Бернард Пейдж
Генерал сэр Бернард Чарльз Товер Пейдж , GCB , DSO , MC (15 сентября 1887 - 16 февраля 1961 года) был офицером британской армии , который с отличием служил в Первой мировой войне , а затем во время Второй мировой войны , когда он командовал 21 -м Группа армии с июня по декабрь 1943 года и главнокомандующий (C-In-C) Ближний Восток командование с января 1944 года по октябрь 1946 года. Он был старшим, служившим генералом в британской армии и, в Слова Ричарда Мида: «Возможно, он был самым талантливым и высококвалифицированным старшим британским генералом, который никогда не имел высшего полевого командования активной службы, но его вклад в развитие армии во время войны, тем не менее, был огромным». [ 7 ]
Ранняя жизнь и первая мировая война
[ редактировать ]Педжет родился в Оксфорде , сын правого преподобного Фрэнсиса Пейджета , второго сына сэра Джеймса Пейджета, 1 -го баронета , [ 8 ] и получил образование в школе Шрусбери с 1901 по 1906 год и в Королевском военном колледже, Сандхерст, с 1906 по 1907 год. Пейдж был назначен в вторым лейтенантом Оксфордширскую легкую пехоту [ 9 ] 13 ноября 1907 года, [ 10 ] [ 11 ] который стал оксфордширской и Бакингемширской легкой пехотой (или укороченной до Obli или Ox и Bucks) в 1908 году. [ 12 ] [ 13 ] Paget был опубликован 15 декабря 1907 года 2 -м батальону Оксфордширской легкой пехоты (52 -й) в Тидворте , Уилтшир . 5 февраля 1908 года он перешел в 1 -й батальон Оксфордширской легкой пехоты (43 -й) в Лакхнау , Индия . Он был повышен до лейтенанта в 1910 году.
В начале Первой мировой войны в августе 1914 года он был назначен адъютантом нового 5 -го (служебного) батальона вола и Бакса, размещенного в Олдершоте , состоит в основном из добровольцев для армии Китченера . После нескольких месяцев обучения Педжет отправился с батальоном на Западный фронт в мае 1915 года. [ 14 ] Он был повышен до капитана 10 июня 1915 года. [ 10 ] Батальон служил в рамках 42 -й бригады , который сам по себе является частью 14 -го (легкого) дивизии . 25 сентября 1915 года Педжет и его батальон приняли участие в битве при Лоосе ; Он был одним из двух офицеров в батальоне, чтобы пережить битву, из сил семнадцати, в то время как из 767 других рядов 180 вернулись. батальона Другим выжившим офицером был командир (CO), подполковник VT Bailey, который был командиром компании Paget в Sandhurst несколько лет назад. [ 15 ] 30 сентября 1915 года он взял на себя временное командование батальоном, пока Бейли ушел в отпуск. [ 16 ] Он покинул батальон, чтобы стать 42 -й бригадой бригады 42 -й бригады 20 ноября 1915 года. [ 16 ] Педжет был награжден военным крестом в ноябре 1915 года, [ 17 ] и заслуженный приказ об обслуживании в январе 1918 года. Цитата его MC читает:
For conspicuous coolness and energy throughout the campaign in France. At Railway Wood, during a bomb attack by the enemy, following on the explosion of a mine, he rendered invaluable service in getting up bombers and bombs and organising working anadwiring parties. His good services as Adjutant have been previously brought to notice.
He was mentioned in despatches four times, and wounded five times during the war, including in the left arm of which he never regained full use.[18] Following being wounded on 26 March 1918 Paget was evacuated to the UK, where he became an instructor at the Staff College in Cambridge until the end of the war.[19] Of the war Paget simply wrote, "The terrible slaughter of the Kaiser's War must never be allowed to happen again."[14]
Between the wars
[edit]The war ended in November 1918 and, during the interwar period, he remained in the British Army. Having been made brevet major in 1917,[20] he was promoted to major in 1924 and brevet lieutenant colonel the following year. In 1920 he attended the Staff College, Camberley,[18][1] and later returned there as an instructor from 1926 to 1928, where he taught a significant number of young officers who later achieved high rank.[21][22] In 1929 he attended the Imperial Defence College in London, a clear sign that his star was on the rise.[23][18][22] Paget was promoted to colonel that year, and became Commander of the depot at Cowley Barracks, Oxford in 1930. He initiated the founding of the regimental Chapel at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford in 1930.[24][22]
He was Chief Instructor at the Staff College, Quetta, British India (now the Command and Staff College, Pakistan), from 1932−1934.[25] After serving at the War Office in London as a GSO1, from July 1934 until January 1937, Paget went to India to command the 4th Quetta Infantry Brigade from 1936 to 1937.[25][22] He was promoted to major general in December 1937, and was Commandant of the Staff College, Camberley between 1938 and 1939.[25][18][11][22]
Second World War
[edit]
In late November 1939, nearly three months after the outbreak of the Second World War, Paget took over as General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 18th Infantry Division, a recently raised Territorial Army (TA) formation, relinquishing command in mid-May 1940.[25] In the acting rank of lieutenant general[26] he commanded British forces in the withdrawal at Åndalsnes in Norway[25] in 1940 during the disastrous Norwegian campaign, and was subsequently appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.[27][11]
He was promoted to lieutenant general and made General Officer Commanding-in-Chief (GOC-in-C) of South-Eastern Command in February 1941.[25] He was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the New Year's Honours' List at the end of the year.[28] His new post controlled the part of the United Kingdom which was then widely considered to be the most likely target for any German invasion which, by the time of Paget's assumption of command, was still considered possible in the summer.[29] South-Eastern Command had been split off from Eastern Command by Brooke; it covered the counties of Kent, Surrey and Sussex and controlled IV Corps, XII Corps and the Canadian Corps. XII Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery, who had been a fellow instructor at the Staff College in the 1920s.[29] The two men managed to maintain a good working relationship, with Paget recognising Montgomery's expertise in tactics and the training of troops for battle.[29]
In the final months of 1941 Paget was considered as a successor to Air Chief Marshal Sir Robert Brooke-Popham as Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) of Far East Command although, fortunately for Paget in the light of later events, this never materialised.[29] Around this time Churchill was growing tired of his Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), General Sir John Dill, and sought to replace him. At one point, Churchill considered Paget for the role, but it went to Brooke in the end, with Paget instead succeeding Brooke as C-in-C of Home Forces. Paget took up his position on Christmas Day while the Malayan campaign was being fought by British and Commonwealth forces against the Japanese and, had it not been for a twist of fate, Paget would have found himself there.[29] He was promoted to the acting rank of general on the same date;[30] this was made permanent in July 1943.
The entry of Japan into the war against the British posed numerous problems, but this was more than counterbalanced by the simultaneous entry into the war of the United States, with its enormous resources. It was now apparent that, for the British at least, the tide of the war was already beginning to turn by January 1942, with the arrival of American troops being only months away while German attention was distracted by their ongoing fight against the Soviet Union on the Eastern Front, which very much reduced the possibility of a German invasion of the British Isles.[29] Despite this, it was obvious that, eventually, what soon became known as a Second Front would have to be opened, and that it would have to be mounted from Britain and would involve a huge military contribution. Thus, the mindset of the British and other Allied forces in the United Kingdom would have to change from a defensive posture to a more offensive-minded attitude.[29]
Paget commanded the 21st Army Group in the United Kingdom from June to December 1943 prior to General Montgomery taking over.[25] In January 1944 he became Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C) Middle East Command[25] until October 1946, when he retired from the army.[25] He was appointed as Extra Aide-de-Camp to King George VI in October 1944.[31] Paget had been the longest serving Commander-in-Chief during the Second World War, and became the senior General in the British Army.[32] In December 1944 he was awarded the Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta by the Polish government-in-exile.[33] In 1946 he was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath.[34]
His final act of World War II took place between May and July 1945 during the Levant Crisis: Paget under orders from Prime Minister Winston Churchill invaded Syria from Transjordan to curb French actions there, which he achieved at no cost. His forces escorted French troops to their barracks and the violence ceased.
After the war Paget was Colonel of the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry from October 1946 to September 1955[35] In May 1954, he presented new Queen's Colours to the regiment at Osnabrück. On 8 May 1955, he handed over the old Queen's Colours to the Dean of Christ Church Cathedral for safekeeping in a ceremony at Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford.[24] He took his last salute from his regiment as Colonel Commandant at the parade to commemorate the bicentenary of the 52nd on 14 October 1955 at Osnabrück, West Germany.[36] He was Colonel of the Intelligence Corps and Colonel of the Reconnaissance Regiment.[37] He was Principal of Ashridge College of Citizenship from 1946 to 1949.[38] He was a Governor of Radley College, Eastbourne College, St Edwards and Welbeck College.[37] Paget was President of the Army Benevolent Fund.[37] He was Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 1949[39] to 1956.[40] He retired to Petersfield, Hampshire in 1957.[38] He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire in 1960.[10] Paget was installed as a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath at a service in Westminster Abbey on 27 October 1960 and his Banner was hung in the Henry VII Chapel.[41] He died soon afterwards of a heart attack on 16 February 1961, at the age of 73.[42][41]
Family
[edit]He married Winifred Nora Paget on 7 February 1918, with whom he had two sons. His younger son, Lieutenant Tony Paget, died on 5 March 1945 from wounds received while serving with the 1st Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (the 43rd) during the Battle of the Reichswald. He received the Distinguished Service Order for his gallantry during the battle.
His elder son Sir Julian Paget, 4th Baronet, CVO served in the Army, during the Second World War and until he retired in 1969, and then became a military historian.[43]
Sir Bernard Paget Avenue, built on the former Templer Barracks army site in Ashford, Kent, is named after him.
References
[edit]- ^ Jump up to: a b Paget 2008, p. 14.
- ^ "No. 30096". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 May 1917. p. 5201.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "No. 37853". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 January 1947. p. 324.
- ^ "No. 38018". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 July 1947. p. 3319.
- ^ "No. 38240". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 March 1948. p. 1919.
- ^ "No. 42001". The London Gazette. 5 April 1960. p. 2472.
- ^ Mead 2007, p. 341.
- ^ Kidd, Charles, Williamson, David (editors). Debrett's Peerage and Baronetage (1990 edition). New York: St Martin's Press, 1990, [page needed]
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 5.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Paget 2008, p. 165.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c "British Army officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 28 May 2022.
- ^ "No. 28079". The London Gazette. 12 November 1907. p. 7582.
- ^ Smart 2005, p. 242.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Paget 2008, p. 8.
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 13.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Paget 2008, p. 9.
- ^ "No. 29371". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 November 1915. p. 11451.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d Smart 2005, p. 243.
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 12.
- ^ "No. 30111". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 June 1917. p. 5466.
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 15.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e "Biography of General Bernard Charles Tolver Paget (1887−1961), Great Britain". generals.dk.
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 16.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Paget 2008, p. 156.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ^ "No. 34869". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 June 1940. p. 3505.
- ^ "No. 34893". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 July 1940. p. 4243.
- ^ "No. 35399". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1941. p. 3.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g Mead 2007, p. 338.
- ^ "No. 35397". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 December 1941. p. 7369.
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 105.
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 1.
- ^ "No. 36828". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 December 1944. p. 5616.
- ^ "No. 37407". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1945. p. 4.
- ^ "No. 40484". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 May 1955. p. 2994.
- ^ Paget 2008, p. 157.
- ^ Jump up to: a b c Paget 2008, p. 154.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Paget 2008, p. 167.
- ^ "No. 38742". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 October 1949. p. 5065.
- ^ "No. 40917". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 1956. p. 6249.
- ^ Jump up to: a b Paget 2008 , p. 158
- ^ Smart 2005 , p. 244
- ^ Paget 2008 .
Библиография
[ редактировать ]- Мид, Ричард (2007). Львы Черчилля: биографическое руководство по ключевым британским генералам Второй мировой войны . Страуд (Великобритания): Spellmount. ISBN 978-1-86227-431-0 .
- Smart, Nick (2005). Биографический словарь британских генералов второй мировой войны . Барнсли: Пен и Меч. ISBN 1844150496 .
- Paget, Julian (2008). Генерал крестоносца: жизнь генерала сэра Бернарда Пейджета GCB DSO MC . Пен и Меч военный . ISBN 978-18441-58102 .
Внешние ссылки
[ редактировать ]
- Офицеры британской армии 1939–1945 гг.
- Генералы Второй мировой войны
- Военный сервис от Ordersofbattle.com
| Международный | |
|---|---|
| Национальный | |
- 1887 Рождения
- 1961 Смерть
- Генералы британской армии
- Выпускники Королевского колледжа оборонных исследований
- Генералы британской армии Второй мировой войны
- Персонал британской армии Первой мировой войны
- Британские военнослужащие в чрезвычайной ситуации в Палестине
- Главные командиры легиона заслуг
- Коммитницы штатного колледжа, Camberley
- Товарищи по заслуге на обслуживание
- Заместитель лейтенантов Хэмпшира
- Выпускники Королевского военного колледжа, Сандхерст
- Выпускники штатного колледжа, Camberley
- Рыцари Большой Крест Ордена ванны
- Оксфордширский и Бакингемширский легкий пехота
- Люди обучались в школе Шрусбери
- Люди обучались в школе Summer Fields
- Военнослужащие из Оксфорда
- Получатели военного креста
- Академики штатного колледжа, Quetta
- Академики штатного колледжа, Camberley