Ian Stanley Ord Playfair
Encyclopedia
Ian Stanley Ord Playfair, CB, DSO
, MC
and bar, (10 April 1894 – 21 March 1972), was a soldier who rose to the rank of Major General
in the British Army
.
Playfair was educated at Cheltenham College
and joined the Royal Engineers
in 1913. He served in France and Belgium during World War I
, during which he was mentioned in despatches, awarded the Military Cross (MC) and bar, and the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
Playfair was appointed Officer Commanding Gentlemen Cadets, Royal Marine Artillery in 1920, a post he held until 1924.
In 1930, he married Jocelyn Malan, with whom he would father two sons.
Between 1930 and 1934, he was chief instructor in field works and bridging at the Royal School of Military Engineering
. In 1934, Playfair became an instructor at the Indian Army
Staff College
, in Quetta
. In 1938, he transferred to the Imperial Defence College, and in 1939 he was appointed Commandant of the Army Gas School, in Wiltshire.
In 1940, following the outbreak of World War II, Playfair was appointed Director of Plans at the War Office
. In early 1942, he was appointed deputy commander (and chief of staff) of land forces in the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
(ABDACOM), a short-lived, supreme command for Allied
forces in South East Asia and the south west Pacific. In 1943, Playfair was appointed to the general staff of the 11th Army Group
, in the South East Asia Command
.
Playfair retired in 1947. He later wrote several books, and was co-author of a World War II official campaign history, The Mediterranean and Middle East.
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...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
and bar, (10 April 1894 – 21 March 1972), was a soldier who rose to the rank of Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
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...
.
Playfair was educated at Cheltenham College
Cheltenham 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...
and joined 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 1913. He served in France and Belgium 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...
, during which he was mentioned in despatches, awarded the Military Cross (MC) and bar, and the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).
Playfair was appointed Officer Commanding Gentlemen Cadets, Royal Marine Artillery in 1920, a post he held until 1924.
In 1930, he married Jocelyn Malan, with whom he would father two sons.
Between 1930 and 1934, he was chief instructor in field works and bridging at the Royal School of Military Engineering
Royal School of Military Engineering
The Royal School of Military Engineering is the main training establishment for the British Army's Royal Engineers. After they have successfully completed their Phase 1 - Basic Soldier Training, members of the Corps of Royal Engineers attend 3 RSME, at Minley for Phase 2a - Combat Engineering...
. In 1934, Playfair became an instructor at the 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...
Staff College
Command and Staff College
The Command and Staff College was established in 1907 at Quetta, Balochistan, British Raj, now in Pakistan, and is the oldest and the most prestigious institution of the Pakistan Army. It was established in 1905 in Deolali and moved to its present location at Quetta in 1907 under the name of Quetta...
, in Quetta
Quetta
is the largest city and the provincial capital of the Balochistan Province of Pakistan. Known as the "Fruit Garden of Pakistan" due to the diversity of its plant and animal wildlife, Quetta is home to the Hazarganji Chiltan National Park, which contains some of the rarest species of wildlife in the...
. In 1938, he transferred to the Imperial Defence College, and in 1939 he was appointed Commandant of the Army Gas School, in Wiltshire.
In 1940, following the outbreak of World War II, Playfair was appointed Director of Plans 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 early 1942, he was appointed deputy commander (and chief of staff) of land forces in the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
American-British-Dutch-Australian Command
The American-British-Dutch-Australian Command, or ABDACOM, was a short-lived, supreme command for all Allied forces in South East Asia, in early 1942, during the Pacific War in World War II...
(ABDACOM), a short-lived, supreme command for Allied
Allies of World War II
The Allies of World War II were the countries that opposed the Axis powers during the Second World War . Former Axis states contributing to the Allied victory are not considered Allied states...
forces in South East Asia and the south west Pacific. In 1943, Playfair was appointed to the general staff of the 11th Army Group
British 11th Army Group
The 11th Army Group was the main British Army force in Southeast Asia during the Second World War. Although a nominally British formation, it also included large numbers of troops and formations from the British Indian Army and from British African colonies, and also Nationalist Chinese and United...
, in the 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:...
.
Playfair retired in 1947. He later wrote several books, and was co-author of a World War II official campaign history, The Mediterranean and Middle East.
Works
- The Mediterranean and Middle East
- Volume 1: The Early Successes Against Italy, to May 1941, 1954, ISBN 1-84574-065-3
- Volume 2: The Germans Come to the Help of Their Ally, 1941, 1956, ISBN 1-84574-066-1
- Volume 3: British Fortunes Reach Their Lowest Ebb, 1960, ISBN 1-84574-067-X
- Volume 4: The Destruction of the Axis Forces in Africa, 1966, ISBN 1-84574-068-8