Commanding Officer of the 16th Infantry Brigade in Ceylon.[1] As the threat of a Japanese invasion of Ceylon receded, 16th Infantry Brigade was redeployed in July 1943 while Roberts was appointed chief staff officer (Brigadier General Staff) of IV Corps at Imphal commanded by Lieutenant General Geoffry Scoones[1][12] and which formed part of Slim's Fourteenth Army.[2]

On 10 August 1943 Roberts was promoted to acting major general and appointed General Officer Commanding 23rd Indian Infantry Division, part of IV Corps. The division's units were heavily involved in the decisive Battle of Imphal and the subsequent Allied advance into Burma. In August 1944 the division was withdrawn to India.[13] Roberts was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 8 February 1945.[2] He was promoted substantive major general on 17 February with seniority from 5 June 1944.[2]

On 12 March 1945 Roberts was promoted acting lieutenant general and appointed General Officer Commanding XXXIV Indian Corps, which was tasked with Operation Roger, an amphibious assault on the Kra Peninsula in Thailand. Events moved more rapidly than anticipated and Operation Roger was canceled. The corps was then tasked with Operation Zipper, an amphibious landing on the coast of Malaya. In the event, the landings, which took place in September 1945, were unopposed, taking place days after the Japanese surrender.[1][2][14]

After the war Roberts was appointed as Vice Adjutant-General at the War Office in 1945.[1] He became General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District in 1948 and General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Southern Command in 1949.[1] He became Quartermaster-General to the Forces in 1952 and retired in 1955,[1] widely regarded as one of the high achievers of the Second World War.[14]

Roberts was Aide-de-camp general to the Queen from 1952 to 1955,[1] and Colonel Commandant the Royal Engineers from 1952 to 1962.[1]

Retirement

In retirement Roberts was a Director of Grosvenor Laing and then President of Grosvenor Laing from 1955 to 1960.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
  2. ^ a b c d e f Half Yearly Army List January 1946
  3. ^ Smart 2005, p. 274.
  4. ^ "First-Class Matches played by Ouvry Roberts". CricketArchive. Retrieved 6 April 2015.
  5. ^ Mead 2007, p. 395.
  6. ^ a b c Mead 2007, p. 396.
  7. ^ Lyman 2006, p. 19.
  8. ^ "No. 35396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 December 1941. p. 7333.
  9. ^ Lyman 2006, p. 20.
  10. ^ Lyman 2006, p. 69.
  11. ^ Slim 1956, p. 301.
  12. ^ Mead 2007, p. 397.
  13. ^ Mead 2007, pp. 397−398.
  14. ^ a b Mead 2007, p. 398.

Bibliography

  • Lyman, Robert (2006). Iraq 1941: The Battles for Basra, Habbaniya, Fallujah and Baghdad. Campaign Series. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-84176-991-6.
  • Mead, Richard (2007). Churchill's Lions: a biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II. Stroud (UK): Spellmount. ISBN 978-1-86227-431-0.
  • Slim, William (1956). Defeat into Victory. London: Cassell. OCLC 253543428.
  • Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
  • Wavell, Archibald (1946). Despatch on Operations in Iraq, East Syria and Iran from 10th April, 1941 to 12th January, 1942. London: War Office. in "No. 37685". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 August 1946. pp. 4093–4102.

External links

  • Generals of World War II
Military offices
Preceded by GOC British Army in Northern Ireland
1948–1949 		Succeeded by
Preceded by GOC-in-C Southern Command
1949–1952 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Quartermaster-General to the Forces
1952–1955 		Succeeded by

January 06, 2023
ouvry, lindfield, roberts, general, april, 1898, march, 1986, senior, officer, british, army, british, indian, army, during, first, second, world, wars, ouvry, robertsroberts, greeting, former, indian, army, prisoners, malaya, 1945, born, 1898, april, 1898boga. General Sir Ouvry Lindfield Roberts GCB KBE DSO 3 April 1898 16 March 1986 was a senior officer of the British Army and the British Indian Army during the First and Second World Wars Sir Ouvry RobertsRoberts greeting former Indian Army prisoners of war in Malaya 1945 Born 1898 04 03 3 April 1898Bogawantalawa British CeylonDied16 March 1986 1986 03 16 aged 87 Allegiance United KingdomService wbr branch British ArmyYears of service1917 1955RankGeneralService number10009UnitRoyal EngineersCommands heldSouthern Command 1949 52 Northern Ireland District 1948 49 XXXIV Indian Corps 1945 23rd Indian Infantry Division 1943 45 16th Infantry Brigade 1942 20th Indian Infantry Brigade 1941 Battles warsFirst World WarThird Anglo Afghan WarSecond World WarAwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the BathKnight Commander of the Order of the British EmpireDistinguished Service OrderMentioned in Despatches Contents 1 Military career 2 Retirement 3 References 4 Bibliography 5 External linksMilitary career EditEducated at Cheltenham College the Royal Military Academy Woolwich and King s College Cambridge Ouvry Roberts was commissioned into the Royal Engineers on 6 June 1917 1 He served on the North West Frontier of India during the Third Anglo Afghan War in 1919 and in Waziristan 1919 21 2 3 Roberts played first class cricket for the University of Cambridge in 1925 and for the Free Foresters in 1926 4 After attending the Staff College Camberley from 1934 to 1935 he served as Deputy Director of Military Operations and Intelligence in India from 17 September 1939 to 28 January 1941 1 2 In January 1941 Roberts was appointed GSO1 Chief Staff Officer of the 10th Indian Infantry Division which was then forming at Ahmednagar in India Three months later the division was ordered to Iraq 5 The RAF training base at Habbaniya defended by 1 200 locally recruited Assyrians and Kurds and some armoured cars was threatened by an Iraqi force in late April and three companies from the 1st Battalion King s Own Royal Regiment Lancaster were sent by air to reinforce the base Roberts was sent to Habbaniya on 1 May to review the situation 6 and assumed the de facto command of the land operations at RAF Habbaniya after the departure of Air Vice Marshal Harry George Smart who had been injured in a car accident 7 Roberts was awarded the Distinguished Service Order for commanding the ground forces defending RAF Habbaniya 8 Roberts commanded what became known as the Habbaniya Brigade and on 19 May 1941 participated in the successful capture of Fallujah 9 The Habbaniya Brigade was formed in the week following the end of the Iraqi siege of the British garrison at Habbaniya Roberts formed the brigade by grouping the infantry reinforcements from Basra 2 4 Gurkha and from Kingcol 1 Essex 10 Roberts returned to 10th Indian Division after completing what his divisional commander Major General William Slim later described as one of the best single handed jobs any officer of his then rank had performed in the war 11 As chief staff officer Roberts played an important role in the 10th Indian Division s involvement in the Euphrates expedition during the Syria Lebanon campaign in July 1941 and the Anglo Soviet Invasion of Iran a month later earning him promotion to Commanding Officer of the division s 20th Indian Infantry Brigade in Iraq in January 1942 6 From 1 July 1942 until 24 January 1943 6 Roberts was the Commanding Officer of the 16th Infantry Brigade in Ceylon 1 As the threat of a Japanese invasion of Ceylon receded 16th Infantry Brigade was redeployed in July 1943 while Roberts was appointed chief staff officer Brigadier General Staff of IV Corps at Imphal commanded by Lieutenant General Geoffry Scoones 1 12 and which formed part of Slim s Fourteenth Army 2 On 10 August 1943 Roberts was promoted to acting major general and appointed General Officer Commanding 23rd Indian Infantry Division part of IV Corps The division s units were heavily involved in the decisive Battle of Imphal and the subsequent Allied advance into Burma In August 1944 the division was withdrawn to India 13 Roberts was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 8 February 1945 2 He was promoted substantive major general on 17 February with seniority from 5 June 1944 2 On 12 March 1945 Roberts was promoted acting lieutenant general and appointed General Officer Commanding XXXIV Indian Corps which was tasked with Operation Roger an amphibious assault on the Kra Peninsula in Thailand Events moved more rapidly than anticipated and Operation Roger was canceled The corps was then tasked with Operation Zipper an amphibious landing on the coast of Malaya In the event the landings which took place in September 1945 were unopposed taking place days after the Japanese surrender 1 2 14 After the war Roberts was appointed as Vice Adjutant General at the War Office in 1945 1 He became General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District in 1948 and General Officer Commanding in Chief of Southern Command in 1949 1 He became Quartermaster General to the Forces in 1952 and retired in 1955 1 widely regarded as one of the high achievers of the Second World War 14 Roberts was Aide de camp general to the Queen from 1952 to 1955 1 and Colonel Commandant the Royal Engineers from 1952 to 1962 1 Retirement EditIn retirement Roberts was a Director of Grosvenor Laing and then President of Grosvenor Laing from 1955 to 1960 1 References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives a b c d e f Half Yearly Army List January 1946 Smart 2005 p 274 First Class Matches played by Ouvry Roberts CricketArchive Retrieved 6 April 2015 Mead 2007 p 395 a b c Mead 2007 p 396 Lyman 2006 p 19 No 35396 The London Gazette Supplement 26 December 1941 p 7333 Lyman 2006 p 20 Lyman 2006 p 69 Slim 1956 p 301 Mead 2007 p 397 Mead 2007 pp 397 398 a b Mead 2007 p 398 Bibliography EditLyman Robert 2006 Iraq 1941 The Battles for Basra Habbaniya Fallujah and Baghdad Campaign Series Oxford Osprey Publishing ISBN 1 84176 991 6 Mead Richard 2007 Churchill s Lions a biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II Stroud UK Spellmount ISBN 978 1 86227 431 0 Slim William 1956 Defeat into Victory London Cassell OCLC 253543428 Smart Nick 2005 Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War Barnesley Pen amp Sword ISBN 1844150496 Wavell Archibald 1946 Despatch on Operations in Iraq East Syria and Iran from 10th April 1941 to 12th January 1942 London War Office in No 37685 The London Gazette Supplement 13 August 1946 pp 4093 4102 External links EditGenerals of World War IIMilitary officesPreceded byGerard Bucknall GOC British Army in Northern Ireland1948 1949 Succeeded bySir Reginald DenningPreceded bySir John Harding GOC in C Southern Command1949 1952 Succeeded bySir Ernest DownPreceded bySir Ivor Thomas Quartermaster General to the Forces1952 1955 Succeeded bySir Maurice Chilton Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Ouvry Lindfield Roberts amp oldid 1106235304, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.