Henry Royds Pownall
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General
Sir Henry Royds Pownall KCB
, KBE
, DSO
(19 November 1887 – 10 June 1961) was a British
general
, who held several important command and Staff appointments during World War II
. In particular, he was Chief of Staff to the British Expeditionary Force
(BEF) in France
and Belgium until the fall of France in May 1940. He was later Chief of Staff to General Archibald Wavell until the fall of Singapore in 1942, and Chief of Staff to Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1943–44.
and Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. After graduating he began his military service with the Royal Field Artillery
and Royal Horse Artillery
, during which he was stationed in both Britain
and India
1906–1914. In 1909 he was promoted to lieutenant, and then captain in 1914.
Pownall served in both France
and Belgium
. He was promoted to major in 1917 and oversaw the Royal Artillery
, 17th Division. For his service during the war Pownall was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
in 1918.
at the School of Artillery
in Larkhill
from 1924 to 1925. He continued his training and education as General Staff Officer (Grade 2) at the Staff College, Camberley
from 1926 to 1929 where he became a brevet
lieutenant-colonel in 1928. After completing his training at Staff College he took part in Great Game operations in the North West Frontier of India through 1931.
Following this, Pownall held a series of staff appointments, serving as the Military Assistant Secretary for the Committee of Imperial Defence
from 1933 to 1935, then as Deputy Secretary for the Committee of Imperial Defence
in 1936. From 1936 to 1938, he was Commandant of the Royal School of Artillery. As the threat of war grew, he was Director of Military Operations and Military Intelligence in the War Office
from 1938 to 1939.
on 1 September 1939. Pownall held a series of command and senior staff positions throughout the war. He was appointed Chief of General Staff for the British Expeditionary Force
(BEF) in France and Belgium until the fall of France in May 1940. He then assumed the position of Inspector General for the recently created Home Guard and was Commander of British Troops in Northern Ireland
, before being appointed the Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff in the War Office in 1941.
He subsequently became Commander-in-Chief of the British Far East Command
in South East Asia until 1942 when it was succeeded by the short-lived ABDACOM where he became Chief of Staff to General Sir Archibald Wavell. Afterwards he assumed the role of General Officer Commanding, Ceylon
from 1942 to 1943, and Commander-in-Chief of the Persia and Iraq
theatres in 1943. Finally, he was appointed Chief of Staff to Vice Admiral Louis Mountbatten, the Supreme Commander of the Allied South East Asia Command
from 1943 to 1944. After the conclusion of the war he retired from the British army in 1945.
During the war Pownall received the distinctions of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
in 1940 and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1945.
Pownall died on 10 June 1961, aged 73.
(Leo Cooper, London, 1972)
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Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Sir Henry Royds Pownall 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...
, KBE
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...
, 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...
(19 November 1887 – 10 June 1961) was a 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...
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....
, who held several important command and Staff appointments during 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...
. In particular, he was Chief of Staff to the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
(BEF) in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium until the fall of France in May 1940. He was later Chief of Staff to General Archibald Wavell until the fall of Singapore in 1942, and Chief of Staff to Lord Louis Mountbatten in 1943–44.
Early career
Pownall was born on 19 November 1887 and received his education at Rugby SchoolRugby School
Rugby School is a co-educational day and boarding school located in the town of Rugby, Warwickshire, England. It is one of the oldest independent schools in Britain.-History:...
and Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. After graduating he began his military service with the Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
and Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
, during which he was stationed in both Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
and 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...
1906–1914. In 1909 he was promoted to lieutenant, and then captain in 1914.
World War I
During World War IWorld 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...
Pownall served in both France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
. He was promoted to major in 1917 and oversaw the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, 17th Division. For his service during the war Pownall was awarded the Distinguished Service Order
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...
in 1918.
Post WWI Activity
Following the war, Pownall served as Brigade MajorBrigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
at the School of Artillery
Royal School of Artillery
The Royal School of Artillery is the principal training establishment for artillery warfare in the British Army. Established in 1915, it is located at Larkhill, on the south edge of Salisbury Plain in the United Kingdom...
in Larkhill
Larkhill
Larkhill is a garrison town in the civil parish of Durrington, Wiltshire, England. It is a short distance west of Durrington village proper and north of the prehistoric monument of Stonehenge. It is about north of Salisbury....
from 1924 to 1925. He continued his training and education as General Staff Officer (Grade 2) at the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
from 1926 to 1929 where he became a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
lieutenant-colonel in 1928. After completing his training at Staff College he took part in Great Game operations in the North West Frontier of India through 1931.
Following this, Pownall held a series of staff appointments, serving as the Military Assistant Secretary for the Committee of Imperial Defence
Committee of Imperial Defence
The Committee of Imperial Defence was an important ad hoc part of the government of the United Kingdom and the British Empire from just after the Second Boer War until the start of World War II...
from 1933 to 1935, then as Deputy Secretary for the Committee of Imperial Defence
Committee of Imperial Defence
The Committee of Imperial Defence was an important ad hoc part of the government of the United Kingdom and the British Empire from just after the Second Boer War until the start of World War II...
in 1936. From 1936 to 1938, he was Commandant of the Royal School of Artillery. As the threat of war grew, he was Director of Military Operations and Military Intelligence in 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 1938 to 1939.
World War II
Britain entered the war after Germany invaded PolandPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
on 1 September 1939. Pownall held a series of command and senior staff positions throughout the war. He was appointed Chief of General Staff for the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
(BEF) in France and Belgium until the fall of France in May 1940. He then assumed the position of Inspector General for the recently created Home Guard and was Commander of British Troops in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, before being appointed the Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff in the War Office in 1941.
He subsequently became Commander-in-Chief of the British Far East Command
British Far East Command
The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. These were firstly, 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command , and secondly, 1963 – 1971 succeeded by Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom Force...
in South East Asia until 1942 when it was succeeded by the short-lived ABDACOM where he became Chief of Staff to General Sir Archibald Wavell. Afterwards he assumed the role of General Officer Commanding, Ceylon
General Officer Commanding, Ceylon
General Officer Commanding, Ceylon was the designation of the General Officer appointed to command all British Army units stationed in the island of Ceylon during the British colonial administration of the island.-History:...
from 1942 to 1943, and Commander-in-Chief of the Persia and 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....
theatres in 1943. Finally, he was appointed Chief of Staff to Vice Admiral Louis Mountbatten, the Supreme Commander of the Allied South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command
South East Asia Command was the body set up to be in overall charge of Allied operations in the South-East Asian Theatre during World War II.-Background:...
from 1943 to 1944. After the conclusion of the war he retired from the British army in 1945.
During the war Pownall received the distinctions of Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire
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...
in 1940 and Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1945.
Pownall died on 10 June 1961, aged 73.
Post war positions
- Chairman, Friary Meux Limited
- Member of the Committee of Lloyds BankLloyds BankLloyds Bank Plc was a British retail bank which operated in England and Wales from 1765 until its merger into Lloyds TSB in 1995; it remains a registered company but is currently dormant. It expanded during the nineteenth and twentieth centuries and took over a number of smaller banking companies...
- Chief Commissioner, St. John AmbulanceSt. John AmbulanceSt John Ambulance, branded as St John in some territories, is a common name used by a number of affiliated organisations in different countries dedicated to the teaching and practice of medical first aid and the provision of ambulance services, all of which derive their origins from the St John...
Brigade, 1947–1949 - Military consultant to Winston ChurchillWinston ChurchillSir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
on the History of the Second World WarHistory of the Second World WarThe History of the Second World War is the official history of Britain's contribution to the Second World War and was published by Her Majesty's Stationery Office . This immense project was sub-divided into a number of areas to ease publication. Military operations are covered in the United Kingdom...
(Cassell, London, 1948–1954) - Chancellor, Order of St JohnVenerable Order of Saint JohnThe Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, 1951
Further reading
Henry Pownall's diaries were published as Chief of Staff. The Diaries of Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Pownall, edited by Brian BondBrian Bond
Brian James Bond is a British military historian and professor emeritus of military history at King's College London.-Early life and education:...
(Leo Cooper, London, 1972)
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