Reginald Denning
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Reginald Francis Stewart Denning KCVO
KBE
CB
MC
(1894 – 1990) was a British Army staff officer and administrator.
. He joined the British Army at the beginning of World War I
as a private with the Queen's Westminsters, and was sent to serve on the Western Front
in 1914, where he was stationed at Ypres. He initially refused to apply for a commission until his elder brother forced him to, and in 1915 he was commissioned in the Bedfordshire Regiment
. On 15 June 1915 he was severely injured. After running forward in an assault against the enemy flank he spotted some soldiers hiding in a trench. Running over to confront them he was hit with a 'pole-axe blow' to the head, which turned out to be a bullet passing through his shoulder and into the back of his head. He was left for dead and recovered consciousness about twelve hours later. A Corporal from his company picked him up and carried him to a field ambulance, and after surgery was shipped back to England, where a metal plate was put in his head.
He recovered from his wound and returned to France in 1918 to join his regiment as a company commander, but the wound had taken its toll and he collapsed. After being sent back to base he was transferred to Brigade headquarters with the 3rd Army. For the rest of the war he served as a staff captain at 3rd Army Headquarters, but was transferred back to his regiment in 1919 to take part in the training of the regiment. He served for six years as an adjutant, three years for each regular Battalion, and in 1925 attended the Staff College, Camberley
. After training he again returned to the Bedfordshire Regiment and served with them in both India and England. He left the regiment in 1936, again to join the staff, and helped prepare the British Expeditionary Force
. After the Dunkirk evacuations he was appointed to the XI Corps defending South East England. He was promoted to Major-General in 1943 to lead the planning for D-Day; he asked to be demoted to Brigadier so he would be allowed to take part in the landings themselves, but this request was denied. After the success of the operation he was posted to Far East Command
and became Chief Administrative Officer for the south-east Asian campaign. In 1947 he was made Chief of Staff and in 1949 promoted to Lieutenant-General and made General Officer Commanding
Northern Ireland District
. He retired in 1952 with the rank of Colonel in the regiment and helped organise the merging of the county regiments into larger units, forming the Royal Anglian Regiment
and serving as its first Colonel. After his retirement he became chairman of the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association and worked with the organisation for over 20 years. He was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in thanks for his work.
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
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...
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...
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....
(1894 – 1990) was a British Army staff officer and administrator.
Military career
He was born to Charles and Clara Denning in 1894. His siblings included Alfred Thompson "Tom" Denning and Norman DenningNorman Denning
Vice Admiral Sir Norman Egbert Denning KBE CB was a British Royal Naval and Intelligence Officer at the Admirality and Defence Intelligence Staff who served as Director of Naval Planning from 1945–1956, Director of Naval Intelligence from 1960–1964 and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff for...
. He joined the British Army at the beginning of 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...
as a private with the Queen's Westminsters, and was sent to serve on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
in 1914, where he was stationed at Ypres. He initially refused to apply for a commission until his elder brother forced him to, and in 1915 he was commissioned in the Bedfordshire Regiment
Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment
The Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment was the final title of an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army originally formed in 1688...
. On 15 June 1915 he was severely injured. After running forward in an assault against the enemy flank he spotted some soldiers hiding in a trench. Running over to confront them he was hit with a 'pole-axe blow' to the head, which turned out to be a bullet passing through his shoulder and into the back of his head. He was left for dead and recovered consciousness about twelve hours later. A Corporal from his company picked him up and carried him to a field ambulance, and after surgery was shipped back to England, where a metal plate was put in his head.
He recovered from his wound and returned to France in 1918 to join his regiment as a company commander, but the wound had taken its toll and he collapsed. After being sent back to base he was transferred to Brigade headquarters with the 3rd Army. For the rest of the war he served as a staff captain at 3rd Army Headquarters, but was transferred back to his regiment in 1919 to take part in the training of the regiment. He served for six years as an adjutant, three years for each regular Battalion, and in 1925 attended 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:...
. After training he again returned to the Bedfordshire Regiment and served with them in both India and England. He left the regiment in 1936, again to join the staff, and helped prepare 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....
. After the Dunkirk evacuations he was appointed to the XI Corps defending South East England. He was promoted to Major-General in 1943 to lead the planning for D-Day; he asked to be demoted to Brigadier so he would be allowed to take part in the landings themselves, but this request was denied. After the success of the operation he was posted to 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...
and became Chief Administrative Officer for the south-east Asian campaign. In 1947 he was made Chief of Staff and in 1949 promoted to Lieutenant-General and made 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...
Northern Ireland District
HQ Northern Ireland
HQ Northern Ireland was the command formation responsible for the administration of all British Armed Forces stationed in and around Northern Ireland...
. He retired in 1952 with the rank of Colonel in the regiment and helped organise the merging of the county regiments into larger units, forming the Royal Anglian Regiment
Royal Anglian Regiment
The Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on 1 September 1964 as the first of the new large infantry regiments, through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade.* 1st Battalion from the...
and serving as its first Colonel. After his retirement he became chairman of the Soldiers', Sailors' and Airmen's Families Association and worked with the organisation for over 20 years. He was made a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in thanks for his work.