Gilbert White (British Army officer)
| Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Full name | Gilbert William White | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Born | 6 July 1912 Farnham, Surrey, England | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Died | 14 October 1977 (aged 65) La Plaine, Saint Patrick, Dominica | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Batting | Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bowling | Unknown | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Relations | William White (father) Harold Austin (father-in-law) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Career statistics | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Source: Cricinfo, 15 April 2019 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Second World War and eventually rose to the rank of brigadier. He also played first-class cricket for the British Army cricket team
.
Early life and military career
The son of Brigadier
Second World War, he had served in operations during the 1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine.[6]
Second World War
He served in North Africa during the early stages of the war, with the
Italian forces at the Battle of Sidi Barrani.[6] In January 1941, he took part in the successful captures of Tobruk and Bardia, followed in February by the Battle of Beda Fomm, which saw the surrender of 25,000 Italians.[6] He was promoted to the rank of captain in February 1941,[7] after which he served as a staff captain.[6] White was made an MBE in July 1941,[8] with his recommendation making note of his "energy, resource and unruffled temperament".[6] He was briefly appointed to Cairo, eventually rejoining the 7th Armoured Division as deputy assistant quarter-master general in June 1941, a role he held until July 1942.[6] He served as assistant adjutant and quarter-master general to the 1st Armoured Division from July 1942 to August 1943, before an appointment as a general staff officer at the War Office.[6] He was mentioned in dispatches in January 1944.[9] He subsequently saw action in North-West Europe.[6]
Later life
Following the war, he was promoted to the rank of major in July 1946.[10] He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel in July 1953.[11] He was promoted to the rank of colonel in December 1955.[12] He was promoted to the rank of brigadier in January 1960.[13] He retired from active service in April 1961, upon which he was placed on the reserve of officers list.[14] Having exceeded the age for recall, he was removed from the reserve list in August 1965.[15]
He spent his final years in Dominica, where he died at La Plaine in October 1977.[1] His father-in-law was the Barbadian politician and first-class cricketer Harold Austin.
References
- ^ a b "Wisden – Obituaries in 1977". ESPNcricinfo. 5 December 2005. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "No. 33908". The London Gazette. 3 February 1933. p. 744.
- ^ "No. 34252". The London Gazette. 4 February 1936. p. 734.
- ^ "First-Class Matches played by Gilbert White". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "Army v Oxford University, 1939". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ a b c d e f g h "An early Second World War Middle East operations M.B.E. group of eight awarded to Brigadier G. W. 'Bill' White, King's Royal Rifle Corps". Spink & Son. Retrieved 15 April 2019.
- ^ "No. 35063". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 January 1941. p. 676.
- ^ "No. 35209". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 July 1941. p. 3883.
- ^ "No. 36327". The London Gazette. 11 January 1944. p. 265.
- ^ "No. 37635". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 June 1946. p. 3374.
- ^ "No. 40046". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 December 1953. p. 6929.
- ^ "No. 40691". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 January 1956. p. 490.
- ^ "No. 41929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 January 1960. p. 435.
- ^ "No. 42322". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 April 1961. p. 2639.
- ^ "No. 43744". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 August 1965. p. 8068.