Charles Phibbs Jones
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Charles Phibbs Jones GCB CBE MC
(1906–1988) was a British Army
General who reached high office in the 1950s.
in 1925. He saw service with Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners
in India
between 1928 and 1934 and then became Adjutant
for the Royal Engineers Contingent within the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
in 1934.
He served in World War II
initially as Brigade Major for 127th Infantry Brigade which formed part of the British Expeditionary Force
dispatched to France
and Belgium
in 1940. He was an Instructor at the Staff College from 1940 to 1941 when he became a General Staff Officer at General Headquarters Home Forces. In 1943 he was appointed Commander
Royal Engineers
for the Guards Armoured Division. He became Chief of Staff
Malaya Command
in 1945 and then Brigadier
on the General Staff of 30 Corps in North West Europe in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Brigadier on the General Staff at Western Command
in 1946. He then went to the Imperial Defence College in 1947 before being appointed Commander
2nd Infantry Brigade in 1948. In 1950 he became Director of Plans at the War Office
and in 1951 he went on to be General Officer Commanding
7th Armoured Division, part of British Army of the Rhine
.
He was Commandant
at the Staff College, Camberley
from 1954 to 1956 and then Vice Attorney General at the War Office
from 1957 to 1958. He then became Director of the Combined Military Planning Staff at the Central Treaty Organisation in 1959 and General Officer Commanding
1 British Corps in 1960. He was General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief Northern Command
from 1962 to 1963 when he became Master-General of the Ordnance
; he retired in 1967.
He was also Colonel Commandant
of the Royal Engineers
from 1961 to 1972.
His son was General Sir Edward Jones who, like his father, became a member of the Army Board.
from 1969 to 1975 and National President of the British Legion from 1970 to 1981.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Charles Phibbs Jones GCB CBE MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(1906–1988) 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 who reached high office in the 1950s.
Military career
Charles Jones was commissioned into the Royal EngineersRoyal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
in 1925. He saw service with Royal Bombay Sappers and Miners
Bombay Engineer Group
The Bombay Engineering Group, or the Bombay Sappers as they are informally known, are a regiment of the Indian Army Corps of Engineers. The Bombay Sappers draw their origin from the erstwhile Bombay Presidency army of the British Raj. This regiment has its centre in Khadki, Pune in...
in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between 1928 and 1934 and then became Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
for the Royal Engineers Contingent within the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
42nd (East Lancashire) Division
The 42nd Division was a Territorial Force division of the British Army. Originally called the East Lancashire Division, it was redesignated as the 42nd Division on 25 May 1915. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli,...
in 1934.
He served in 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...
initially as Brigade Major for 127th Infantry Brigade which formed part of the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
dispatched to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
in 1940. He was an Instructor at the Staff College from 1940 to 1941 when he became a General Staff Officer at General Headquarters Home Forces. In 1943 he was appointed 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...
Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
for the Guards Armoured Division. He became Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
Malaya Command
Malaya Command
The Malaya Command was a command of British Commonwealth forces formed in the 1920s for the coordination of the defences of Malaya and Singapore.-History:...
in 1945 and then Brigadier
Brigadier (United Kingdom)
Brigadier is a senior rank in the British Army and the Royal Marines.Brigadier is the superior rank to Colonel, but subordinate to Major-General....
on the General Staff of 30 Corps in North West Europe in 1945.
After the War he was appointed Brigadier on the General Staff at Western Command
Western Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 and was originally called the Welsh & Midland Command before changing its name in 1906. In 1907 Western Command relocated to Watergate House in Chester...
in 1946. He then went to the Imperial Defence College in 1947 before being appointed 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...
2nd Infantry Brigade in 1948. In 1950 he became Director of Plans 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...
and in 1951 he went on 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...
7th Armoured Division, part of British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
.
He was 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...
at the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
from 1954 to 1956 and then Vice Attorney General 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...
from 1957 to 1958. He then became Director of the Combined Military Planning Staff at the Central Treaty Organisation in 1959 and 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...
1 British Corps in 1960. He was 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 Northern Command
Northern Command (United Kingdom)
-Nineteenth century:The District Commands of the British Army in Great Britain and Ireland first appear in print in 1840, at which time Northern Command was held by Maj-Gen Charles James Napier, appointed in 1838. During his time the troops stationed within Northern Command were frequently deployed...
from 1962 to 1963 when he became Master-General of the Ordnance
Master-General of the Ordnance
The Master-General of the Ordnance was a very senior British military position before 1855, when the Board of Ordnance was abolished.-Responsibilities:...
; he retired in 1967.
He was also Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant
Colonel Commandant is a military title used in the armed forces of some English-speaking countries. The title, not a substantive rank, could denote a senior colonel with authority over fellow colonels...
of the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
from 1961 to 1972.
His son was General Sir Edward Jones who, like his father, became a member of the Army Board.
Retirement
In retirement he was Governor of the Royal Hospital ChelseaRoyal Hospital Chelsea
The Royal Hospital Chelsea is a retirement home and nursing home for British soldiers who are unfit for further duty due to injury or old age, located in the Chelsea region of central London, now the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea. It is a true hospital in the original sense of the word,...
from 1969 to 1975 and National President of the British Legion from 1970 to 1981.