Bertie Fisher
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir Bertie Drew Fisher KCB CMG DSO
(13 July 1878 – 1972) was a British Army
General during World War II
.
in 1900.
He served in the Second Boer War
and then went to the Staff College in 1911. In 1913 he became a General Staff Officer in the Military Aeronautics Department at the War Office
.
He served in World War I
initially as a Brigade Major in the 6th Cavalry Brigade
, which formed part of the British Expeditionary Force and then as a General Staff Officer in 1st Cavalry Division. He was appointed Commanding Officer
of the Leicestershire Yeomanry
in 1915 and the Commander
of 8th Infantry Brigade in 1918.
After the War he was Commanding Officer
of the 17th Lancers at the time of their amalgamation with 21st Lancers
in 1922.
He then became Commander
of 2nd Cavalry Brigade in 1923 and Commandant
of the Senior Officer School in 1927. He was then a Brigadier on the General Staff at Aldershot Command from 1930 and Director Recruiting and Organisation at the War Office from 1932. He became Commandant of the Royal Military College Sandhurst in 1934 and retired in 1938.
He was recalled from retirement during World War II
to be General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief for Southern Command
from 1939 to 1940 when he retired again.
He lived in Basingstoke
in Hampshire
.
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(13 July 1878 – 1972) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
General during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Military career
Bertie Fisher was commissioned into the 17th Lancers17th Lancers
The 17th Lancers was a cavalry regiment of the British Army, notable for its participation in the Charge of the Light Brigade in the Crimean War...
in 1900.
He served in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
and then went to the Staff College in 1911. In 1913 he became a General Staff Officer in the Military Aeronautics Department at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
.
He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
initially as a Brigade Major in the 6th Cavalry Brigade
6th Cavalry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Cavalry Brigade was part of the 1st Cavalry Division , which was a British Army First World War and Second World War formation formed in 1939 from Yeomanry Regiments.- History in World War Two :...
, which formed part of the British Expeditionary Force and then as a General Staff Officer in 1st Cavalry Division. He was appointed Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the Leicestershire Yeomanry
Leicestershire Yeomanry
The Leicestershire Yeomanry was a yeomanry regiment of the British Army, first raised in 1794 and again in 1803, which provided cavalry and mounted infantry in the South African War and First World War and provided two field artillery regiments of the Royal Artillery in the Second World War,...
in 1915 and the Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of 8th Infantry Brigade in 1918.
After the War he was Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of the 17th Lancers at the time of their amalgamation with 21st Lancers
21st Lancers
The 21st Lancers were a cavalry regiment of the British Army, created in 1858 and amalgamated to form the 17th/21st Lancers in 1922...
in 1922.
He then became Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of 2nd Cavalry Brigade in 1923 and Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of the Senior Officer School in 1927. He was then a Brigadier on the General Staff at Aldershot Command from 1930 and Director Recruiting and Organisation at the War Office from 1932. He became Commandant of the Royal Military College Sandhurst in 1934 and retired in 1938.
He was recalled from retirement during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
to be General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
-in-Chief for Southern Command
Southern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Second Army Corps and was initially based at Tidworth but in 1949 moved to Fugglestone Farm near Wilton in Wiltshire....
from 1939 to 1940 when he retired again.
He lived in Basingstoke
Basingstoke
Basingstoke is a town in northeast Hampshire, in south central England. It lies across a valley at the source of the River Loddon. It is southwest of London, northeast of Southampton, southwest of Reading and northeast of the county town, Winchester. In 2008 it had an estimated population of...
in Hampshire
Hampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
.