Herbert Lumsden
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Herbert Lumsden, CB
, DSO
, MC
, psc
(8 April 1897 - 6 January 1945) was a British Army
general during World War II
.
, at the outbreak of World War I
he was only 17 years old. He served in the ranks with the Territorial Force
for ten months before passing into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery
on 13 August 1916. On 26 July 1918 Lumsden was awarded the Military Cross
. The citation read;
. They would have two sons together. Lumsden continued to serve in the Royal Artillery
until 24 June 1925 when he transferred to the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales), a cavalry regiment. In August he was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain after eight years in the former rank. He was an ardent horseman, despite his 6 ft height, and participated in a number of Grand Nationals. In 1926 he won the prestigious Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown
riding Foxtrot.
In 1929 Lumsden attended the Staff College, Camberley
and passed the course, entitling him to use the post-nominals psc after his name. Promoted to Major in 1931, he held staff appointments in the cavalry for the next four years, being G.S.O.3 of Aldershot Command and then Brigade Major of the 1st Cavalry Brigade. After a period of not being employed he became G.S.O.2 at the Staff College before being given command, in 1938, of his old regiment, the 12th Royal Lancers in succession to Colonel Richard McCreery
. He was still in command of the regiment, now converted to armoured cars, at the outbreak of the Second World War.
in 1940 as part of the British Expeditionary Force
. For his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
. He was promoted and commanded a tank
brigade
before being appointed GOC
of 6th Armoured Division in the Home command in October 1941.
On 5 November 1941 he was given command of the 1st Armoured Division. It was in this role that he first saw service in North Africa
. A forceful and rather touchy personality, he frequently argued with his peers and superiors—the bickering over orders contributed much to the British defeat at Gazala
. He was wounded twice in 1942 (having to hand over his command from January to March) and received a bar to his DSO and on his return to service he survived Montgomery's cull of Eighth Army commanders. He was appointed commander of X Corps
for the Second Battle of El Alamein
after Horrocks
turned the command down. Lumsden did not get on well with Montgomery, who was very critical of his perceived reluctance to launch vigorous offensive operations during the battle and his alleged tardiness to pursue the retreating Afrika Korps
. Critics assert that Lumsden's reluctance was not perceived but a fact, and that his tardiness was not alleged, but proved. Lumsden did not deliver the armoured support that he was bound by orders to deliver and, in fact, did quite the opposite. He was manifestly not a team player and perceived of armoured operations as an independent, opportunistic enterprise, not to be part of an organized, coordinated offensive developed by other commanders. Every major decision by Lumsden during the critical offensive at Alamein was to delay, not to move, to pause and to reconsider. In his view, the proper place for an armoured regiment was behind light armoured cavalry in advance, and behind infantry in support of them. In one of the great armoured battles of the war, perhaps of all time, Lumsden was not a factor. He was removed from command by Montgomery, in January, 1943, just a few months after Alamein.
Lumsden was given command of VIII Corps in Britain in January 1943 and command of II Corps also in Britain in July 1943 before being sent to the Pacific
as Winston Churchill
's military representative to MacArthur
. He was killed instantly by a kamikaze
plane whilst on the bridge of USS New Mexico
observing the bombardment of Lingayen Gulf
on 6 January 1945. Narrowly escaping death in the same incident was Vice-Admiral Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape
, who had requested Lumsden's presence on the bombardment tour.
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Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, 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...
, 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....
, psc
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:...
(8 April 1897 - 6 January 1945) 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...
.
Early career
Herbert Lumsden was born in 1897, the son of John Lumsden. Educated at EtonEton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
, at the outbreak of 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...
he was only 17 years old. He served in the ranks with the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
for ten months before passing into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned into the Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
on 13 August 1916. On 26 July 1918 Lumsden was awarded the Military Cross
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....
. The citation read;
- For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during 13 days of continuous fighting in charge of a forward section. He invariably showed the greatest coolness and courage in the face of danger, keeping his section in action, and always volunteering for any officer's patrol work. As FOO he was consistently shelled whenever he moved his OP, and, although finally wounded, he continued to work and observe for his battery.
Interbellum period
On 19 April 1923 Lumsden married Alice Mary Roddick in NorthawNorthaw
Northaw is a village in the Welwyn Hatfield district of Hertfordshire, England. It is part of the civil parish of Northaw and Cuffley, which was originally known as Northaw....
. They would have two sons together. Lumsden continued to serve in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
until 24 June 1925 when he transferred to the 12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales), a cavalry regiment. In August he was promoted from Lieutenant to Captain after eight years in the former rank. He was an ardent horseman, despite his 6 ft height, and participated in a number of Grand Nationals. In 1926 he won the prestigious Grand Military Gold Cup at Sandown
Sandown
Sandown is a seaside resort town and civil parish on the southeast coast of the Isle of Wight, England, neighbouring the town of Shanklin to the south. Sandown Bay is the name of the bay off the English Channel which both towns share, and it is notable for its long stretch of easily accessible...
riding Foxtrot.
In 1929 Lumsden attended 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:...
and passed the course, entitling him to use the post-nominals psc after his name. Promoted to Major in 1931, he held staff appointments in the cavalry for the next four years, being G.S.O.3 of Aldershot Command and then Brigade Major of the 1st Cavalry Brigade. After a period of not being employed he became G.S.O.2 at the Staff College before being given command, in 1938, of his old regiment, the 12th Royal Lancers in succession to Colonel Richard McCreery
Richard McCreery
General Sir Richard Loudon McCreery GCB, KBE, DSO, MC , was a British career soldier, who was Chief of Staff to Field Marshal Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis, at the time of the Second Battle of El Alamein and later commanded the British Eighth Army in Northern Italy during...
. He was still in command of the regiment, now converted to armoured cars, at the outbreak of the Second World War.
Second World War
Lumsden was widely praised for his command of his regiment during the retreat to DunkirkBattle of Dunkirk
The Battle of Dunkirk was a battle in the Second World War between the Allies and Germany. A part of the Battle of France on the Western Front, the Battle of Dunkirk was the defence and evacuation of British and allied forces in Europe from 26 May–4 June 1940.After the Phoney War, the Battle of...
in 1940 as 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....
. For his actions he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
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...
. He was promoted and commanded a tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
before being appointed GOC
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...
of 6th Armoured Division in the Home command in October 1941.
On 5 November 1941 he was given command of the 1st Armoured Division. It was in this role that he first saw service in North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
. A forceful and rather touchy personality, he frequently argued with his peers and superiors—the bickering over orders contributed much to the British defeat at Gazala
Battle of Gazala
The Battle of Gazala was an important battle of the Second World War Western Desert Campaign, fought around the port of Tobruk in Libya from 26 May-21 June 1942...
. He was wounded twice in 1942 (having to hand over his command from January to March) and received a bar to his DSO and on his return to service he survived Montgomery's cull of Eighth Army commanders. He was appointed commander of X Corps
X Corps (United Kingdom)
The X Corps was a British Army formation in the First World War and was later reformed in 1942 during the North African campaign of the Second World War as part of the Eighth Army.- First World War :...
for the Second Battle of El Alamein
Second Battle of El Alamein
The Second Battle of El Alamein marked a major turning point in the Western Desert Campaign of the Second World War. The battle took place over 20 days from 23 October – 11 November 1942. The First Battle of El Alamein had stalled the Axis advance. Thereafter, Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery...
after Horrocks
Brian Horrocks
Lieutenant-General Sir Brian Gwynne Horrocks, KCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer. He is chiefly remembered as the commander of XXX Corps in Operation Market Garden and other operations during the Second World War...
turned the command down. Lumsden did not get on well with Montgomery, who was very critical of his perceived reluctance to launch vigorous offensive operations during the battle and his alleged tardiness to pursue the retreating Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
. Critics assert that Lumsden's reluctance was not perceived but a fact, and that his tardiness was not alleged, but proved. Lumsden did not deliver the armoured support that he was bound by orders to deliver and, in fact, did quite the opposite. He was manifestly not a team player and perceived of armoured operations as an independent, opportunistic enterprise, not to be part of an organized, coordinated offensive developed by other commanders. Every major decision by Lumsden during the critical offensive at Alamein was to delay, not to move, to pause and to reconsider. In his view, the proper place for an armoured regiment was behind light armoured cavalry in advance, and behind infantry in support of them. In one of the great armoured battles of the war, perhaps of all time, Lumsden was not a factor. He was removed from command by Montgomery, in January, 1943, just a few months after Alamein.
Lumsden was given command of VIII Corps in Britain in January 1943 and command of II Corps also in Britain in July 1943 before being sent to the Pacific
Pacific War
The Pacific War, also sometimes called the Asia-Pacific War refers broadly to the parts of World War II that took place in the Pacific Ocean, its islands, and in East Asia, then called the Far East...
as Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
's military representative to MacArthur
Douglas MacArthur
General of the Army Douglas MacArthur was an American general and field marshal of the Philippine Army. He was a Chief of Staff of the United States Army during the 1930s and played a prominent role in the Pacific theater during World War II. He received the Medal of Honor for his service in the...
. He was killed instantly by a kamikaze
Kamikaze
The were suicide attacks by military aviators from the Empire of Japan against Allied naval vessels in the closing stages of the Pacific campaign of World War II, designed to destroy as many warships as possible....
plane whilst on the bridge of USS New Mexico
USS New Mexico (BB-40)
USS New Mexico was a battleship in service with the United States Navy from 1918 to 1946. She was the lead ship of a class of three battleships. New Mexico was extensively modernized between 1931 and 1933 and saw service during World War II both in the Atlantic and Pacific theatres. After her...
observing the bombardment of Lingayen Gulf
Lingayen Gulf
The Lingayen Gulf is an extension of the South China Sea on Luzon in the Philippines stretching . It is framed by the provinces of Pangasinan and La Union and sits between the Zambales Mountains and the Cordillera Central...
on 6 January 1945. Narrowly escaping death in the same incident was Vice-Admiral Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape
Bruce Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape
Admiral of the Fleet Bruce Austin Fraser, 1st Baron Fraser of North Cape GCB, KBE was a senior British admiral during World War II.-Early naval career:Fraser joined the Royal Navy as a Cadet on 15 January 1904...
, who had requested Lumsden's presence on the bombardment tour.
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