Reginald Denning

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Sir Reginald Denning
Mentioned in Despatches

CB (12 June 1894 – 23 May 1990) was a British Army staff officer and administrator.[2]

Military career

Reginald Denning was born in

First World War as a private with the Queen's Westminsters, and was sent to serve on the Western Front in 1914, where he was posted to Ypres.[3] He initially refused to apply for a commission until his elder brother forced him to, and in 1915 he was commissioned in the Bedfordshire Regiment.[4] On 15 June 1915 he was severely injured. After running forward in an assault against the enemy flank he spotted some soldiers hiding in a trench. Running over to confront them he was hit with a 'pole-axe blow' to the head, which turned out to be a bullet passing through his shoulder and into the back of his head.[5] He was left for dead and recovered consciousness about twelve hours later. A corporal from his company picked him up and carried him to a field ambulance, and after surgery he was shipped back to England, where a metal plate was put in his head.[6]

Denning recovered from his wound and returned to France in 1918 to join his regiment as a company commander, but the wound had taken its toll and he collapsed. After being sent back to base he was transferred to brigade headquarters with the Third Army. For the rest of the war he served as a staff captain at Third Army Headquarters, but was transferred back to his regiment in 1919 to take part in the training of the regiment. He served for six years as an adjutant, three years for each regular battalion, and in 1925 attended the Staff College, Camberley. After training he again returned to the Bedfordshire Regiment and served with the regiment in both India and England.[7]

Denning left the regiment in 1936, again to join the staff, and helped prepare the British Expeditionary Force. After the Dunkirk evacuations he was appointed to the XI Corps defending South East England. He was promoted to major general in 1943 to lead the planning for D-Day; he asked to be demoted to brigadier so he would be allowed to take part in the landings themselves, but this request was denied.[8] After the success of the operation he was posted to Far East Command and became Chief Administrative Officer for the south-east Asian campaign.

In 1947 Denning was made Chief of Staff

General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District.[3]

Denning retired in 1952 with the rank of Colonel in the regiment and helped organise the merging of the county regiments into larger units, forming the

Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in thanks for his work.[9] He was also a Deputy lieutenant for Essex between 1959 and 1968.[10]

References

  1. ^ England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007
  2. ^ "Sir Reginald (Francis Stewart) Denning (1894 – 23 May 1990), Lieutenant-General". The National Portrait Gallery. August 2008. Retrieved 11 January 2009.
  3. ^ a b Heward 1990, p. 8.
  4. ^ Denning 1981, p. 50.
  5. ^ Denning 1981, p. 54.
  6. ^ Denning 1981, p. 55.
  7. ^ Denning 1981, p. 123.
  8. ^ Denning 1981, p. 125.
  9. ^ Denning 1981, p. 128.
  10. ^ Smart 2005, p. 83.

Bibliography

External links
Military offices
Preceded by GOC British Army in Northern Ireland
1949–1952 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
New title Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment
1964–1966 		Succeeded by
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