Citizendia

Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck
June 21, 1884–March 23, 1981

NicknameThe Auk
Place of birthAldershot, United Kingdom[1]
Place of deathMarrakech, Morocco
AllegianceFlag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branchIndian Army
Years of service1904–1947
RankField Marshal
Commands held1st Battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment (21 Jan 1929 - 31 Jan 1930)
Meerut district (1938)
3rd Indian Division (Sep 1939)
IV Corps (Jan 1940)
C in C, Northern Norway (Apr - Jun 1940)
V Corps (Jun 1940)
Southern Command (UK) (Jul - Nov 1940)
Middle East Command (1941-1942)
Commander-in-Chief, India (1941 & 1943-1947)
Battles/warsWorld War I:
- Egypt (1915)
- Mesopotamian campaign
Mohmand (1935)
World War II:
-Norwegian campaign
-North African campaign
AwardsGCB (Jan 1945)
GCIE (Dec 1940)
CB (July 1934)
CSI (May 1936)
DSO (Jun 1917)
OBE (Jun 1919)
mentioned in dispatches (1917 & 1934)
Legion of Merit, Chief Commander (23 Jul 1948)
Virtuti Militari 5th class (15 May 1942)
War Cross (1944)
Order of the Star of Nepal, 1st Class (1945)
Knight Grand Cross of Order of St Olav (19 Mar 1948)
1st Class Order of Cloud and Banner (1947)
Grand Officer, Légion d'honneur
Croix de guerre (1918 and 1949)

Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE (June 21, 1884 - March 23, 1981), nicknamed The Auk, was a British army commander during World War II. Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 Aldershot is a town in the English County of Hampshire, located on heathland about 60 km (37 miles southwest of London. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Marrakesh or Marrakech ( Amazigh: Murakush, Arabic مراكش Murrakush) known as the "Red City" Morocco (المغرب "al-Maghrib" officially the Kingdom of Morocco (المملكة المغربية is a country located in North Africa The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. Please see " Field Marshal " for other countries which use this rank Field Marshal is the highest military rank of the United Kingdom The 1st Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the Partition of India in 1947 Meerut district is one of the districts of Uttar Pradesh The Indian IV Corps has a long history The Corps HQ was originally a British formation created during World War I. A commander-in-chief is the Commander of a nation's Military forces or significant element of those forces North Norway ( Norwegian: Nord-Norge ( Bokmål) or Nord-Noreg ( Nynorsk) is the geographical region of northern V Corps was a Corps of the British Army in both World War I and World War II. During World War II the British Middle East Command was based in Cairo with responsibility for the Middle East theatre which included North Africa The British Commander-in-Chief in India (or Commander-in-Chief of India) was the chief military commander for the British administration World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of the Great War fought between Allied Powers represented by the British Empire The Mohmand Agency ( Urdu: مہمند) is a district in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of Pakistan created in 1951 World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including The Norwegian Campaign, lasting from 9 April to 10 June 1940, led to the first direct land confrontation between the military forces of the Allies During World War II, the North African Campaign, also known as the Desert War, took place in the North African desert from June 10, 1940 The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British Order of chivalry founded by George The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of Chivalry founded by Victoria in 1878 The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British Order of chivalry founded by George The article is about the order of chivalry known as "Star of India" The Distinguished Service Order ( DSO) is a Military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries awarded for The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Mentioned in Despatches (MID is a Military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding The Order Virtuti Militari ( Latin for "For Military Virtue" is Poland 's highest Military decoration for valor in the face of The Czechoslovak War Cross (Československý válečný kříž in Czech) is a Military decoration of the former state of Czechoslovakia which was issued The Royal Norwegian Order of St Olav ( Norwegian: Den Kongelige Norske St The Order of the Cloud and Banner (雲麾勳章 is a military award of the Republic of China. The Croix de Guerre (sometimes lowercase in French Croix de guerre, meaning "Cross of War" is a military decoration of both France and Please see " Field Marshal " for other countries which use this rank Field Marshal is the highest military rank of the United Kingdom The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath) is a British Order of chivalry founded by George The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of Chivalry founded by Victoria in 1878 The article is about the order of chivalry known as "Star of India" The Distinguished Service Order ( DSO) is a Military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries awarded for The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British Order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by King George V. Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Year 1884 ( MDCCCLXXXIV) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Leap year Events 1174 - Jocelin, Abbot of Melrose, is elected Bishop of Glasgow. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981 World War II, or the Second World War, (often abbreviated WWII) was a global military conflict which involved a majority of the world's nations, including He was a career soldier who spent much of his military career in India, where he developed a love of the country and a lasting affinity for the soldiers he commanded. India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country

Contents

Early life and career

The Auchinlecks were an Ulster Scots family from County Fermanagh, where they had settled in the 17th century. Ulster Scots, also known as Ullans, Hiberno-Scots, or Scots-Irish, refers to the variety of Scots (sometimes referred to as County Fermanagh (fɚr'mænɘ Contae Fhear Manach or Fear Manach ('Men of Monach'in Irish) is the westernmost of the six counties that form Northern Claude Auchinleck was born in Aldershot, son of Colonel John and Mary Auchinleck, while his father's regiment was stationed there[2]. Aldershot is a town in the English County of Hampshire, located on heathland about 60 km (37 miles southwest of London. His father died in 1892, when he was eight years old, and Auchinleck grew up in impoverished circumstances, but he was able, through hard work and scholarships, to graduate from Wellington College and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst. Wellington College, the national monument to the Duke of Wellington, is an English Co-educational public school located in the Berkshire village The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst ( RMAS) commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is the British Army officer initial training centre Sandhurst is a small town and Civil parish in England of around 7500 homes and 22000 inhabitants primarily domiciliary in nature with a few light industries

Auchinleck applied to join the Indian Army and, having achieved in 1903 a qualifying position in the entrance examination, in 1904 he joined the 62nd Punjab Regiment. See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. He was able to learn Punjabi rapidly and, able to speak fluently with his soldiers, he absorbed a knowledge of local dialects and customs. Punjabi (pa ਪੰਜਾਬੀ in Gurmukhi script pa-PK {{Nastaliq پنجابی}} in Shahmukhi script Pañjābī in Transliteration) is an This familiarity engendered a lasting mutual respect, enhanced by his own personality[3].

During World War I, he served in the Middle East in Egypt, Palestine and Mesopotamia. World War I (abbreviated WWI; also known as the First World War, the Great War, and the War to End All The Middle East is a Subcontinent with no clear boundaries often used as a synonym to Near East, in opposition to Far East. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Palestine is a name which has been widely used since Roman times to refer to the region between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River. Mesopotamia (from the Greek meaning "land between the rivers" is an area geographically located between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers largely corresponding Auchinleck's division was the last of four offered by the Indian government and, while en route for France, it was reassigned to defend the Suez Canal from a potential Turkish attack. The Suez Canal is a Canal in Egypt. Opened in 1869 it allows Water transportation between Europe and Asia without circumnavigation The Ottoman Empire (1299–1923 ( Old Ottoman Turkish: دولتْ علیّه عثمانیّه Devlet-i Âliye-yi Osmâniyye, Late Ottoman and Modern Turkish When the attack occurred in February 1915, Auchinleck's regiment prevented the Turks from crossing the canal and he led a counter-attack which defeated them. The Turks subsequently surrendered.

The 6th Indian Division, of which the 62nd Punjabis were a part, was landed at Basra on 31 December, 1915 for the Mesopotamian campaign. The name Indian 6th Infantry Division was given to British Indian Army divisions formed during World War I and World War II. Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra Events 406 – Vandals, Alans and Suebians cross the Rhine, beginning an invasion of Gallia. The Mesopotamian campaign was a campaign in the Middle Eastern theatre of the Great War fought between Allied Powers represented by the British Empire In early 1916 Auchinleck was promoted Acting Major and made second in command of the regiment. North of Basra, the Punjabis were in heavy action in dreadful conditions: cold, rain and mud as well as determined Turkish defence reduced the regiment to 247 men and Auchinleck took temporary command when his regimental commander was wounded. Further hard fighting ensued: the Turkish army inflicted a humiliating reversal on the British and eventual success was hard won. Auchinlek was mentioned in despatches and received the Distinguished Service Order in 1917 for his service in Mesopotamia. Mentioned in Despatches (MID is a Military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service The Distinguished Service Order ( DSO) is a Military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries awarded for

Auchinleck took a number of practical lessons from his experiences in Mesopotamia. Firstly, soldiers' health and well-being was critical to an army's effectiveness and he became convinced of the need of adequate rest, hygiene, good food and medical supplies for the troops. Secondly, he had seen the futility of inadequately prepared attacks against dug-in, well-armed defenders and this fuelled his later reluctance to initiate precipitate actions advocated by his political and military superiors.

Between the wars, Auchinleck served in India. He was both a student and an instructor at the Staff College at Quetta and also attended the Imperial Defence College. The Command and Staff College was established in 1907 at Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan. ( Urdu: کوئٹہ) ( Pashto: کوټه) also spelled Kwatah City is a variation of kwatkot a Pashto word meaning “fort The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. In 1929 he had been appointed to command his regiment which had become in the 1923 reorganisation of the British Indian Army the 1st battalion, 1st Punjab Regiment. See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. The 1st Punjab Regiment was a British Indian Army regiment from 1922 to the Partition of India in 1947 In 1933, he took command of the Peshawar Brigade, which was active in the pacification of the adjacent tribal areas. A serious operation in the Mohmand area in 1935, led to the first use of tanks in India. Mohmand ( Pashto: مہمند) is the name of a Pashtun tribe living primarily in northeastern Afghanistan and in the North-West Frontier Auchinleck was Mentioned in Despatches and received the CSI and CB for his skill in managing the operation. Mentioned in Despatches (MID is a Military award for gallantry or otherwise commendable service The article is about the order of chivalry known as "Star of India"

In 1938 Major-General Auchinleck was appointed to chair a committee to consider the modernisation, composition and re-equipment of the British Indian Army. See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. The committee's recommendations formed the basis of the 1939 Chatfield Report which outlined the transformation of the Indian Army which grew to over 2,250,000 men by the end of the war from 183,000 in 1939. Admiral of the Fleet Alfred Ernle Montacute Chatfield 1st Baron Chatfield, GCB, OM, KCMG, CVO, PC ( 27 September [4]

World War II

Norway

On the outbreak of war Auchinleck was appointed to command Indian 3rd Infantry Division but in January 1940 was summoned to the United Kingdom to command IV Corps, the only time in the war that a wholly British corps was commanded by an Indian Army officer. The Chindits (Officially in 1942 77th Indian Infantry Brigade and in 1943 Indian 3rd Infantry Division) were a British Indian Army "Special Force" that served [5] In May 1940 Auchinleck took over command of the Anglo-French ground forces in Norway,[5] a military operation that was doomed to fail. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional After the fall of Norway, in July 1940 he briefly commanded V Corps before becoming General Officer Commander-in-Chief, Southern Command, where he had an uneasy relationship with his subordinate Bernard Montgomery, the new V Corps commander. V Corps was a Corps of the British Army in both World War I and World War II. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn Montgomery later wrote[6]

"In the 5th Corps I first served under Auchinleck. . . . . I cannot recall that we ever agreed on anything"

In December 1941 Auchinleck was recalled to India to become Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army. See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India.

India 1941-2

When in April 1941 the large British airforce base at Habbaniya in Iraq was threatened by the new pro-Axis regime of Rashid Ali General Archibald Wavell, C-in-C Middle East Command, was reluctant to intervene, despite the urgings of Winston Churchill, because of his pressing commitments in the Western Desert and Greece. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. Rashid Ali al-Gaylani (رشيد عالي الكيلاني also spelled Sayyad Rashid Ali al-Gillani or Sayyad Rashid Ali al-Gailani, son of Sayyad Abdul Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May During World War II the British Middle East Command was based in Cairo with responsibility for the Middle East theatre which included North Africa Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Auchinleck, however, acted decisively, sending a battalion of the King's Own Royal Regiment by air to Habbaniya and shipping Indian 10th Infantry Division by sea to Basra. The King's Own Royal Regiment (Lancaster was an Infantry Regiment of the line in the British Army, first raised on July 13, 1680 Basra ( BGN: AlBasrah also called Basorah Abillah and Uruk or IRAQ The name that British colony has adopted for Basra Wavell was prevailed upon by London to send Habforce, a relief column, from the British Mandate of Palestine but by the time it arrived in Habbaniya on 18 May the Anglo-Iraqi War was virtually over. The Palestine Mandate, was a set of protocols or articles that formed a multilateral legal and administrative agreement Events 1152 - Henry II of England marries Eleanor of Aquitaine. The Anglo-Iraqi War was a conflict between the United Kingdom and the Nationalist government of Iraq during World War II. [7]

North Africa

Following the see-saw of Allied and Axis successes and reverses in North Africa, Auchinleck was appointed to succeed General (later Field Marshal) Sir Archibald Wavell as C-in-C Middle East Command in July 1941; Wavell took up Auchinleck's post as C-in-C of the Indian Army, swapping jobs with him. Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May During World War II the British Middle East Command was based in Cairo with responsibility for the Middle East theatre which included North Africa Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

General Auchinleck as C-in-C Middle East was based in Cairo, with responsibility not just for North Africa but also for Persia and the Middle East; the Eighth Army confronting the German Afrika Corps and the Italian Army was commanded successively by Lieutenant-Generals Sir Alan Cunningham and Neil Ritchie. Cairo () which means "the Vanquisher" or "the Triumphant" is the capital and largest city of Egypt. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns It was a British The German Afrikakorps ( German: Deutsches Afrikakorps DAK) was the original German blocking force (Sperrverband = Armored Blocking Force in Libya The Italian Army (Esercito Italiano is the ground defense force of the Military of Italy. General Sir Alan Gordon Cunningham GCMG, KCB, DSO, MC (1 May 1887 - 30 January 1983 was a British Army officer General Sir Neil Methuen Ritchie GBE Following his retirement he emigrated to Canada and took up a position as chairman of an insurance company The first major offensive by Eighth Army following Auchinleck's appointment, Operation Crusader in November 1941 resulted in the defeat of much of the British armour and the breakdown of Cunningham. Operation Crusader ( 18 November &ndash 30 December 1941) was the third the largest the longest and ultimately successful attempt to relieve the 1941 Auchinleck relieved Cunningham, and ordered the battle to continue. Despite heavy losses, the Eighth Army drove the Axis forces back to El Agheila. Auchinleck then appointed Ritchie to command Eighth Army. While Auchinleck resumed overall strategic direction of the Middle East theatre, he continued to dictate operational matters to Ritchie. In January of 1942 the Afrika Korps struck at the dispersed and weakened British forces, driving them back to the Gazala positions near Tobruk. Tobruk or Tubruq (طبرق also transliterated as Tóbruch, Tobruch, Ţubruq, Tobruck) is a Town, Seaport Rommel's attack at the Battle of Gazala of May 25, 1942 resulted in a significant defeat for the British. The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the World War II Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from Events 1085 - Alfonso VI of Castile takes Toledo Spain back from the Moors. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Eighth Army retreated into Egypt; Tobruk (which was of great political significance to Winston Churchill but of limited military importance to Auchinleck) fell on 21 June. This article is about the country of Egypt For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Egypt topics. Tobruk or Tubruq (طبرق also transliterated as Tóbruch, Tobruch, Ţubruq, Tobruck) is a Town, Seaport Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, KG, OM, CH, TD, FRS, PC, PC (Can ( 30 November 1874 Events 524 - Godomar, King of the Burgundians defeats the Franks at the Battle of Vézeronce. Once more Auchinleck stepped in to take direct command of the Eighth Army, having lost confidence in Ritchie's ability to control and direct his forces. Auchinleck discarded Ritchie's plan to stand at Mersa Matruh, deciding to fight only a delaying action there, while withdrawing to the more easily defendable position at El Alamein. Marsa Matruh ( Arabic مرسى مطروح Maṭrūḥ (known in Ptolemaic and Byzantine times as Paraitonion (Παραιτόνιον and El Alamein (or Al Alamayn) ( العلمين is a town in northern Egypt on the Mediterranean Sea coast in Matruh Governorate. Here Auchinleck tailored a defence that took advantage of the terrain and the few fresh troops at his disposal, and decisively stopped the German/Italian advance in the First Battle of El Alamein. The First Battle of El Alamein 1&ndash27 July 1942 was a battle of the Western Desert Campaign of World War II, fought between Axis forces commanded But Auchinleck's Eighth Army was too weak and uncoordinated to actually destroy the Panzer Army Africa, and once stopped, the battles against the Axis through July only served to exhaust both sides. As the number of German armed forces committed to the North Africa Campaign of World War II grew from the initial commitment of a small corps the Germans developed a more elaborate

"The Auk", as he was known, appointed a number of senior commanders who proved to be unsuitable for their positions, and command arrangements were often characterised by bitter personality clashes. Auchinleck was an Indian Army officer and was criticised for apparently having little direct experience or understanding of British and Dominion troops. Nonetheless, he was the first British officer to put together a combination of training and method that worked against the enemy. Since the war, Auchinleck's success at Alamein in July has been accepted as the key moment in the entire desert war - the turning point after which the Germans enjoyed no major success.

Auchinleck's desire for the Eighth Army to fight in mobile 'Brigade Groups' rather than Divisions was resisted by many subordinates. His controversial chief of staff, Major-General Dorman-Smith, was regarded with considerable distrust by many of the senior commanders in Eighth Army, particularly the old guard who were wary of the new methods of mobile warfare. Eric Edward Dorman-Smith ( 24 July 1895 – 11 May 1969) later de- Anglicised to Eric Edward Dorman O'Gowan, was a Critically, the failure of British armour to coordinate with infantry had led to a number of disasters, and these were largely, and unfairly, pinned on Auchinleck. By July 1942 Auchinleck had lost the confidence of Dominion commanders and relations with his British commanders had become strained.

Like his foe Rommel (and his predecessor Wavell and successor Montgomery), Auchinleck was subjected to constant political interference, having to weather a barrage of hectoring telegrams and instructions from Prime Minister Churchill throughout late 1941 and the spring and summer of 1942. Churchill constantly sought an offensive from Auchinleck, and was (understandably) downcast at the military reverses in Egypt and Cyrenaica. Churchill was desperate for some sort of British victory before the planned Allied landings in North Africa, Operation Torch, scheduled for November 1942. Operation Torch (initially called Operation Gymnast) was the British - American invasion of French North Africa in World War II He badgered Auchinleck immediately after the Eighth Army had all but exhausted itself after the first battle of El Alamein. Churchill and the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Alan Brooke, flew to Cairo in early August 1942, to meet Auchinleck, but it is now obvious that Churchill and Brooke had already lost confidence in Auchinleck. Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke 1st Viscount Alanbrooke KG, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO (23 July 1883 &ndash 17 June 1963 was

He was replaced as C-in-C Middle East Command by General Sir Harold Alexander (later Field Marshal Earl Alexander of Tunis) and as GOC Eighth Army by Lieutenant-General William Gott, who was killed in Egypt before taking up command. During World War II the British Middle East Command was based in Cairo with responsibility for the Middle East theatre which included North Africa Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis KG OM GCB GCMG CSI DSO Lieutenant-General William Henry Ewart "Strafer" Gott CB, CBE, DSO and bar, MC ( 13 August On Gott's death, Lieutenant-General (later Field Marshal Viscount) Bernard Montgomery was appointed commander of the Eighth Army. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn Auchinleck's reputation (along with that of many other officers) subsequently suffered at the hands of Montgomery and others.

India

Churchill offered Auchinleck command of the newly created Persia and Iraq Command (this having been hived off Alexander's command), but the Auk declined this post, possibly as Tenth Army, which at the time, formed the bulk of the troops, was commanded by his Indian Army friend and colleague Lieut. Iraqforce, was a British and Commonwealth formation which fought in the Middle East during World War II. Tenth Army was created in Iraq and formed the major part of " Paiforce " ( Persia and Iraq Force -General Sir Edward Quinan. General Sir Edward Pellew Quinan KCB, KCIE, DSO, OBE was a British army commander during World War II. His stated reasons were more pragmatic, that the new arrangements would not be workable in practice, and were set out in his letter to the CIGS dated 14 August 1942. Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS was the title of the professional commander of the British Army from 1908 until 1964 Events 1183 - Taira no Munemori and the Taira clan take the young Emperor Antoku and the three sacred treasures Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. [8] The post was accepted in his stead by General Sir Henry Maitland Wilson. Field Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson 1st Baron Wilson, GCB, GBE, DSO ( 5 September 1881 &ndash 31 December Instead he returned to India, where he spent almost a year "unemployed" before in 1943 being again appointed Commander-in-Chief of the Indian Army, General Wavell meanwhile having been appointed Viceroy. Year 1943 ( MCMXLIII) was a Common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and C-in-C India had become a rear area appointment with the prosecution of the Burma Campaign the responsibility of the Supreme Commander, Admiral Louis Mountbatten. The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, Nevertheless, Auchinleck played an important role and made the supply of Fourteenth Army, with probably the worst lines of communication of the war, his immediate priority[9]; as William Slim, commander of the Fourteenth Army was later to write:[10]

"It was a good day for us when he [Auchinleck] took command of India, our main base, recruiting area and training ground. Field Marshal William Joseph "Bill" Slim 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, KStJ The British Fourteenth Army was a multinational force comprising units from Commonwealth countries during World War II. The Fourteenth Army, from its birth to its final victory, owed much to his unselfish support and never-failing understanding. Without him and what he and the Army of India did for us we could not have existed, let alone conquered"

Auchinleck continued in the post after the end of the war, being promoted field marshal in June 1946.

Post-war life

Auchinleck as C-in-C of the Indian Army, with the then Viceroy Wavell and Montgomery.
Auchinleck as C-in-C of the Indian Army, with the then Viceroy Wavell and Montgomery. The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn

Much against his own convictions, Auchinleck helped prepare the future Indian and Pakistani armies prior to Partition scheduled for August 1947. The Partition of India was the partition of the British Indian Empire which led to the creation on August 14, 1947 and August 15, Year 1947 ( MCMXLVII) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1947 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. In November 1945, Auchinleck was forced to commute the sentence of transportation for life awarded to three officers of the Indian National Army in face of growing unease and unrest both within the Indian Population, and the British Indian Army. The Indian National Army ( INA) or Azad Hind Fauj ( Hindi: आज़ाद हिन्द फ़ौज was an armed force formed by Indian nationalists See Indian Army for the post-independence (and post- partition) army of the Republic of India. In 1946 he was promoted to field marshal but he refused to accept a peerage, lest he be thought associated with a policy (i. Year 1946 ( MCMXLVI) was a Common year starting on Tuesday (link will display full 1946 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. e. Partition) that he thought fundamentally dishonourable. [9] Having disagreed sharply with Lord Mountbatten, the last Viceroy of India, he resigned as C-in-C and retired in 1947. Admiral of the Fleet Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, OM, GCSI, The Governor-General of India (or from 1858 to 1947 the Viceroy and Governor-General of India) was the head of the British administration in India, and In 1948 the Auk returned to Britain, his wife having left him for Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Peirse in 1946. Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. This article is about the World War II Air Chief Marshal For his son who reached the rank of Air Vice-Marshal see Richard Peirse (AVM.

Although a somewhat dour character, he was known as a generous and welcoming host. Despite being a general for longer than almost any other soldier, he was never pompous, and hated all forms of display and affectation. Above all, he was a soldier of the utmost integrity, whose reputation, unlike that of many Allied officers, has grown with passing years. In retirement, The Auk moved to Marrakesh, where he lived quietly in a modest flat for many years, taking his morning coffee at the La Rennaisance Cafe in the new part of the city, where he was known by all simply as le marechal. Marrakesh or Marrakech ( Amazigh: Murakush, Arabic مراكش Murrakush) known as the "Red City" He was befriended and aided by Corporal Malcolm James Millward, a serving soldier in the Queen's Regiment for three and a half years up until the death of Sir Claude in 1981. Year 1981 ( MCMLXXXI) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays the 1981

Army career summary

References

Footnotes

  1. ^ Keegan (ed), John; Philip Warner (1991). Sir John Desmond Patrick Keegan OBE (born 15 May, 1934) is a British Military historian, lecturer and journalist Philip Warner is a freelance portrait and entertainment photographer living in Houston Texas Churchill's Generals. London: Cassell Military, p131. Orion Publishing Group Ltd is a UK -based Book Publisher. It is owned by Hachette Livre. ISBN 0-304-36712-5.   Other sources, including the online Dictionary of Ulster Biography, state that Auchinleck was born in Co Fermanagh, Ulster
  2. ^ Ulster Scot Newsletter: Famous Ulster Generals
  3. ^ Keegan (ed), John; Philip Warner (1991). County Fermanagh (fɚr'mænɘ Contae Fhear Manach or Fear Manach ('Men of Monach'in Irish) is the westernmost of the six counties that form Northern Sir John Desmond Patrick Keegan OBE (born 15 May, 1934) is a British Military historian, lecturer and journalist Philip Warner is a freelance portrait and entertainment photographer living in Houston Texas Churchill's Generals. London: Cassell Military, pp 131-132. Orion Publishing Group Ltd is a UK -based Book Publisher. It is owned by Hachette Livre. ISBN 0-304-36712-5.  
  4. ^ Mackenzie, Compton (1951). Sir Edward Montague Compton Mackenzie ( January 17, 1883, West Hartlepool, England – November 30, 1972 in Edinburgh Eastern Epic. Chatto & Windus, London, pp. 1-3.  
  5. ^ a b Mead, p. 52
  6. ^ Montgomery, Bernard Memoirs of a Field Marshal, p. 71
  7. ^ Mead, p. 53
  8. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38177, pages 398–400, 15 January 1948. The London Gazette is one of the official journals of record of the British government, and the most important among such official journals in the UK in which certain Events 588 BC - Nebuchadrezzar II of Babylon lays siege to Jerusalem under Zedekiah 's reign Year 1948 ( MCMXLVIII) was a Leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar of the Gregorian calendar.
  9. ^ a b Mead, p. 57
  10. ^ Slim, Defeat into Victory, p. 176
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Robert Archibald Cassels		Commander-in-Chief, India
1941		Succeeded by
Sir Archibald Wavell
Preceded by
Sir Archibald Wavell		Commander-in Chief, Middle East
July 1941 - August 1942		Succeeded by
The Hon. Sir Harold Alexander
Preceded by
Neil Ritchie		Commander-in Chief, Eighth Army
25 June 1942 - 13 August 1942		Succeeded by
Bernard Law Montgomery
Preceded by
Sir Archibald Wavell		Commander-in-Chief, India
1943 – 1947		Succeeded by
Sir Robert Lockhart
The British Commander-in-Chief in India (or Commander-in-Chief of India) was the chief military commander for the British administration Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May During World War II the British Middle East Command was based in Cairo with responsibility for the Middle East theatre which included North Africa Year 1941 ( MCMXLI) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (the link will display 1941 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis KG OM GCB GCMG CSI DSO General Sir Neil Methuen Ritchie GBE Following his retirement he emigrated to Canada and took up a position as chairman of an insurance company The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns It was a British Events 524 - Battle of Vézeronce, the Franks defeat the Burgundians Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 3114 BC - According to the Lounsbury correlation the start of the Maya calendar. Year 1942 ( MCMXLII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC, (məntˈgʌmərɪ əv ˈæləmeɪn Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (5 May 1883 – 24 May The British Commander-in-Chief in India (or Commander-in-Chief of India) was the chief military commander for the British administration General Sir Rob McGregor MacDonald Lockhart KCB CIE MC (1893 - 1981 was a British Indian Army general of World War II
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