Alexander Williams (British Army officer)

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Alexander Williams
Nickname(s)"Alick"
Deputy Lieutenant of Dorset[5]

Second World War and later commanded the 2nd Division
from 1960 to 1962.

Military career

Alexander Williams was born on 8 June 1910 in Herringston House, Dorchester, Dorset, England, the son of Captain Berkeley Cole Wilmot Williams, a British Army officer, and the Hon. Winifred Mary Williams, the elder daughter of the second Lord Addington.[1] He was educated at Eton College before attending the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from where he was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the King's Royal Rifle Corps (KRRC) on 28 August 1930.[6] He was posted to the 2nd Battalion, KRRC, then serving in Tidworth, Wiltshire, before the battalion moved in 1932 to Northern Ireland. Promoted to lieutenant on 28 August 1933,[7] the 2nd KRRC returned to England in 1935.[8] Williams, along with the battalion, now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Evelyn Barker, was sent to Palestine in 1936, following the outbreak of the Arab revolt, before again returning to England in 1937, where it was converted into a motorised infantry battalion and became part of the Mobile Division (from April 1939 the 1st Armoured Division), under Major General Alan Brooke.[8] In January 1939 Williams, who on 28 August 1938 was promoted to captain,[9] was made adjutant to the 2nd KRRC, now commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Thomas Wilson after Barker was promoted to command a brigade.[1]

Williams was still adjutant upon the outbreak of the

German Army invaded France and the brigade was instead sent, in mid-May, to Calais, France, where, despite fighting for several days, the 30th Brigade, along with most of the battalion—including Williams—was forced to surrender, most spending the rest of the conflict as a prisoner of war (POW).[1]

Williams managed to escape and, after returning to the United Kingdom, was awarded the

mentioned in despatches for his services.[11] The battalion was training for eventual participation in the Italian campaign.[12]

Williams landed in Italy with his battalion, and most of the rest of the 1st Armoured Division, in late May 1944.[12] In late June the battalion was transferred to the 9th Armoured Brigade, before returning to the 2nd Armoured Brigade and taking part in severe fighting in front of the Gothic Line. Williams commanded the battalion throughout most of the battalion's service in Italy until, in March 1945, he was promoted to the acting rank of brigadier (and colonel on the same date)[1] and was posted to Allied Forces Headquarters, before being made a GSO1 with HQ Central Mediterranean Force from October until December 1946.[1]

After the war Williams became Assistant Adjutant-General at the

General Officer Commanding 2nd Division in 1960 and chief of staff at Headquarters Far East Land Forces in May 1962.[13] His last appointments were as General Officer Commanding Singapore from November 1962 and Chairman of the Vehicle Committee at the Ministry of Defence from 1964 before retiring in 1965.[13]

In 1970 Williams became High Sheriff of Dorset.[14] He died on 2 November 1994, at the age of 84.[1]

Family

In 1943 Williams married Sybilla Margaret Archdale. Their daughter Victoria Mary married Francis Egerton, 7th Duke of Sutherland, on 11 May 1974.[15]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h "British Army officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 26 March 2018.
  2. ^ a b Generals.dk
  3. ^ "No. 42552". The London Gazette. 29 December 1961. p. 3.
  4. ^ "No. 41404". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 June 1958. p. 3511.
  5. ^ "No. 43708". The London Gazette. 9 July 1965. p. 6522.
  6. ^ "No. 33639". The London Gazette. 29 August 1930. p. 5361.
  7. ^ "No. 33975". The London Gazette. 5 September 1933. p. 5801.
  8. ^ a b c "2nd Bn, The King's Royal Rifle Corps: Deployments". Archived from the original on 4 January 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  9. ^ "No. 34546". The London Gazette. 30 August 1938. p. 5551.
  10. ^ "No. 34936". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 August 1940. p. 5326.
  11. ^ "No. 36358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 February 1944. p. 620.
  12. ^ a b "1st Bn, The King's Royal Rifle Corps: Deployments". Archived from the original on 4 January 2006. Retrieved 23 June 2018.
  13. ^ a b Army Commands Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ "No. 45070". The London Gazette. 31 March 1970. p. 3646.
  15. ^ The Peerage.com

External links

Military offices
Preceded by
General Officer Commanding 2nd Division

1960–1962 		Succeeded by
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alexander_Williams_(British_Army_officer)&oldid=1219714430"