Ouvry Lindfield Roberts
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Ouvry Lindfield Roberts, GCB, KBE, DSO
(3 April 1898 - 1986) was an officer in the British Army
and the British Indian Army
during World War I
and World War II
.
, the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and King's College, Cambridge
Ouvry Roberts was commissioned into the Royal Engineers
in 1917. He served as Deputy Director of Military Operations and Intelligence in India
from 1939 to 1941.
In January 1941 Roberts was appointed GSO1 (Chief Staff Officer) of 10th Indian Infantry Division which was then forming at Ahmednagar in India. Three months later the division was ordered to Iraq.
The RAF training base at Habbaniya, defended by 1,200 locally recruited Assyrians and Kurds and some armoured cars, was threatened by an Iraqi force in late April and three companies from 1st battalion Kings Own Royal Rifles were sent by air to reinforce the base. Roberts was sent to Habbaniya on 1 May to review the situation and assumed the de facto
command of the land operations at RAF Habbaniya
after the departure of Air Vice-Marshal H.G. ('Reggie') Smart who had been hurt in a car accident. Roberts was awarded the DSO
for commanding the ground forces defending RAF Habbaniya
.
He commanded what became known as the "Habbaniya Brigade" and, on 19 May 1941, participated in the successful capture of Fallujah
. The "Habbaniya Brigade" was formed in the week following the end of the Iraqi siege of the British
garrison at Habbaniya
. Roberts formed the brigade by grouping the infantry reinforcements from Basra
(2/4 Gurkha) and from Kingcol
(1 Essex). Roberts returned to 10th Indian Division after completing what his divisional commander, Major-General William Slim, later described as "one of the best single-handed jobs any officer of his then rank had performed in the war".
As chief staff officer Roberts played an important role in 10th Indian Division's involvement in the Euphrates expedition during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
in July 1941 and the Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran
a month later, earning him promotion to Commanding Officer
of the division's 20th Indian Infantry Brigade in Iraq
in January 1942.
In July 1942 Roberts moved on to be Commanding Officer
of 16th Infantry Brigade in Ceylon. As the threat of a Japanese invasion of Ceylon receded, 16th Infantry Brigade was redeployed in July 1943 while Roberts was appointed chief staff officer (BGS)of IV Corps at Imphal
commanded by Lieutenant-General Geoffrey Scoones
and which formed part of Bill Slim's Fourteenth Army.
In August 1943 Roberts was promoted to major-general and appointed General Officer Commanding
23rd Indian Infantry Division
, part of IV Corps. The division's units were heavily involved in the decisive Battle of Imphal
and the subsequent Allied advance into Burma. In August 1944 the division was withdrawn to India.
In March 1945 Roberts was promoted lieutenant-general and appointed General Officer Commanding
XXXIV Indian Corps which was tasked with Operation Roger, an amphibious assault on the Kra Peninsula in Burma. Events moved more rapidly than anticipated and Roger was canceled. The corps was then tasked with Operation Zipper, an amphibious landing on the coast of Malaya
. In the event, the landings, which took place in September 1945, were unopposed, taking place days after the Japanese surrender.
After the War Roberts was appointed as Vice Adjutant-General at the War Office
in 1945. He became General Officer Commanding
Northern Ireland District
in 1948 and General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief of Southern Command
in 1949. He became Quartermaster-General to the Forces
in 1952 and retired in 1955, widely regarded as one of the high achievers of the Second World War.
He was Aide-de-Camp General
to the Queen from 1952 to 1955. He was Colonel Commandant
the Royal Engineers
from 1952 to 1962.
|-
|-
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir Ouvry Lindfield Roberts, GCB, KBE, 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...
(3 April 1898 - 1986) was an officer in 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...
and the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
during 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...
and 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...
.
Military career
Educated at Cheltenham CollegeCheltenham College
Cheltenham College is a co-educational independent school, located in Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, England.One of the public schools of the Victorian period, it was opened in July 1841. An Anglican foundation, it is known for its classical, military and sporting traditions.The 1893 book Great...
, the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and King's College, Cambridge
King's College, Cambridge
King's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England. The college's full name is "The King's College of our Lady and Saint Nicholas in Cambridge", but it is usually referred to simply as "King's" within the University....
Ouvry Roberts was commissioned into 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....
in 1917. He served as Deputy Director of Military Operations and Intelligence 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...
from 1939 to 1941.
In January 1941 Roberts was appointed GSO1 (Chief Staff Officer) of 10th Indian Infantry Division which was then forming at Ahmednagar in India. Three months later the division was ordered to Iraq.
The RAF training base at Habbaniya, defended by 1,200 locally recruited Assyrians and Kurds and some armoured cars, was threatened by an Iraqi force in late April and three companies from 1st battalion Kings Own Royal Rifles were sent by air to reinforce the base. Roberts was sent to Habbaniya on 1 May to review the situation and assumed the de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
command of the land operations at RAF Habbaniya
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
after the departure of Air Vice-Marshal H.G. ('Reggie') Smart who had been hurt in a car accident. Roberts was awarded 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...
for commanding the ground forces defending RAF Habbaniya
RAF Habbaniya
Royal Air Force Station Habbaniya, more commonly known as RAF Habbaniya, was a Royal Air Force station at Habbaniyah, about west of Baghdad in modern day Iraq, on the banks of the Euphrates near Lake Habbaniyah...
.
He commanded what became known as the "Habbaniya Brigade" and, on 19 May 1941, participated in the successful capture of Fallujah
Fallujah
Fallujah is a city in the Iraqi province of Al Anbar, located roughly west of Baghdad on the Euphrates. Fallujah dates from Babylonian times and was host to important Jewish academies for many centuries....
. The "Habbaniya Brigade" was formed in the week following the end of the Iraqi siege of the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
garrison at Habbaniya
Habbaniya
The Habbaniya, or Habbania, are a Sunni Muslim tribe of the nomadic Bedouin Baggara people in the plains of Sudan's Darfur, North Kurdufan, and South Kurdufan provinces....
. Roberts formed the brigade by grouping the infantry reinforcements from Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
(2/4 Gurkha) and from Kingcol
Kingcol
-Creation and composition:Kingcol was created to allow a portion of Habforce to relieve RAF Habbaniya as soon as possible. The column was named after its commander, Brigadier J.J. Kingstone...
(1 Essex). Roberts returned to 10th Indian Division after completing what his divisional commander, Major-General William Slim, later described as "one of the best single-handed jobs any officer of his then rank had performed in the war".
As chief staff officer Roberts played an important role in 10th Indian Division's involvement in the Euphrates expedition during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
in July 1941 and the Anglo-Soviet Invasion of Iran
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the Allied invasion of the Imperial State of Iran during World War II, by British, Commonwealth, and Soviet armed forces. The invasion from August 25 to September 17, 1941, was codenamed Operation Countenance...
a month later, earning him promotion to 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 the division's 20th Indian Infantry Brigade in Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
in January 1942.
In July 1942 Roberts moved on to be 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 16th Infantry Brigade in Ceylon. As the threat of a Japanese invasion of Ceylon receded, 16th Infantry Brigade was redeployed in July 1943 while Roberts was appointed chief staff officer (BGS)of IV Corps at Imphal
Imphal
Imphal is the capital of the Indian state of Manipur.In the heart of the town and surrounded by a moat, are ruins of the old Palace of Kangla. Kangla Fort used to be the home of the Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force and on November 2004 it was handed over to state of Manipur by Prime minister Dr....
commanded by Lieutenant-General Geoffrey Scoones
Geoffrey Scoones
General Sir Geoffrey Allen Percival Scoones KCB, KBE, CSI, DSO, MC was a general in the British Indian Army during the Second World War. His younger brother was Reginald "Cully" Scoones.-Military career:...
and which formed part of Bill Slim's Fourteenth Army.
In August 1943 Roberts was promoted to major-general and appointed 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...
23rd Indian Infantry Division
23rd Infantry Division (India)
The Indian 23rd Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II. It fought in the Burma Campaign.-History:The division was raised on 1 January 1942, at Jhansi in Central India. Its badge was a red fighting cock on a yellow circle...
, part of IV Corps. The division's units were heavily involved in the decisive Battle of Imphal
Battle of Imphal
The Battle of Imphal took place in the region around the city of Imphal, the capital of the state of Manipur in North-East India from March until July 1944. Japanese armies attempted to destroy the Allied forces at Imphal and invade India, but were driven back into Burma with heavy losses...
and the subsequent Allied advance into Burma. In August 1944 the division was withdrawn to India.
In March 1945 Roberts was promoted lieutenant-general and appointed 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...
XXXIV Indian Corps which was tasked with Operation Roger, an amphibious assault on the Kra Peninsula in Burma. Events moved more rapidly than anticipated and Roger was canceled. The corps was then tasked with Operation Zipper, an amphibious landing on the coast of Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
. In the event, the landings, which took place in September 1945, were unopposed, taking place days after the Japanese surrender.
After the War Roberts was appointed as Vice Adjutant-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 1945. 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...
Northern Ireland District
HQ Northern Ireland
HQ Northern Ireland was the command formation responsible for the administration of all British Armed Forces stationed in and around Northern Ireland...
in 1948 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...
-in-Chief of 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....
in 1949. He became Quartermaster-General to the Forces
Quartermaster-General to the Forces
In the United Kingdom, the Quartermaster-General to the Forces is a senior general in the British Army.From 1904 the Quartermaster-General to the Forces was the Third Military Member of the Army Board.-Responsibilities:...
in 1952 and retired in 1955, widely regarded as one of the high achievers of the Second World War.
He was Aide-de-Camp General
Aide-de-Camp General
One of the several categories of aides de camp to the Monarch in the United Kingdom is styled Aide de Camp General.These are honorary appointments for senior British Army generals, first made in 1910. There were originally four, but the number was reduced to three in 1988...
to the Queen from 1952 to 1955. He was 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...
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 1952 to 1962.
Retirement
In retirement he was a Director of Grosvenor Laing and then President of Grosvenor Laing from 1955 to 1960.Footnotes
|-|-
|-