Major-General Harry Willans CB, CBE, DSO, MC (1892 – 5 February 1943) was a British Army officer.
Harry Willans | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1892 Bedford, Bedfordshire, England[1] |
| Died | 5 February 1943 (aged 50−51) Tobruk |
| Buried | Tobruk War Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1916−1943 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Service number | 16877 |
| Commands | 168th (2nd London) Infantry Brigade 47th (London) Infantry Division |
| Battles / wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Mentioned in dispatches (2) |
Military career
editBorn the son of James and Henrietta Willans and educated at Aldenham School,[2] Willans was commissioned into the Bedfordshire Regiment on 23 May 1916.[3] He was awarded the Military Cross in January 1917[4] and appointed a companion of the Distinguished Service Order in June 1918.[5]
He became commanding officer of the Artists Rifles in 1933, commander of the 168th (2nd London) Infantry Brigade in May 1938 and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 47th (London) Infantry Division in August 1939.[6][7] With this assignment came the rank of major general.[8] He went on to be Director-General of Welfare and Education at the War Office in December 1940.[7] He was killed in a flying accident at El Adem Airfield near Tobruk in February 1943.[9]
He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1943 New Year Honours.[10]
References
edit- ^ Smart 2005, p. 334.
- ^ "Harry Willans DSO MC". Stevenage at War. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ "No. 29590". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 May 1916. p. 5056.
- ^ "No. 29886". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1916. p. 43.
- ^ "No. 30718". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6495.
- ^ "Willans, Harry". Generals.dk. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ a b "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ "No. 34660". The London Gazette. 29 August 1939. p. 5921.
- ^ "General Willans Killed; Head of British Army Welfare and Education Dies in Crash". New York Times. 9 February 1943. Retrieved 18 June 2020.
- ^ "No. 35841". The London Gazette. 29 December 1942. p. 3.
Bibliography
edit- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.