Gerald Templer
Sir Gerald Templer | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | "Tiger of Malaya" |
Born | Colchester, Essex, England | 11 September 1898
Died | 25 October 1979 Chelsea, London, England | (aged 81)
Buried | |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Years of service | 1916–1958 |
Rank | Field Marshal |
Service number | 15307 |
Unit | Royal Irish Fusiliers Loyal Regiment (North Lancashire) |
Commands held | Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1955–58) Eastern Command (1950–52) 6th Armoured Division (1944) 56th (London) Infantry Division (1943–44) 1st Infantry Division (1943) XI Corps (1943) II Corps (1942–43) 47th (London) Infantry Division (1942) 210th Independent Infantry Brigade (Home) (1940–41) 9th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment (1940) |
Battles/wars | |
Awards | Mentioned in Despatches (2) (Malaya)Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) Commander of the Order of Leopold II (Belgium) Croix de guerre (Belgium) Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau (Netherlands) Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm |
Templer is best known for implementing strategies that heavily contributed to the defeat of the Malayan National Liberation Army (MNLA) during the Malayan Emergency. Some historians have described his methods as a successful example of a "hearts and minds" campaign, while other scholars have dismissed this as a myth due to his over-reliance on population control and coercion.[3][4] Templer also oversaw, ordered, and personally approved of many controversial policies and numerous atrocities committed by his troops. These including the use of internment camps called "New Villages", the forced relocation of ethnic minorities,[5] forced conscription,[3] collective punishment against civilians,[3] the hiring of specialist Iban-headhunters to decapitate suspected communists,[3][6][7][8] pioneering the use of Agent Orange (later used in Vietnam),[3][9] and the use of scorched earth policies deprive the MNLA of resources.[10]
Many of the strategies he enforced were later (unsuccessfully) implemented by the United States in Vietnam.[11]
Early life and education
Gerald Walter Robert Templer was born on 11 September 1898 at 15 Wellesley Road, in Colchester, Essex, the son (and only child) of Lieutenant-Colonel Walter Francis Templer, of the Royal Irish Fusiliers, and Mabel Eileen Templer (née Johnston). Of Irish descent, Templer attended an infant school at Rosslyn, Scotland, before being sent to Edinburgh Academy in 1904, later attending a preparatory boarding school at Connaught House, Weymouth, from 1909 until 1911.[12] In January 1912 he was sent to Wellington College, Berkshire and stayed there until shortly after his 17th birthday in September 1915, a year into the First World War.[13] His time at Wellington was, due mainly to initially being severely bullied, not the happiest period of his life, as he later wrote "I loathed and detested my four years at Wellington", although he also admitted to making numerous friends there.[14]
First World War
From Wellington he then entered the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in December 1915 and, after attending a shortened course for the war, was commissioned as a second lieutenant into his father's regiment, the Royal Irish Fusiliers, on 16 August 1916, just under a month before his 18th birthday.[15][16] In contrast to his time at Wellington, Templer greatly enjoyed Sandhurst, and later wrote with amusement that he "was a completely undistinguished cadet from every point of view and passed out – nobody failed at that stage of the First World War because we were so badly needed as cannon fodder – in July 1916, a couple of months before my eighteenth birthday".[17] Due to his age, however, he was unable to serve overseas and was sent to the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion in Buncrana in Inishowen, on the north coast of County Donegal, in Ulster, Ireland.[18]
Templer remained with the battalion until mid-October 1917 when, now aged 19, he was sent to the 7th/8th (Service) Battalion on the
Interwar period
He remained in the army during the
He later became a
Second World War
At the outbreak of the
Soon after returning to England Templer was, in mid-June, ordered to Chichester to raise the 9th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment, one of many then being raised in the aftermath of Dunkirk.[46] The battalion was to be based around a small cadre of Regular soldiers from the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex who, like Templer, had recently returned from France, and the rest of the battalion was to consist of newly called up conscripts, most of whom were in their late twenties with no previous military experience.[43] The battalion moved to Ross-on-Wye soon after its official formation on 4 July 1940. The task was made more difficult by the lack of rifles and other necessary equipment but Templer tried his best to train his men instil in them a regimental pride.[47]
In early November he was given the command of the
Templer became General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 47th (London) Infantry Division, based in Winchester, Hampshire as an acting major-general on 10 April 1942, serving under V Corps.[53] The division – comprising the 25th, 140th and 141st Infantry Brigades and supporting units – was a second-line TA formation, formerly the 2nd London Division, redesignated the 47th Division in November 1940. Placed on the Lower Establishment in December 1941, the division was understrength in manpower and equipment and men were constantly posted as drafts overseas, but the men were well-trained, due to their previous GOC, Major-General John Utterson-Kelso, one of the best trainers in the British Army.[53] According to a battalion commander, Lieutenant-Colonel Kenneth Darling, commanding the 11th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, Templer "inspired the Division with enthusiasm, keenness and efficiency", and "made them believe they were going to meet the Germans – and beat them. He inculcated a tremendous fighting spirit". Another junior staff officer, Edward Jones, believed Templer to be very nervy but keen, claiming he never slept during an exercise, no matter the length and believed he would burn himself out.[54]
He did not remain there for much longer, however, as, in September 1942, he was promoted to become GOC II Corps[55] as the British Army's youngest acting lieutenant-general.[53][13] However, the corps was actually II Corps District, a static formation, with responsibility for the defence of northern East Anglia against invasion.[53] By this time, the threat of invasion had much receded and, by early 1943, much of Templer's command had been posted away, the 1st Division moving to North Africa and the 76th Division being reduced to a reserve division, leaving Templer with little more than 30 Home Guard battalions.[56] Then, in April 1943, he took command of XI Corps, with the 54th and 61st Divisions and numerous smaller units under command, after II Corps was disbanded. His corps responsibility was for the defence of all of East Anglia.[55][53] Despite this, Templer was growing impatient at training troops and wished for a field command. To this end, in July, he approached General Sir Bernard Paget, the Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces (and formerly one of Templer's instructors at the Staff College), and offered to give up his rank of acting lieutenant-general so that he could command a division on active service.[53] His offer was accepted and, together with Gerard Bucknall (a fellow student at the Staff College who, like Templer, had risen rapidly but was presumably sharing his mindset), Templer, reverting to major-general on 30 July, flew out to Algiers, arriving there the day after.[57]
Templer became GOC of the 1st Infantry Division, which had come under his command while he was GOC II Corps, on 31 July 1943.[53] The division, with the 2nd, 3rd Infantry Brigades and the 24th Guards Brigade and supporting units, was based south of Tunis and had recently fought, with great distinction, in the final phases of the Tunisian campaign, where it had gained three Victoria Crosses (VC) in the space of a week.[53] The division was then training for future participation in the Italian campaign.[58][53] In late August General Sir Harold Alexander, commanding the Allied 15th Army Group, along with numerous and senior US and British generals, arrived to present the VC to Lance Corporal John Kenneally of the 1st Battalion, Irish Guards.[59] Shortly afterwards, the division was involved in a divisional parade, with General Dwight "Ike" Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander in the theatre, reviewing the entire division.[59] Templer himself wrote about the moment, saying:
I think it was the proudest moment of my life. In his address Ike said, 'When it gives me, your Supreme Commander and an American general, as proud to see you, the 1st Division of the British Army, on parade today as if you were the 1st Division of the American Army, then we are really getting somewhere!' It was a magnificent parade, and as far as I know, unique.[59]
Despite managing to concentrate the division and get it training in mountain warfare, Templer was not destined to lead the 1st Division into battle, although he was later to meet it again in Italy.[53]
On 10 October 1943, Major-General
In February 1944, the division, now under U.S. VI Corps, fought in the Battle of Anzio where Templer temporarily commanded the British 1st Infantry Division after the GOC, Major-General Ronald Penney, was wounded by shellfire.[55] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath on 24 August 1944 in recognition of his services in Italy.[61]
In late July 1944, Templer briefly became GOC 6th Armoured Division before being severely injured by a land mine in August, after being GOC for twelve days.[62] Promoted to major-general on 17 April 1945,[63] he spent the rest of the war on intelligence duties in 21st Army Group HQ as well as briefly heading the German Directorate of the Special Operations Executive (SOE).[55] He was mentioned in dispatches on 8 November 1945 in recognition of his services in North West Europe.[64]
Postwar
On 17 October 1946, Templer was awarded the
He served as Deputy Chief of Staff for the
He first came to public notice in 1945 while acting as Director of the Military Government in the British Zone of Germany, when he fired the mayor of Cologne, Konrad Adenauer, for "laziness and inefficiency".[62] This became an issue in 1954, when it was mooted he should become commander of the British Army of the Rhine; fearing an adverse reaction from Adenauer – who was now Chancellor – the British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill demurred and Templer was not appointed after his tour in Malaya ended.[69][70]
Templer became
High Commissioner for Malaya
On 22 January 1952,
He instituted incentive schemes for rewarding surrendering rebels and those who encouraged them to surrender
In private correspondences with Colonial Secretary
During his time in Malaya, Templer became commonly known as the "Tiger of Malaya", a title previously enjoyed by the Japanese general
Although Templer's actions were successful in helping to defeat the MNLA, they required the use of many controversial strategies, including the continued use of internment camps known as "New Villages", the forced relocation of ethnic minorities,[5] forced conscription,[3] collective punishment against civilians,[3] the hiring of specialist headhunters to decapitate suspected communists,[3][6][7][8] herbicidal warfare through the use of Agent Orange,[3][9] and the widespread killing of livestock and destruction of food crops to deprive the MNLA of resources.[10]
The Malaysian Government arranged for the Main Hall at the
Later military career
Advanced to
Templer was also appointed Colonel of the Royal Irish Fusiliers from 1946, Colonel of the Malay Federation Regiment from 1954,[92] Colonel of the 7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles from 25 May 1956,[95] Colonel of the Royal Horse Guards from 1963 and Colonel of the Blues and Royals from 1969.[92]
In retirement Templer focused on his main passion which was establishing the
In 1981 the Society for Army Historical Research established the Templer Medal, awarded annually to the author of the book published during that year that has made the most significant contribution to the history of the British Army, to commemorate Templer's life and achievements and to mark his presidency of the Society between 1965 and 1979.[102]
Family
On 8 September 1926 he married
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