William Oliver (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir William Pasfield Oliver GBE
KCB
KCMG
(1901–1981) was Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
of his Regiment in 1927 and went on to be an Instructor at the Army School of Physical Training
at Aldershot
in 1931. He went out to India
as a Staff Captain in 1936 and then became a General Staff Officer in 1937.
He served in World War II
as a Lieutenant Colonel
on the staff of the Tactical School in 1940 before becoming a General Staff Officer at Southern Command
in 1940. He was appointed Commanding Officer
of 70th Bn the Welch Regiment
in 1941 and then became a General Staff Officer with responsibility for operations at Eastern Command
in 1942. He was Deputy Director of Military Operations at the War Office
later in 1942 and then Brigadier on the General Staff at 9th Army
HQ in the Middle East
from 1943. He was made Director of Military Operations for Middle East Land Forces
in 1944 and then returned to his post as Brigadier on the General Staff at 9th Army HQ in the Middle East in 1944. He became Chief of Staff
to General
Sir Bernard Paget
at General Headquarters, Middle East in 1945.
After the War he became Commander
31st Independent Infantry Brigade, part of British Army of the Rhine
, from 1948 and Chief Army Instructor at the Imperial Defence College from 1949. He became Chief of Staff
at Eastern Command
in 1951 and Principal Staff Officer to the High Commissioner
in the Federation of Malaya
in 1953. He was made Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1954 and Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1955. He retired in 1957.
He was Principal Staff Officer to the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
from 1957 to 1959 and British High Commissioner to Australia from 1959 to 1965. Finally he was UK Commissioner General for Expo 67
in Montreal
. He was also a Member of a Committee set up in 1968 to review arrangements for Rhodesia
n Passports following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Prime minister
Ian Smith
in 1965.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
KCB
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...
KCMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(1901–1981) was Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff.
Military career
Oliver was commissioned into the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment in 1920. He became AdjutantAdjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of his Regiment in 1927 and went on to be an Instructor at the Army School of Physical Training
Army School of Physical Training
The Army School of Physical Training is the headquarters of the British Army Physical Training Corps and the central training establishment for physical education, physical fitness and sports instructors in the British Army. It is located in Hammerseley Barracks and Fox Lines, Aldershot,...
at Aldershot
Aldershot
Aldershot is a town in the English county of Hampshire, located on heathland about southwest of London. The town is administered by Rushmoor Borough Council...
in 1931. He went out to 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...
as a Staff Captain in 1936 and then became a General Staff Officer in 1937.
He served 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...
as a Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
on the staff of the Tactical School in 1940 before becoming a General Staff Officer at 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 1940. He was appointed 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 70th Bn the Welch Regiment
Welch Regiment
The Welch Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1969.-History:It was formed as the Welsh Regiment during the Childers Reforms of 1881, by the amalgamation of the 41st Regiment of Foot and the 69th Regiment of Foot...
in 1941 and then became a General Staff Officer with responsibility for operations at Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
in 1942. He was Deputy Director of Military Operations 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...
later in 1942 and then Brigadier on the General Staff at 9th Army
Ninth Army (United Kingdom)
The Ninth Army was a formation of the British Army during World War II, formed on 1 November 1941 by the re designation of Headquarters, British Troops Palestine and Transjordan...
HQ in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
from 1943. He was made Director of Military Operations for Middle East Land Forces
Middle East Command
The Middle East Command was a British Army Command established prior to the Second World War in Egypt. Its primary role was to command British land forces and co-ordinate with the relevant naval and air commands to defend British interests in the Middle East and eastern Mediterranean region.The...
in 1944 and then returned to his post as Brigadier on the General Staff at 9th Army HQ in the Middle East in 1944. He became Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
to General
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 Bernard Paget
Bernard Paget
General Sir Bernard Charles Tolver Paget GCB, DSO, MC was a British officer who served in both the First and Second World Wars.-Military career:...
at General Headquarters, Middle East in 1945.
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...
31st Independent Infantry Brigade, part of British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
, from 1948 and Chief Army Instructor at the Imperial Defence College from 1949. He became Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
at Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
in 1951 and Principal Staff Officer to the High Commissioner
High Commissioner
High Commissioner is the title of various high-ranking, special executive positions held by a commission of appointment.The English term is also used to render various equivalent titles in other languages.-Bilateral diplomacy:...
in the Federation of Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
in 1953. He was made Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1954 and Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1955. He retired in 1957.
He was Principal Staff Officer to the Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations
The Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations was a British Cabinet office existing between 1947 and 1966, responsible for dealing with British relationship with members of the Commonwealth of Nations . The position was created out of the old position of Secretary of State for Dominion Affairs...
from 1957 to 1959 and British High Commissioner to Australia from 1959 to 1965. Finally he was UK Commissioner General for Expo 67
Expo 67
The 1967 International and Universal Exposition or Expo 67, as it was commonly known, was the general exhibition, Category One World's Fair held in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, from April 27 to October 29, 1967. It is considered to be the most successful World's Fair of the 20th century, with the...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. He was also a Member of a Committee set up in 1968 to review arrangements for Rhodesia
Rhodesia
Rhodesia , officially the Republic of Rhodesia from 1970, was an unrecognised state located in southern Africa that existed between 1965 and 1979 following its Unilateral Declaration of Independence from the United Kingdom on 11 November 1965...
n Passports following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by Prime minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
Ian Smith
Ian Smith
Ian Douglas Smith GCLM ID was a politician active in the government of Southern Rhodesia, the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland, Rhodesia, Zimbabwe Rhodesia and Zimbabwe from 1948 to 1987, most notably serving as Prime Minister of Rhodesia from 13 April 1964 to 1 June 1979...
in 1965.