David Peel Yates
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir David Peel Yates KCB CVO DSO
OBE (1911–1978) was a British Army
General who reached high office during the 1960s.
operations on the North West Frontier of India
in 1937 before becoming Adjutant of 1st Bn the Monmouthshire Regiment in 1939.
He served in World War II
initially as Brigade Major of 113th Infantry Brigade in 1940. He then went to the Staff College before becoming Brigade Major of 204th Infantry Brigade in 1941. He served as a General Staff Officer with 4th Division
and then at 1st Army Headquarters. He was involved in the fall of Tunis
in 1943. He was appointed Commanding Officer
of 6th Bn the Lincolnshire Regiment which was deployed to Italy
in 1944 before he returned to 4th Division
later that year. He was a Brigadier on the General Staff Field Marshal Harold Alexander
at Allied Force Headquarters in Italy
in 1945.
After the War he became an Instructor at the Joint Services Staff College
in 1946 and then Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General at the War Office
in 1949. He was an Instructor at the NATO Defence College in Paris
between 1951 and 1953 when he became Commanding Officer
of 1st Bn South Wales Borderers. He was appointed Commander
of 27th Infantry Brigade
in Hong Kong
in 1955 and Assistant Commandant at the Staff College, Camberley
in 1957. He then became Chief of Staff for Eastern Command
in 1960 and Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1962. He was General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief for Eastern Command
from 1966 to 1968 when he became General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief for Southern Command
:he retired in 1969.
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...
OBE (1911–1978) 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 during the 1960s.
Military career
David Peel Yates was commissioned into the South Wales Borderers in 1931. He was deployed on WaziristanWaziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
operations on the North West Frontier of 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...
in 1937 before becoming Adjutant of 1st Bn the Monmouthshire Regiment in 1939.
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 of 113th Infantry Brigade in 1940. He then went to the Staff College before becoming Brigade Major of 204th Infantry Brigade in 1941. He served as a General Staff Officer with 4th Division
4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
and then at 1st Army Headquarters. He was involved in the fall of Tunis
Tunis
Tunis is the capital of both the Tunisian Republic and the Tunis Governorate. It is Tunisia's largest city, with a population of 728,453 as of 2004; the greater metropolitan area holds some 2,412,500 inhabitants....
in 1943. 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 6th Bn the Lincolnshire Regiment which was deployed to Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1944 before he returned to 4th Division
4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
later that year. He was a Brigadier on the General Staff Field Marshal Harold Alexander
Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis
Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis was a British military commander and field marshal of Anglo-Irish descent who served with distinction in both world wars and, afterwards, as Governor General of Canada, the 17th since Canadian...
at Allied Force Headquarters in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
in 1945.
After the War he became an Instructor at the Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College may refer to:* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Joint Service Defence College"* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies"...
in 1946 and then Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster 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...
in 1949. He was an Instructor at the NATO Defence College in Paris
Paris
Paris is the capital and largest city in France, situated on the river Seine, in northern France, at the heart of the Île-de-France region...
between 1951 and 1953 when he became 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 1st Bn South Wales Borderers. 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...
of 27th Infantry Brigade
27th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 27th Infantry Brigade was a British Army brigade during the Second World War and Korean War. In Korea, the brigade was known as 27th British Commonwealth Brigade due to the addition of Canadian, Australian, New Zealand and Indian units....
in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
in 1955 and Assistant Commandant 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:...
in 1957. He then became Chief of Staff for Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
in 1960 and Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1962. 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 for Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
from 1966 to 1968 when he became 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....
:he retired in 1969.