Lindsay Inglis
Lindsay Merritt Inglis | |
---|---|
First World War
Second World War
| |
Awards | Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order & Bar Military Cross Efficiency Decoration |
Other work | Magistrate |
In civilian life, Inglis worked as a solicitor and barrister in
Early life
Inglis was born in Mosgiel, Otago, New Zealand on 16 May 1894 to a banker and his wife. After completing his education at Waitaki Boys' High School in Oamaru, he commenced legal studies at the University of Otago in 1913.[1]
Military career
In late April 1915, eight months after the outbreak of the
Inglis later transferred to the
Interwar period
Inglis resumed his legal studies, completing them in 1920. He also became married to his fiancée, Agnes, and the couple had two children. Now a solicitor, he moved his young family to Timaru and established a legal practice there. He remained involved with the Territorial Force, and in 1926 was commander of 1st Battalion, Canterbury Regiment, with the rank of lieutenant-colonel. Promoted to colonel in 1931, he commanded 3rd New Zealand Infantry Brigade before retiring from the Territorial Force in 1936.[1] As a long serving member of the territorials, he was awarded the Efficiency Decoration.[5] In 1935, he was awarded the King George V Silver Jubilee Medal.[6]
Second World War
Inglis enlisted in the
Crete
Having missed the
North Africa
Despite this show of disloyalty to his commander, Inglis remained in command of 4th Brigade through much of the North African campaign.[2] He led his brigade in the capture of Belhamed, a hill adjacent to Sidi Rezegh, which resulted in the opening of a corridor to Tobruk during Operation Crusader, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).[5][12]
After being reformed during the early part of 1942, 4th Brigade spent time in Syria with most of the 2nd New Zealand Division. In June, the New Zealanders were rushed back to Egypt after the Panzer Army Afrika attacked Gazala, near Tobruk, to begin an advance into Egypt in pursuit of the retreating Eighth Army. The division made a stand at Minqar Qaim and was surrounded by German forces on 27 June. As the Germans probed the perimeter of the New Zealand positions, Freyberg was wounded. Inglis assumed temporary command of the division and successfully led it in an outbreak from Minqar Qaim that night. He would remain as divisional commander for the next two months as Freyberg recovered,[1] and was later awarded a bar to his DSO which acknowledged his leadership of the division during this period.[5][13]
However, during this time Inglis' relationship with his brigade commanders, particularly Brigadier Howard Kippenberger, in command of the 5th Brigade, deteriorated. Kippenberger had become highly rated as a field commander during the war and Inglis may have become resentful. This was uncomfortable for Kippenberger,[14] who had served under Inglis in the Territorial Force and considered him a mentor in the art of warfare.[15] This was further exacerbated on 30 June when Inglis went to Cairo without informing his staff who, in his absence, subsequently asked Kippenberger to take temporary command of the division. Inglis returned on 1 July having become lost when returning from Cairo.[14]
Prior to the First Battle of Ruweisat Ridge, which commenced on 14–15 July, Inglis failed to adjust his artillery support following concerns raised by Kippenberger and Jim Burrows, the commanders of the brigades involved in the planned advance on the defended ridge. Instead, he chose to rely on assurances from his corps commander, Lieutenant-General William Gott, commanding XIII Corps, that British armour would provide any necessary assistance.[16] This proved to be a mistake; although the brigades manage to seize the ridge, they were unable to hold it in the face of stronger than expected counterattacks, and the expected armour support never fully eventuated. Afterwards, while Inglis was critical of the conduct of the brigades and laid primary blame for the failure on them and the lack of armour, he overlooked the influence of his own role as divisional commander on the outcome of the battle.[17] An attack mounted a few days later by 6th Brigade was a further failure and highlighted Inglis' failings as a divisional commander by not ensuring adequate support from his corps commander.[18]
In September 1942, Inglis reverted to command of 4th Brigade, and it was decided that the brigade would be converted to an armoured formation. As an infantry brigade, it had suffered heavy losses at Ruweisat Ridge. Inglis oversaw 4th Brigade's transition to armour, a process which took a nearly a year. He was again acting divisional commander from June to July 1943 when Freyberg was occupied elsewhere. Afflicted with dysentery, Inglis was repatriated to New Zealand in November 1943 for treatment.[1]
Italy
Inglis returned to 4th Brigade, now serving on the
Later life
After the end of the war in Europe, Inglis was one of New Zealand's delegates for the Allied Control Commission for Germany, which administered the now occupied country. He was appointed president of a military court in the British-controlled area of Germany dealing with crimes committed by the occupying forces. After six months in this role, in February 1947 he was promoted to major-general and made chief judge of the Allied Control Commission's Supreme Court.
In 1950, Inglis ended his appointment as chief judge and returned to New Zealand. He became a magistrate in
Further reading
- Philippe, Nathalie (2023). Death Among Good Men: First World War Reflections from New Zealand Major General Lindsay M Inglis. Auckland: David Bateman Books. ISBN 978-1-77689-056-9. (edited from letters to his fiancé)
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Goldstone, Paul. "Lindsay Merritt Inglis". Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. Ministry for Culture and Heritage. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
- ^ a b c d McGibbon 2000, pp. 243–244.
- ^ "No. 29886". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1916. p. 45.
- ^ Murphy 1961, p. 72.
- ^ a b c Haigh & Polaschek 1993, pp. 132–133.
- ^ "Official jubilee medals". The Evening Post. 6 May 1935. p. 4. Retrieved 16 August 2013.
- ^ McClymont 1959, p. 8.
- ^ McClymont 1959, p. 81.
- ^ Pugsley 2014, p. 125.
- ^ Filer 2010, pp. 134–135.
- ^ Filer 2010, p. 110.
- ^ "No. 35465". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 February 1942. p. 894.
- ^ "No. 35908". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 February 1943. p. 863.
- ^ a b Pugsley 2014, p. 288.
- ^ Pugsley 2014, pp. 27–28.
- ^ Pugsley 2014, p. 294.
- ^ Pugsley 2014, p. 307.
- ^ Pugsley 2014, pp. 315–318.
- ^ Pugsley 2014, p. 28.
References
- Filer, David (2010). Crete: Death from the Skies. Auckland, New Zealand: David Bateman. ISBN 978-1-86953782-1.
- Haigh, J. Bryant; Polaschek, A. J. (1993). New Zealand and The Distinguished Service Order. Christchurch, New Zealand: Privately published. ISBN 0-473-02406-3.
- McClymont, W. G. (1959). To Greece. OCLC 4373298.
- ISBN 0-19-558376-0.
- Murphy, W. E (1961). The Relief of Tobruk. OCLC 8000753.
- ISBN 978-0-143-57189-6.