George Kitching
Encyclopedia
George Kitching CBE
, DSO
, CD
was a Canadian
general active in World War II
.
George Kitching was born on 9 September 1910 in Guangzhou
(Canton), China
. He died on 15 June 1999 in Victoria
, Canada
. He was the guest of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
a couple of days before when he fell ill. He never recovered.
Kitching got his military training at the Royal Military College Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. The British Army
gave him several postings in Asia
, including Singapore
. In 1938 he resigned.
In 1939 he joined the Canadian Army. He was appointed to several position before attending Staff College, Camberley
to become a senior officer. Again he held several positions, mainly at the staff of Headquarters 1st Canadian Division
and Headquarters I Canadian Corps
, before he got his first command in August 1942. Within a few months he was back at the Headquarters of the 1st Canadian Division for the preparations of the invasions of Sicily
and Italy
. In November 1943 he was promoted to brigadier to command the 11 Canadian Infantry Brigade, followed by the 4th Armoured Division.
where they got involved in the battle around the Falaise pocket
. According to the historian Angelo Caravaggio Kitching was then victimized for the poor performance of the division in Normandy. Caravaggio claims that essential contemporary sources were altered after the sacking of Kitching and are therefore unreliable. To him it seems that Simonds stripped his subcommanders from authority, did not take the lack of experience in account and expected unrealistic results. Kitching could hardly command his own division due to the constant interference from Simonds. Caravaggio comes to the conclusion that Kitching and his inexperienced division performed very well under the difficult circumstances and confusing orders they had to work in. He claims that Simonds is the only one to blame for the late closure of the Falaise Pocket.
The end result of the battle was that Kitching was demoted to brigadier and send off to command a training unit. Charles Foulkes
, commander of I Canadian Corps
, had more confidence in his abilities and brought him in as Brigadier, General Staff. He was involved in all operations of the first Canadian corps until the surrender of the German Forces in The Netherlands.
After the war he stayed in the military till 1965. He held in that time positions like Quartermaster General
and Director General of Army Personnel. In 1956 he was promoted to major-general for the second time in his career.
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...
, DSO
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...
, CD
Canadian Forces Decoration
The Canadian Forces Decoration is a Canadian award bestowed upon members of the Canadian Forces who have completed twelve years of military service, with certain conditions. By convention, it is also given to the Governor General of Canada upon his or her appointment as viceroy, which includes the...
was a Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
general active 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...
.
George Kitching was born on 9 September 1910 in Guangzhou
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
(Canton), China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. He died on 15 June 1999 in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He was the guest of Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld
Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld , later Prince Bernhard of the Netherlands, was prince consort of Queen Juliana of the Netherlands and father of six children, including the current monarch Queen Beatrix....
a couple of days before when he fell ill. He never recovered.
Kitching got his military training at the Royal Military College Sandhurst in the United Kingdom. The 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...
gave him several postings in Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
, including Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. In 1938 he resigned.
In 1939 he joined the Canadian Army. He was appointed to several position before attending 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:...
to become a senior officer. Again he held several positions, mainly at the staff of Headquarters 1st Canadian Division
1st Canadian Division
Formed in August 1914, the 1st Canadian Division was a formation of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The division was initially made up from provisional battalions that were named after their province of origin but these titles were dropped before the division arrived in Britain on October 14,...
and Headquarters I Canadian Corps
I Canadian Corps
I Canadian Corps was one of the two corps fielded by the Canadian Army during World War II. From December 24, 1940 until the formation of the First Canadian Army in April 1942, there was a single unnumbered Canadian Corps...
, before he got his first command in August 1942. Within a few months he was back at the Headquarters of the 1st Canadian Division for the preparations of the invasions of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
and Italy
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
. In November 1943 he was promoted to brigadier to command the 11 Canadian Infantry Brigade, followed by the 4th Armoured Division.
Sacking
Kitching brought the division to NormandyNormandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
where they got involved in the battle around the Falaise pocket
Falaise pocket
The battle of the Falaise Pocket, fought during the Second World War from 12 to 21 August 1944, was the decisive engagement of the Battle of Normandy...
. According to the historian Angelo Caravaggio Kitching was then victimized for the poor performance of the division in Normandy. Caravaggio claims that essential contemporary sources were altered after the sacking of Kitching and are therefore unreliable. To him it seems that Simonds stripped his subcommanders from authority, did not take the lack of experience in account and expected unrealistic results. Kitching could hardly command his own division due to the constant interference from Simonds. Caravaggio comes to the conclusion that Kitching and his inexperienced division performed very well under the difficult circumstances and confusing orders they had to work in. He claims that Simonds is the only one to blame for the late closure of the Falaise Pocket.
The end result of the battle was that Kitching was demoted to brigadier and send off to command a training unit. Charles Foulkes
Charles Foulkes
Charles Foulkes may refer to:*Charles Foulkes , British general, adviser on gas warfare in World War I, and field hockey player...
, commander of I Canadian Corps
I Canadian Corps
I Canadian Corps was one of the two corps fielded by the Canadian Army during World War II. From December 24, 1940 until the formation of the First Canadian Army in April 1942, there was a single unnumbered Canadian Corps...
, had more confidence in his abilities and brought him in as Brigadier, General Staff. He was involved in all operations of the first Canadian corps until the surrender of the German Forces in The Netherlands.
After the war he stayed in the military till 1965. He held in that time positions like Quartermaster General
Quartermaster general
A Quartermaster general is the staff officer in charge of supplies for a whole army.- The United Kingdom :In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is one of the most senior generals in the British Army...
and Director General of Army Personnel. In 1956 he was promoted to major-general for the second time in his career.
Military senior officer positions held
| From | To | Unit | Role | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01-08-1942 | 13-12-1942 | The Edmonton Regiment (1 Canadian Infantry Division) | Officer Commanding | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| 14-12-1942 | 30-10-1943 | 1 Canadian Infantry Division HQ | General Staff Officer 1 | Lieutenant-Colonel |
| 01-11-1943 | 13-02-1944 | 11 Canadian Infantry Brigade | Officer Commanding | Brigadier |
| 01-03-1944 | 21-08-1944 | 4 Canadian Armoured Division | General Officer Commanding | Major-General |
| 29-08-1944 | 23-10-1944 | 13 Canadian Infantry Brigade | Officer Commanding | Brigadier |
| 12-11-1944 | 01-07-1945 | I Canadian Corps | Brigadier General Staff | Brigadier |
Trivia
- Kitching is a former patron and member of the Board of Trustees of Lester B. Pearson CollegeLester B. Pearson CollegeLester B. Pearson United World College of the Pacific is one of thirteen United World Colleges around the world. It is named after the late Canadian Prime Minister Lester Bowles Pearson, winner of the 1957 Nobel Peace Prize and originator of the United Nations Peace Keeping program...
in VancouverVancouverVancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
.