John Charles Oakes Marriott
Encyclopedia
Major-General Sir John Charles Oakes Marriott, KCVO
, CB
, DSO
and Bar
, MC
(born 1895; died 1978) was a British Army
officer during World War I and World War II.
in 1914.
He served in World War I as a Staff Captain with 7th Infantry Brigade in France and then as a General Staff Officer with 66th Division. Marriott won both the DSO
and MC
as well as the French Croix de guerre
fighting in World War I.
After the War he became a General Staff Officer to the Military Attaché
in Washington D. C.. He transferred to the Scots Guards
in 1920. He was made Deputy Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General for London District
in 1933. In 1938 he was made Commanding Officer
of 2nd Bn Scots Guards.
He served in World War II initially in the Middle East and from 1940 as Commander
of 21st Infantry Brigade. From October 1940 he commanded 29th Indian Infantry Brigade, part of Indian 5th Infantry Division
, in the East African Campaign
for which he received his second DSO. In October 1941 on return to the Western Desert
he was placed in command of 22nd Guards Brigade
which was renamed successively 200th Guards Brigade and 201st Guards Motor Brigade. He avoided capture when the brigade was forced to surrender when Tobruk
was captured on 20 June 1942 by German and Italian forces. He returned to the United Kingdom and from September 1942 to December 1943 he commanded 32nd Guards Brigade. He was Deputy Director of Infantry at the War Office
from 1943.
After the War he became Commander
of the Guards Division in Germany
in 1945 and Major-General commanding the Brigade of Guards
and General Officer Commanding
London District
in 1947; he retired in 1950.
, investment banker, collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. They had one child.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, CB
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...
and Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
, 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....
(born 1895; died 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...
officer during World War I and World War II.
Military career
Marriott was commissioned into the Northamptonshire RegimentNorthamptonshire Regiment
The Northamptonshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1960. Its lineage is now continued by The Royal Anglian Regiment.-Formation:The regiment was formed as part of the reorganisation of the infantry by the Childers reforms...
in 1914.
He served in World War I as a Staff Captain with 7th Infantry Brigade in France and then as a General Staff Officer with 66th Division. Marriott won both the 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...
and 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....
as well as the French Croix de guerre
Croix de guerre
The Croix de guerre is a military decoration of France. It was first created in 1915 and consists of a square-cross medal on two crossed swords, hanging from a ribbon with various degree pins. The decoration was awarded during World War I, again in World War II, and in other conflicts...
fighting in World War I.
After the War he became a General Staff Officer to the Military Attaché
Military attaché
A military attaché is a military expert who is attached to a diplomatic mission . This post is normally filled by a high-ranking military officer who retains the commission while serving in an embassy...
in Washington D. C.. He transferred to the Scots Guards
Scots Guards
The Scots Guards is a regiment of the Guards Division of the British Army, whose origins lie in the personal bodyguard of King Charles I of England and Scotland...
in 1920. He was made Deputy Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General for London District
London District (British Army)
London District is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. Established in 1870 as Home District, it was re-formed in 1905 as London District to be an independent district within the larger command structure of the army, and has remained so...
in 1933. In 1938 he was made 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 2nd Bn Scots Guards.
He served in World War II initially in the Middle East and from 1940 as 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 21st Infantry Brigade. From October 1940 he commanded 29th Indian Infantry Brigade, part of Indian 5th Infantry Division
Indian 5th Infantry Division
Indian 5th Infantry Division was an infantry division in the Indian Army during World War II which fought in several theatres of war and more than earned its nickname the "Ball of Fire".- History :...
, in the East African Campaign
East African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
for which he received his second DSO. In October 1941 on return to the Western Desert
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
he was placed in command of 22nd Guards Brigade
22nd Guards Brigade
The British 22nd Guards Brigade was a British Army unit during the Second World War .-History:The 22nd Infantry Brigade was formed by the conversion of the 29th Infantry Brigade on 3 September 1939 and in March 1940 became responsible for all the troops in the Mersa Matruh Garrison area...
which was renamed successively 200th Guards Brigade and 201st Guards Motor Brigade. He avoided capture when the brigade was forced to surrender when Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
was captured on 20 June 1942 by German and Italian forces. He returned to the United Kingdom and from September 1942 to December 1943 he commanded 32nd Guards Brigade. He was Deputy Director of Infantry 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 1943.
After the War he 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 the Guards Division in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
in 1945 and Major-General commanding the Brigade of Guards
Major-General commanding the Household Division
The Major-General commanding the Household Division commands the troops of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is also General Officer Commanding London District.-Recent Commanders:The holders of this office include:...
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...
London District
London District (British Army)
London District is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. Established in 1870 as Home District, it was re-formed in 1905 as London District to be an independent district within the larger command structure of the army, and has remained so...
in 1947; he retired in 1950.
Family
In 1920 he married Maud (Momo) Emily Wolff Kahn, the daughter of Otto Hermann KahnOtto Hermann Kahn
Otto Hermann Kahn was an investment banker, collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts.-Life and career:He was born on February 21, 1867, and raised in the city of Mannheim, Germany, to Jewish parents...
, investment banker, collector, philanthropist, and patron of the arts. They had one child.