Lashmer Whistler
Sir Lashmer Whistler | |
---|---|
Mentioned in Despatches (4) (Netherlands)Commander of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Croix de guerre (Belgium) Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Orange | |
Other work | Chairman, Committee on the New Army (1957) |
Early life and military career
Whistler was the son of Colonel Albert Edward Whistler of the British Indian Army and his wife Florence Annie Gordon Rivett-Carnac, daughter of Charles Forbes Rivett-Carnac. The younger of two sons, he was born on 3 September 1898 in British India but went to England with his mother and elder brother soon afterwards, and was educated at St Cyprian's School, where he was an outstanding sportsman, and on the recommendation of the headmaster was awarded a sporting scholarship at Harrow School. He played cricket for Harrow,[5] and was to remain a redoubtable batsman throughout his career.[6]
He entered the
Between the wars
In 1919, after the end of the First World War, Whistler, after being released by the Germans, remained in the army and was promoted to
Shortly afterwards, he was sent to
Second World War
France and Belgium, Dunkirk, and England
When the Second World War broke out on 3 September 1939, on Whistler's 41st birthday, he was commanding the regimental depot at Chichester. However, on 5 February 1940 he became an acting
Just over a month later, the
For the next two years, the 44th Division, after moving briefly to
North Africa
In May 1942 the 44th Division, now commanded by Major General Ivor Hughes after Horrocks was posted elsewhere to command the 9th Armoured Division, received the news that it was to prepare for overseas service and the division left England towards the end of the month, for an unknown destination. While at sea the division heard about the fall of Tobruk in mid-June, resulting in the division being re-routed for Suez, Egypt, where it landed in the last week of July.[26] In August, Whistler arrived with the 44th Division in Egypt to join XIII Corps of the British Eighth Army. XIII Corps was commanded by Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks, while the Eighth Army was taken over by Lieutenant-General Bernard Montgomery, both of whom had recently arrived in Egypt, and were again destined to be Whistler's superiors. Whistler's battalion was assigned to the Alam el Halfa Ridge for the Battle of Alam el Halfa, although most of the action took place below. The commander of the 133rd Infantry Brigade in the 44th Division fell ill in late August and Whistler temporarily replaced him. In early September, promoted to the acting rank of brigadier,[27] he was subsequently transferred to command of the 132nd Infantry Brigade, part of the 44th Division, which he led during the Battle of El Alamein where it took over ground captured on 25 October and where he and his brigade major were slightly wounded.[28][24]
As the advance moved forward to
In the latter stages of the Tunisian campaign, the 7th Armoured Division was, in late April, transferred to Lieutenant General Kenneth Anderson's British First Army, joining IX Corps, which by that time was commanded by Horrocks (transferred over from the Eighth Army), after the original GOC, Lieutenant-General John Crocker (another of Whistler's future superiors), was injured and temporarily replaced by Horrocks.[24] Whistler was awarded the first bar to his DSO in April 1943 for "gallant and distinguished services in the Middle East",[31][27] and by 12 May 1943 all Axis resistance in Tunis had ended and the fighting in North Africa, after almost three years, was finished. Whistler wrote in his diary, on 8 May, "Tunis is ours and the first real infantry in were the Queen's. 7th Armoured went right through. [1/]7 Queen's had a bit of street fighting in Tunis−two wounded, 4,000 prisoners taken. Of course the [22nd] Armoured Bde did all the real work. I do not believe they lost a tank from enemy action. I have fought in two Divisions, 44th and 7th Armoured, and have carried the sign of the 44th to Tunis."[32]
Italy
For two months in the summer of 1943, the 7th Armoured remained at
In November, the 7th Armoured Division, now withdrawn from combat, received the news that it was to be transferred to the "Imperial Strategic Reserve" and would return to the United Kingdom, to spearhead the Allied invasion of Normandy.[33] The division was chosen by Montgomery, who was returning to England to take command of the Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group, which controlled all Allied ground forces for the invasion and subsequent campaign in Normandy. For his services in Italy Whistler was awarded a second Bar to his DSO.[35][27] Whistler maintained a diary to which he committed his private thoughts, often questioning his own courage and abilities. On the way back to England on 1 January 1944 he wrote "getting near England, Home, Beauty and the Brats. I don't think I have made any good resolutions but hope to keep fifteen minutes ahead of my job for the rest of the war. I would like to be able to do something towards peace afterwards, but am too simple a soldier probably to be of any use... A bit nervous of the great offensive but do not wish to miss it – wish I could go on with this outfit but have been too long with it. Am not fit for an Armoured Div and do not want a Bum Inf Div. What a life."[36]
Normandy and North West Europe
In mid-January 1944 Whistler was informed in a letter by his GOC, Major-General Erskine, that he was to be transferred to command the
This came much sooner than expected, however, as just a week after D-Day (6 June 1944) the GOC of Montgomery's old division, the 3rd Infantry Division, Major-General Tom Rennie, was wounded and Montgomery called for Whistler and gave him command of the division, with the rank of acting major-general.[39][27][38][nb 1][27]
Whistler commanded the division throughout the campaign in north-west Europe. The 3rd Division captured Caen on 9 July during Operation Charnwood and then took part in Operation Goodwood. The division was extracted from the stalemate and assigned to Caumont-sur-Orne in Operation Bluecoat in the drive past Vire. Corporal Sidney Bates of the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross (VC) around this time.[42] The division captured Flers on 18 August. On 3 September, Whistler's forty-sixth birthday, the 3rd Division began a move forward which was to take it 150 miles with its major action at the crossing of the Meuse-Escaut canal on 18 September. The division participated in Operation Market Garden and then in the Battle of Overloon, taking over from the U.S. 7th Armoured Division, to capture Overloon and Venray on 18 October after suffering heavy casualties. One of Whistler's subordinates observed the effect Whistler had on his troops: "I saw an infantry battalion on its way into battle. They were resting on both sides of the road when Bolo came back from the sharp end. He was driving himself, flag flying and his hat, as usual, on the back of his head. Every man stood up and waved to him as he went past, laughing and waving in reply."[43]
For the following three-and-a-half months, the 3rd Division was committed to hold the line along the
With the German surrender and the end of World War II in Europe, Whistler was sent to Osnabrück to take over administration of a large area of Germany of Minden and Munster. He had to look after some 260,000 displaced persons and restore some order.[47] In July Whistler went to England for leave and, in August, Whistler returned to Germany. During lunch with Montgomery, now a field marshal, Whistler learned that the 3rd Division, with a slight change in composition, was to return to England where, in October, it would go to the United States to become part of the Commonwealth Corps in anticipation of the invasion of mainland Japan, but the division would be without Whistler, who would exchange commands with Major General Richard Hull, GOC of the 5th Infantry Division.[48] However, the surrender of Japan just days later cancelled all this.
Whistler was made a
After the Second World War
Imperial Strategic Reserve
As he had not attended the Staff College, Whistler was not qualified for high positions in the War Office. However, his outstanding success as a leader of troops during the war led him to a succession of increasingly senior command positions after the war,[24] particularly in the challenging environment of decolonisation. The 3rd Infantry Division became the Imperial Strategic Reserve, on five days notice to fly to any part of the world. Whistler took the division to Egypt in November 1945 and was sent almost immediately to northern Palestine to police troubles between Israelis and Arabs during the Palestine Emergency.[24] In December he became GOC British Troops in Egypt and shortly after ceased to be a member of the 3rd Division. His major general rank was made substantive in February 1947, with seniority backdated to April 1946.[54][27]
Decolonisation
In January 1947 Montgomery selected Whistler to become General Officer Commanding British Troops in India. There was considerable communal violence prior to independence that required careful policing, but Whistler's main concern was the extraction of British units stationed in India. After final meetings with
Whistler's next appointment on 1 June 1948 was
Whistler's headquarters were at
Western Command
On 1 December 1953, Whistler became the Colonel of the Royal Sussex Regiment
Retirement
In April 1957, just before Whistler's retirement, Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer asked him to become Chairman of the Committee on the Reorganisation of British Infantry.[70] Other members of the Committee included Lieutenant General Sir James Cassels. When this work was completed, Templer sent for him in January 1958 to chair another committee, "to investigate and report on all aspects of discipline, training and economy in units." Whistler introduced his report with a Latin quotation attributed to Horace but in fact of his own composition.[71]
Whistler was appointed Deputy lieutenant for the County of Sussex in 1957.[72]
In 1958 Whistler was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Royal West African Frontier Force,[73] being the last British officer to hold the post as it ceased to exist on 1 August 1960. In 1959, the governments of Nigeria and Sierra Leone also invited him to become Honorary Colonel of the Royal Nigerian Military Forces, and the Royal Sierra Leone Military Forces. Whistler was on very friendly terms with Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, who sought his advice and judgement. Whistler was very concerned about the future of the Nigerian Army because it was split with the officers coming from the south of the country and the soldiers from the north.[74]
Whistler's interest and ability in shooting led him to take an interest in small-bore rifle shooting. He became Vice-President of the
Whistler was elected to the Council of the Army Cadet Force Association on 21 October 1959 as the representative of the NSRA. He was elected Chairman of the ACFA on 18 October 1961.[77]
Whistler's last battle was against lung cancer, an illness which he concealed until November 1962. He died eight months later, aged 64, at the Cambridge Military Hospital, Aldershot, on 4 July.[78]
Personal life
Brigadier Sir John Smyth, a distinguished soldier, wrote Whistler's biography "as a study in leadership" and noted four traits in his character: his humility, his humanity, his sense of humour and his devotion to his family. He summarised his breadth of character: "Bolo Whistler was a very human man; he drank and he smoked and he loved a party and he often used very strong language. But at the same time he was a man of very high ideals and Christian principles. In these matters he set a wonderful example. Often before a battle he would ask his padres to hold a short service, perhaps in a cornfield or any other convenient place."[79]
Whistler married Esmé Keighley, the sister of a naval officer who died as the result of the Russian campaign. The wedding took place at Eastbourne in 1926, and the reception was held at his old school St Cyprians, one of the ushers being then naval cadet Rupert Lonsdale.[80] Whistler and his wife had two daughters.
The Duke of Norfolk who was Whistler's subordinate in the 4th Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment, and later his superior as Lord Lieutenant of Sussex said of him: "He was possibly the greatest man I ever knew."[81]
Kwame Nkrumah wrote "General Whistler was not only a great soldier, but a great man; he was to me a most sincere friend, frank and understanding, jovial and abounding in energy".[82]
Publications
- Small Bore Rifle Shooting
References
- Footnotes
- citations
- ^ a b Smart 2005, p. 330.
- ^ a b c d e Mead 2007, p. 481.
- ^ "Press Note" (PDF). Press Information Bureau of India - Archive. 1 August 1947. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
- ^ a b c d Mead 2007, p. 484.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 35.
- ^ The Times Gen. Sir Lashmer Whistler- G. D. M. (G. D. Martineau) writes - Wednesday 17 July 1963
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 36.
- ^ "No. 30280". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 September 1917. p. 9438.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 39−40.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 40−41.
- ^ "No. 31347". The London Gazette. 16 May 1919. p. 6230.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 42−47.
- ^ "No. 33490". The London Gazette. 29 April 1929. p. 2852.
- ^ "No. 33938". The London Gazette. 9 May 1933. p. 3099.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 49−59.
- ^ "No. 34538". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 August 1938. p. 5024.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 64−65.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 71.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 76.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 64−74.
- ^ "No. 34893". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 July 1940. p. 4261.
- ^ Mead 2007, p. 481−482.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 80.
- ^ a b c d e f Mead 2007, p. 482.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 15.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 86−87.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j "British Army officer histories". Unit Histories. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 88−91.
- ^ Smyth (1967), pp. 91–96
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 18.
- ^ "No. 35987". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 April 1943. p. 1845.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 96−97.
- ^ a b Mead 2007, p. 482−483.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 98−100.
- ^ "No. 36327". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 January 1944. p. 255.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 101.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 101−106.
- ^ a b Mead 2007, p. 483.
- ^ "No. 36829". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 December 1944. p. 5619.
- ^ "No. 36897". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 January 1945. p. 451.
- ^ "No. 37635". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 June 1946. p. 3361.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 115.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 126.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 140−141.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 144−145.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 149−150.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 161−162.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 162−163.
- ^ "No. 37004". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 March 1945. p. 1703.
- ^ "No. 36994". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 March 1945. p. 1557.
- ^ "No. 37213". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 August 1945. p. 4053.
- ^ "No. 37521". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 April 1946. p. 1672.
- ^ "No. 37189". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 July 1945. p. 3815.
- ^ "No. 37880". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 February 1947. p. 750.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 170−184.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 185−195.
- ^ "No. 38962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 July 1950. p. 3502.
- ^ "No. 39238". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 May 1951. p. 2929.
- ^ "No. 39224". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 May 1951. p. 2639.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 196−202.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 198−200.
- ^ "No. 40030". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 November 1953. p. 6516.
- ^ "No. 40067". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 January 1954. p. 207.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 203−211.
- ^ "No. 40970". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 January 1957. p. 215.
- ^ "No. 40596". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 September 1955. p. 5483.
- ^ "No. 40992". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 February 1957. p. 799.
- ^ "No. 40960". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 December 1956. p. 3.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 210.
- ^ "No. 41318". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 February 1958. p. 1187.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 216−224.
- ^ "No. 41246". The London Gazette. 6 December 1957. p. 7115.
- ^ "No. 41348". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 March 1958. p. 2083.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 226−233.
- ^ "National Smallbore Rifle Association". Archived from the original on 18 July 2011. Retrieved 12 August 2008.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 235.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 239−242.
- ^ Times Obituary 1963
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 22−24.
- ^ St Cyprian's Chronicle 1926
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 66.
- ^ Smyth 1967, p. 230.
Bibliography
- Mead, Richard (2007). Churchill's Lions: A biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II. Stroud (UK): Spellmount. pp. 544 pages. ISBN 978-1-86227-431-0.
- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
- OCLC 59031387.
- The Times Obituary – Gen. Sir Lashmer Whistler Saturday 6 July 1963