3rd Division (UK)

Lt-Col. D.L.A. Gibbs

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Lieutenant-Colonel D.L.A. Gibbs
1/6th Battalion, Queen’s Royal Regiment
2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

I think this was one of the biggest shocks one sustained up to that period of the war. I had seen soldiers die and soldiers wounded; I had been at Dunkirk. I had amongst many, both military and civilian refugees, been the target of German dive-bombing, but, somehow, nothing had affected me so personally up till then as those one or two deaths in September 1942 at Deir-el-Munassib, perhaps, partly, because it was my ‘command,’ and the deaths within it were part of me.

(Quoted in Bryn Hammond, El Alamein, 2012, 145)

Born on 5 October 1905 in Abingdon, Berkshire, Denis Lucius Alban Gibbs was commissioned with the Queen’s Royal Regiment in 1926 after graduating from Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Following prewar overseas service in India and Sudan, he attended staff college and participated in the Dunkirk evacuation. In January 1942, he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in command of 1/6th Battalion, Queen’s Royal Regiment.

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Lt-Col. H.O.S. Herdon & Maj. R.G. Kreyer

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Lieutenant-Colonel Hoss Herdon
&
Major R.G. Kreyer2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment

He was a well thought of chap. Hoss Herdon they called him, that was his name I think or his initials, I don’t know … I understand he’d been killed by machine gun fire … I think all the officers were very well respected. No question about that, I think. I think this was proof of maybe a regular battalion … more respect for their officers than the one that was sort of called up into active service.

(Russell King, IWM, 21 Sep 1998) https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80017285

Born in British India on 16 November 1905, Hugh Owen Seymour Herdon was the son of an Indian Army general and commissioned officer with Royal Warwickshire Regiment since 1925. He was promoted to captain in 1936 and then major in 1940. By 1941, he was a general staff officer with the War Office. He assumed command of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment in September 1943.

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Lt-Col. W.A. Waller

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Lieutenant-Colonel “Swazi” Waller
1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment

He was gifted with extreme personal bravery, which proved a great inspiration to all the battalion. To see him walking about, as he frequently did, amongst the leading troops and forward positions, completely indifferent to the heaviest enemy fire, was a great morale-boost to all. In addition, whatever the circumstances and however great the demands of the situation, he was always carefully shaved and immaculately turned out.

(Lt. Eddie Jones quoted in Tony Colvin, The Noise of Battle, 440)

Born on 28 August 1909 in British India, William Augustine Waller enlisted with the Worchester Regiment before being admitted to Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He was commissioned in the Duke of Wellington’s Regiment (West Riding) in 1930 and served with the 2nd Battalion in India and fought on the North West Frontier. His nickname came from an Indian Army tune “Swazi wallah.” After seven years overseas, Waller returned to England in 1939 and joined the 1st Battalion as a company commander. He was badly wounded during the evacuation from Dunkirk and earned the Military Cross for “utter disregard for danger.”

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Lt-Cols. G.H. Bolster & J.H. Orgill

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Lieutenant-Colonel G.H. Bolster
&
Lieutenant-Colonel J.H. Orgill
1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment

 

The five years of war were for Geoffrey a period of unceasing labour, almost always in highly responsible and exacting staff appointments … There, at his urgent request, he was allowed to step down in rank to lieutenant-colonel so that he might command a battalion. After two months in the line with his new command, a battalion of The South Lancashire Regiment, he was mortally wounded while visiting his forward posts

(Quoted in The Iron Duke, Feb 1945, 50)

The high rate of officer casualties in the Normandy campaign resulted in a shortage of battalion commanders in the British Army. To find replacements, 21st Army Group headquarters often relied on older qualified senior officers previously stationed in the United Kingdom. When Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Burbury of the was killed on D-Day and second-in-command Major J.E.S. Stone was wounded at the end of June, the South Lancashire Regiment needed a new commanding officer.

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Lt-Col. R.P.H. Burbury

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Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Burbury
1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment

The colonel was such an obvious target—he had a flag in his hand in case there was going to be confusion and he could be rallied round, he waved his map as well. I think he was hit by a sniper. It happened several times actually. I served six commanding officers during the campaign. Two were killed, two were wounded …

(Arthur Rouse, IWM interview, 30 Jul 1994) journal, July 1944) https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80013951

Born on 1 April 1906 in Barnsley, South Yorkshire, Richard Percival Hawksley Burbury was educated at Ludgrove School and Eton College. He was commissioned with Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry in 1925 and served in India and Palestine before the war. He participated in the evacuation from Dunkirk in June 1940 and qualified for higher command. He was unit adjutant and briefly commanded the 2nd Battalion, DCLI from October to November 1942, when he relinquished the post due to ill-health. Nearly a year later, he became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment.

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Lt-Col. J.D.W. Renison

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Lieutenant-Colonel Bill Renison
2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment

It was magnificent to see the majestic approach of wave after wave of big bombers, flying quite low in very tight formation at an almost pin-point target. As far as the eye could see they stretched out towards the sea and the sinking sun. As the raid progressed, a cloud of dust rose high into the air and blotted out almost everything, drifting slowly towards us and up the valley of the Orne. By the end of the raid the troops were standing on the end of their slit trenches clapping and cheering; the effect on morale was electric

(Renison journal, July 1944)

Born on 18 April 1909 Rock Ferry, Cheshire, James Douglas Willoughby Renison was an insurance broker and Royal Liverpool Club golfer. In the Territorial Army, he held a commission with the Liverpool Scottish (Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders) since 1927. He was promoted to major in 1938, and served as second-in-command of the 1st and 2nd Battalions while stationed in Northern Ireland. Shortly after the Normandy landings, Renison joined a draft of reinforcement officers for the 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment.

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Lt-Col. N.J. Dickson

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Lieutenant-Colonel Jimmy Dickson
2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment

In the rescuing of the child and bringing ashore of Sgt Chamberlain, Brigadier Dickson displayed courage of the highest order which was an example to all. Especially is this so in the second attempt when in spite of his exhausted state and his injuries he was immediately prepared to risk his life—and knew it was a very grave risk—to try single-handed to save a drowning man.

(George Medal citation, 12 Oct 1960)

Born on 11 August 1911 in British India, Norman James Dickson was commissioned with the Northamptonshire Regiment in 1931 after attending the King’s School and Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He served on the North West frontier in India and was promoted to captain in September 1939. He completed staff college and served as brigade major and then participated in the planning for D-Day with general headquarters, 21st Army Group.  

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Lt-Col. C.F. Hutchinson

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Lieutenant-Colonel C.F. Hutchinson
2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment
8th Battalion, Durham Light Infantry
6th Battalion, Green Howards
6th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers

Col. Hutchinson, with complete disregard for his own safety, moved forward to where he could control the attack and was successful in capturing the first locality. He was, however, wounded, and have to be evacuated. Throughout the assault he had set a fine example to his battalion and led them in spite of heavy casualties through the beach defences and up to the final objective.

(D.S.O. citation, 31 August 1944)

Born on 5 March 1908 Darlington, Durham, Charles Francis Hutchinson was a educated at Durham University and a Territorial Army officer, commissioned officer with the Durham Light Infantry since 1926. He joined the 2nd Battalion, East Yorkshire Regiment in October 1942 and served as second-in-command prior to succeeding Lieutenant-Colonel L.H. Spicer in January 1944. After five months of training and planning, Hutchinson led the 2nd East Yorks ashore at Sword Beach on 6 June 1944.

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Lt-Col. R.W. Craddock

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Lieutenant-Colonel R.W. Craddock
2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (The Buffs)

The speech he made on the 9th October marked him out as a great man, knowing the men he commanded. True to his word he was indefatigable in visiting the forward positions till, later in the battle, falling a victim to a German mine, he was very badly wounded . Even so, with a shattered leg, he had crawled out of the mine field before being picked up, and he could still joke about the limb he had lost. His name was for long a legend in the First Battalion.

(Walter Norris Nicholson, The Suffolk Regiment, 1928 to 1946, 128)

Born on 3 August 1910, Calcutta, British India, Richard Walter Craddock was Sandhurst educated and a commissioned officer in the Royal East Kent Regiment (Buffs) since 1930. He served during the Battle of France as captain and adjutant in the 2nd Battalion, Buffs, which was recognized with an award of the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. In 1943, he was posted to Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s delegation for the conferences in Washington, D.C., Quebec City and Cairo.

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Lt-Col. F.F.E. Allen

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Lieutenant-Colonel Freddie Allen
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (The Buffs)
1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment

Throughout the long and anxious period of 27 hours, Lt-Col Allen, in spite of his wound, lack of sleep and his heavy responsibilities, continued to command his battalion with great skill, calm confidence and outstanding personal gallantry. His personal example and superb fighting qualities ensured beyond any doubt that his battalion’s objective was held firm, and that by their offensive spirit whey were able to destroy very large number of the enemy who were equally determined to regain the vital ground captured and held secure by this battalion.

(D.S.O. Bar citation, 19 Apr 1945)

Born on 30 December 1912 in Middlesex, London, Frederick Fernley Edmund Allen was an insurance broker educated at Brighton College. He joined the Territorial Army in 1937 and took a commission with the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He became a replacement second-in-command for the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment a month after the D-Day landings. He took command in August 1944 and October when successive commanding officers were wounded in action.

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