Western Command (United Kingdom)
Encyclopedia
History
The Command was established in 1905 and was originally called the Welsh & Midland Command before changing its name in 1906. In 1907 Western Command relocated to Watergate HouseWatergate House, Chester
Watergate House is located in Watergate Street, Chester, Cheshire, England. It has been designated by English Heritage as a Grade II* listed building.-History:...
in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
. In 1938, after a brief stay in temporary accommodation at Boughton
Boughton, Cheshire
Boughton is a neighbourhood to the east of Chester city centre, part of the unitary authority of Cheshire West and Chester and the ceremonial county of Cheshire, England...
, it moved to a new purpose-built neo-Georgian property at Queen's Park in Chester
Chester
Chester is a city in Cheshire, England. Lying on the River Dee, close to the border with Wales, it is home to 77,040 inhabitants, and is the largest and most populous settlement of the wider unitary authority area of Cheshire West and Chester, which had a population of 328,100 according to the...
.
In 1939, under Lieutenant General Robert Haining
Robert Haining
General Sir Robert Hadden Haining KCB DSO was a British General who served during World War II.-Military career:Robert Haining was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1901...
, the command consisted of Welsh, West Lancashire, and East Lancashire Areas, each commanding two divisions plus other troops. It covered Wales and the Counties of Cumberland, Westmoreland, Lancashire, Staffordshire, Shropshire, Herefordshire, Cheshire, and Beachley, Gloucestershire as well as the Isle of Man and the coast defence garrisons of Berehaven, Queenstown and (for the purpose of technical training only) Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly
Lough Swilly in Ireland is a glacial fjord or sea inlet lying between the western side of the Inishowen Peninsula and the Fanad Peninsula, in County Donegal. Along with Carlingford Lough and Killary Harbour it is one of three known glacial fjords in Ireland....
.
Regular Troops reporting to the Command included:
- 2nd Bn The Buffs
- 2nd Anti-Aircraft Brigade
The Command was merged into HQ UK Land Forces (HQ UKLF) in 1972 and the property handed over to the Royal Army Pay Corps
Royal Army Pay Corps
The Royal Army Pay Corps was a former corps of the British Army responsible for administering all financial matters. It was amalgamated into the Adjutant General's Corps in 1992....
. It was effectively downgraded to district status, and later Wales and Western districts were established to take over the command's area.
General Officers Commanding-in-Chief
General Officers CommandingGeneral 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 have included:
- 1905 - 1907 Major General Sir Francis HowardFrancis Howard (British Army officer)Major-General Sir Francis Howard KCB KCMG was a British Army General in the early years of the twentieth century.-Military career:...
- 1907 - 1910 Lieutenant General Sir Charles BurnettCharles Burnett (British Army officer)General Sir Charles John Burnett KCB KCVO was a British Army General during the early years of the twentieth century.-Military career:Burnett was commissioned into the 15th Foot in 1861....
- 1910 - 1916 Lieutenant General Sir Henry MackinnonWilliam Henry MackinnonGeneral Sir Henry Mackinnon GCB KCVO was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1916 - 1918 Lieutenant General Sir William CampbellWilliam Pitcairn CampbellLieutenant General Sir William Pitcairn Campbell KCB was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:...
- 1918 - 1919 Lieutenant General Sir Thomas SnowThomas D'Oyly SnowLieutenant-General Sir Thomas D’Oyly Snow KCB, KCMG was a British General in the First World War who commanded during some of the major battles of the Western Front. He had two nicknames, ‘Slush’ and ‘Snowball’, both plays on 'Snow'.-Education and early military career:Snow was born on 5 May 1858...
- 1919 - 1923 Lieutenant General Sir Beauvoir De LisleBeauvoir De LisleGeneral Sir Henry de Beauvoir De Lisle KCB KCMG DSO was a British Army General who served in World War I.-Military career:...
- 1923 - 1924 Lieutenant General Sir John Du CaneJohn Philip Du CaneGeneral Sir John Du Cane GCB is a former Master-General of the Ordnance.-Military career:Du Cane was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1884....
- 1924 - 1928 Lieutenant General Sir Richard ButlerRichard Butler (British Army officer)Lieutenant General Sir Richard Harte Keatinge Butler KCB KCMG was a British Army General during World War I.-Military career:Educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Butler was commissioned into the Dorset Regiment in 1890.He served in the Second Boer War and then became...
- 1928 - 1931 Lieutenant General Sir Cecil RomerCecil RomerGeneral Sir Cecil Francis Romer GCB KBE CMG was a British Army general who reached high command during the 1920s.-Military career:...
- 1931 - 1933 Lieutenant General Sir Cyril DeverellCyril DeverellField Marshal Sir Cyril John Deverell, GCB, KBE, ADC was a British career military officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1936 and 1937.-Army career:...
- 1933 - 1936 Lieutenant General Sir Walter KirkeWalter Mervyn St George KirkeGeneral Sir Walter Mervyn St George Kirke GCB CMG DSO was the Commander in Chief of the British Home Forces during the Second World War.-Military career:...
- 1936 - 1939 Lieutenant General Sir Henry JacksonHenry Jackson (British Army officer)General Sir Henry Cholmondeley Jackson KCB CMG DSO was a British Army General who achieved high office in the 1930s.-Military career:...
- 1939 - 1940 Lieutenant General Sir Robert HainingRobert HainingGeneral Sir Robert Hadden Haining KCB DSO was a British General who served during World War II.-Military career:Robert Haining was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1901...
- 1940 - 1941 General Sir Robert Gordon-FinlaysonRobert Gordon-FinlaysonGeneral Sir Robert Gordon-Finlayson KCB CMG DSO was Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:Finlayson entered the British Army from the Suffolk Militia and was commissioned into the Royal Artillery. He served during the First World War initially as a Royal Artillery officer with 7th...
- 1941 - 1942 Lieutenant General Sir James Marshall-CornwallJames Marshall-CornwallGeneral Sir James Handyside Marshall-Cornwall KCB, CBE, DSO, MC was a British Army officer and linguist.-Early life:...
- 1942 - 1944 Lieutenant General Sir Edmond SchreiberEdmond SchreiberLieutenant-General Sir Edmund Charles Acton Schreiber, KCB, DSO was a British Army officer who served in both the First and Second World Wars. In the second he commanded the 45th Infantry Division, V Corps and First Army....
- 1944 - 1946 Lieutenant General Sir Daril WatsonDaril WatsonGeneral Sir Daril Gerard Watson GCB CBE MC was a British Army General during World War II.-Military career:Daril Watson was enlisted into the British Army in 1914 at the start of World War I. He was commissioned into the Highland Light Infantry in 1915...
- 1946 - 1948 Lieutenant General Sir Brian HorrocksBrian HorrocksLieutenant-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...
- 1948 - 1951 Lieutenant General Sir Frank SimpsonFrank Simpson (British Army officer)General Sir Frank Ernest Wallace Simpson GBE KCB DSO was a British Army General during the 1940s.-Military career:Educated at Bishop Cotton Boys' School, Frank Simpson was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1916...
- 1951 - 1953 Lieutenant General Sir Cameron NicholsonCameron NicholsonGeneral Sir Cameron Gordon Graham Nicholson GCB KBE DSO & Bar MC is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Military career:Cameron Nicholson was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1915...
- 1953 - 1953 Lieutenant General Sir Charles LoewenCharles LoewenGeneral Sir Charles Falkland Loewen GCB, KBE, DSO was a Canadian born and educated soldier who became Adjutant-General to the Forces in the United Kingdom.-Military career:...
- 1953 - 1957 General Sir Lashmer WhistlerLashmer WhistlerGeneral Sir Lashmer Gordon Whistler GCB, KBE, DSO & Two Bars, DL , known as Bolo, was a British army officer who served in the First and Second World Wars. In the Second World War he achieved senior ranks serving with Field Marshal Montgomery in North Africa and Europe...
- 1957 - 1960 Lieutenant General Sir Otway HerbertOtway HerbertLieutenant General Sir Edwin Otway Herbert KBE CB DSO was a British Army General who achieved high command in the 1950s.-Military career:...
- 1960 - 1961 Lieutenant General Sir William StirlingWilliam Stirling (British Army officer)General Sir William Gurdon Stirling GCB CBE DSO was a British Army General who reached high office during the 1960s.-Military career:...
- 1961 - 1964 Lieutenant General Sir Edward Howard-VyseEdward Howard-VyseLieutenant General Sir Edward Dacre Howard-Vyse KBE CB MC was a British Army General as well as a British horse rider who competed in the 1936 Summer Olympics.-Career:...
- 1964 - 1966 Lieutenant General Sir Richard CraddockRichard CraddockLieutenant General Sir Richard Walter Craddock KBE CB DSO was a British Army general who achieved high office in the 1960s.-Military career:...
- 1966 - 1969 Lieutenant General Sir Antony ReadAnthony Read (British Army officer)General Sir John Antony Jervis Read GCB, CBE, DSO, MC was a senior British Army officer who became Quartermaster-General to the Forces.-Military career:...
- 1969 - 1972 Lieutenant General Sir Napier CrookendenNapier CrookendenLieutenant General Sir Napier Crookenden KCB DSO OBE DL was a British Army General who reached high office in the 1960s.-Military career:...