Montagu George North Stopford
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Montagu George North Stopford GCB
, KBE
, DSO
, MC
(16 November 1892 – 10 March 1971), was a British
Lieutenant General
during the Second World War and Commander-in-Chief of the South East Asia Command
from 1946 to 1947.
. His mother was Mabel Georgina Emily, daughter of George Alexander Mackenzie. He was educated at Wellington College
and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1911, serving with the 2nd Battalion of the regiment in India until 1914. He fought in the First World War, where he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross
.
. He commanded the 17th Infantry Brigade, part of the British Expeditionary Force
, from 1939 to 1940, leading the brigade during the Defence of Arras
. He was General Officer Commanding
the 56th (London) Infantry Division from 1940 to 1941 and then became Commandant
of the Staff College, Camberley
in October 1941. He commanded XII Corps from 1942 to 1943 and XXXIII Indian Corps
in Burma from 1943 to 1945. He finally commanded British Twelfth Army, formed in Burma in 1945.
After the war Stopford served as commander of Burma Command (renamed from Twelfth Army) from 1945 to 1946, as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Land Forces in Netherlands East Indies in 1946 and as Commander in Chief of South East Asia Command
from 1946 to 1947 before becoming General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command
from 1947 to 1949. He retired from the Army in 1949, with the rank of General. He was also appointed Colonel-in-Chief
of the Rifle Brigade.
Stopford was awarded the DSO
in 1940 and made a CB
in 1942. In December 1944 he and his fellow corps commanders Christison
and Scoones
were knighted and invested as KBE
by the viceroy Lord Wavell
at a ceremony at Imphal in front of the Scottish, Gurkha and Punjab regiments. Slim
was knighted and invested as KCB
at the same occasion.
in 1947 and a GCB
in 1948. In 1962 he held the honorary post of Deputy Lieutenant
of Oxfordshire
. He lived at Rock Hill House in Chipping Norton
. He married Dorothy, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Foulkes Deare, in 1921. They had no children. His wife died in 1982.
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 Montagu George North Stopford GCB
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...
, 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....
(16 November 1892 – 10 March 1971), 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...
Lieutenant General
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....
during the Second World War and Commander-in-Chief of 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:...
from 1946 to 1947.
Early life
Stopford was the son of Colonel Sir Lionel Arthur Montagu Stopford, and the great-grandson of James Stopford, 3rd Earl of CourtownJames Stopford, 3rd Earl of Courtown
James George Stopford, 3rd Earl of Courtown KP, PC , known as Viscount Stopford from 1770 to 1810, was an Anglo-Irish peer and Tory politician....
. His mother was Mabel Georgina Emily, daughter of George Alexander Mackenzie. He was educated at Wellington College
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1911, serving with the 2nd Battalion of the regiment in India until 1914. He fought in the First World War, where he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the Military Cross
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....
.
Second World War
Immediately before the outbreak of the Second World War, he was an instructor at the Staff College, CamberleyStaff 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:...
. He commanded the 17th Infantry Brigade, part of 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....
, from 1939 to 1940, leading the brigade during the Defence of Arras
Battle of Arras (1940)
The Battle of Arras took place during the Battle of France, in the early stages of World War II. It was an Allied counterattack against the flank of the German army, that took place near the town of Arras, in north-eastern France. The German forces were pushing north toward the channel coast, in...
. He was General Officer Commanding
General 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...
the 56th (London) Infantry Division from 1940 to 1941 and then became Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
of 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:...
in October 1941. He commanded XII Corps from 1942 to 1943 and XXXIII Indian Corps
XXXIII Corps (British India)
The British Indian XXXIII Corps was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War II. It was disbanded and the headquarters was recreated as an Army headquarters in 1945.-Formation:...
in Burma from 1943 to 1945. He finally commanded British Twelfth Army, formed in Burma in 1945.
After the war Stopford served as commander of Burma Command (renamed from Twelfth Army) from 1945 to 1946, as Commander-in-Chief of the Allied Land Forces in Netherlands East Indies in 1946 and as Commander in Chief of 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 1946 to 1947 before becoming General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Northern Command
Northern Command (United Kingdom)
-Nineteenth century:The District Commands of the British Army in Great Britain and Ireland first appear in print in 1840, at which time Northern Command was held by Maj-Gen Charles James Napier, appointed in 1838. During his time the troops stationed within Northern Command were frequently deployed...
from 1947 to 1949. He retired from the Army in 1949, with the rank of General. He was also appointed Colonel-in-Chief
Colonel-in-Chief
In the various Commonwealth armies, the Colonel-in-Chief of a regiment is its patron. This position is distinct from that of Colonel of the Regiment. They do not have an operational role. They are however kept informed of all important activities of the regiment, and pay occasional visits to its...
of the Rifle Brigade.
Stopford was awarded the 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...
in 1940 and made a CB
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...
in 1942. In December 1944 he and his fellow corps commanders Christison
Philip Christison
General Sir Philip Christison, 4th Baronet GBE CB DSO MC was a British military commander of the Second World War.-Early life and career:...
and Scoones
Geoffrey Scoones
General Sir Geoffrey Allen Percival Scoones KCB, KBE, CSI, DSO, MC was a general in the British Indian Army during the Second World War. His younger brother was Reginald "Cully" Scoones.-Military career:...
were knighted and invested as 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...
by the viceroy Lord Wavell
Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell
Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during the Second World War. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only to be defeated by the German army...
at a ceremony at Imphal in front of the Scottish, Gurkha and Punjab regiments. Slim
William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim
Field Marshal William Joseph "Bill"'Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC, KStJ was a British military commander and the 13th Governor-General of Australia....
was knighted and invested as 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...
at the same occasion.
Later life
After the war Stopford was further made KCBOrder 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...
in 1947 and a GCB
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...
in 1948. In 1962 he held the honorary post of Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire
Oxfordshire is a county in the South East region of England, bordering on Warwickshire and Northamptonshire , Buckinghamshire , Berkshire , Wiltshire and Gloucestershire ....
. He lived at Rock Hill House in Chipping Norton
Chipping Norton
Chipping Norton is a market town in the Cotswold Hills in the West Oxfordshire district of Oxfordshire, England, about southwest of Banbury.-History until the 17th century:...
. He married Dorothy, daughter of Lieutenant-Colonel Henry Foulkes Deare, in 1921. They had no children. His wife died in 1982.