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{{Short description|British Indian Army officer}} | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} | {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2021}} | ||
{{Infobox military person | {{Infobox military person | ||
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|rank= [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] | |rank= [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|Major-General]] | ||
|unit= [[Sherwood Foresters]]<br>[[7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajputs]] | |unit= [[Sherwood Foresters]]<br>[[7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajputs]] | ||
|commands= [[Lahore|Lahore District]] (1943–46)<br/>[[XXV Indian Corps]] (1943)<br/>[[10th Indian Infantry Division]] (1942–43)<br/>[[27th Indian Infantry Brigade]] (1941–42)<br/>4th Battalion, [[7th Rajput Regiment]] (1938–40) | |commands= [[Lahore|Lahore District]] (1943–46)<br/>[[XXV Indian Corps]] (1943){{fact|date=February 2022}}<br/>[[10th Indian Infantry Division]] (1942–43)<br/>[[27th Indian Infantry Brigade]] (1941–42)<br/>4th Battalion, [[7th Rajput Regiment]] (1938–40) | ||
|battles= [[World War I]]<br/>[[Military history of the North-West Frontier|North-West Frontier]]<br/>[[World War II]] | |battles= [[World War I|First World War]]<br/>[[Military history of the North-West Frontier|North-West Frontier]]<br/>[[World War II|Second World War]] | ||
|awards= [[Companion of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>Officer of the [[Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]<br/>[[Order of the Cloud and Banner|Order of the Cloud and Banner with Special Cravat]] (China) | |awards= [[Companion of the Order of the Bath]]<br/>Officer of the [[Order of the British Empire]]<br/>[[Mentioned in Despatches]]<br/>[[Order of the Cloud and Banner|Order of the Cloud and Banner with Special Cravat]] (China) | ||
|relations= | |relations= | ||
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Remaining in the army [[interwar period|between the wars]], he served in the [[Second World War]]. As an [[Acting (rank)|acting]] [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] he was an Area Commander in the [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan|Sudan]] from 16 January to 15 March 1941.<ref name="Half">Half Yearly Army List January 1946</ref> | Remaining in the army [[interwar period|between the wars]], he served in the [[Second World War]]. As an [[Acting (rank)|acting]] [[Colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]] he was an Area Commander in the [[Anglo-Egyptian Sudan|Sudan]] from 16 January to 15 March 1941.<ref name="Half">Half Yearly Army List January 1946</ref> | ||
He was appointed an acting [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier]] on 16 March 1941 when he was appointed a brigade commander, an appointment he held until 21 July 1942.<ref name="Half"/> As part of Paiforce (formerly [[Iraqforce]]), Blaxland commanded the [[27th Indian Infantry Brigade]], part of the [[6th Infantry Division (India)|6th Indian Infantry Division]], during the [[Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia]]. On 22 July 1942, he became [[General Officer Commanding]] of the [[10th Indian Infantry Division]], then serving in the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Middle East]] until 28 August 1942. He was promoted to an acting [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|lieutenant general]] on 29 August 1942 to command [[XXV Indian Corps]] but reverted to [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|major general]] in August 1943 for his next appointment in India as District Officer Commanding [[Lahore|Lahore District]].<ref>London Gazette 18 October 1946</ref> | He was appointed an acting [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier]] on 16 March 1941 when he was appointed a brigade commander, an appointment he held until 21 July 1942.<ref name="Half"/> As part of Paiforce (formerly [[Iraqforce]]), Blaxland commanded the [[27th Indian Infantry Brigade]], part of the [[6th Infantry Division (India)|6th Indian Infantry Division]], during the [[Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia]]. On 22 July 1942, he became [[General Officer Commanding]] of the [[10th Indian Infantry Division]], then serving in the [[Mediterranean and Middle East theatre of World War II|Middle East]] until 28 August 1942. He was promoted to an acting [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|lieutenant general]] on 29 August 1942{{fact|reason=Gazette states that he was a Lt-Col, with an acting rank of brigadier. In August he was promoted to acting major-general. London Gazette issue 35735 page 4377 6 October 1942|date=February 2022}} to command [[XXV Indian Corps]]{{fact|reason=Yet to find any WP:RS that states this corp existed. Nick Smart wrote he was "GOC of 10th Indian Division in North Africa and Cyprus 1942–43". A XXV Corps was created as a British deception corps during this period, and was on Cyprus. Smart wrote Blaxland was briefly a corps commander, but does not state what corps or when and where. He does not Blaxland GOX 10th Indian Div during this period on Cyrpus.|date=February 2022}} but reverted to [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|major general]] in August 1943 for his next appointment in India as District Officer Commanding [[Lahore|Lahore District]].<ref>London Gazette 18 October 1946</ref> | ||
After the war he was the chairman of the [[Indian National Army]] [[Courts-martial|court-martials]] held at the Red Fort at Delhi between November 1945 and May 1946. | After the war he was the chairman of the [[Indian National Army]] [[Courts-martial|court-martials]] held at the Red Fort at Delhi between November 1945 and May 1946. | ||
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[[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]] | [[Category:Officers of the Order of the British Empire]] | ||
[[Category:Sherwood Foresters officers]] | [[Category:Sherwood Foresters officers]] | ||
[[Category: | [[Category:Military personnel from Shropshire]] | ||
[[Category:British Indian Army generals]] | |||
Latest revision as of 06:42, 28 May 2022
Alan Blaxland | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Alan Bruce Blaxland |
| Born | 17 October 1892 Lilleshall, Shropshire, England[1] |
| Died | 2 September 1963 (aged 70)[2] Deal, Kent, England |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | British Army British Indian Army |
| Years of service | 1913–1947 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Service number | 8681 |
| Unit | Sherwood Foresters 7th (Duke of Connaught's Own) Rajputs |
| Commands held | Lahore District (1943–46) XXV Indian Corps (1943)[citation needed] 10th Indian Infantry Division (1942–43) 27th Indian Infantry Brigade (1941–42) 4th Battalion, 7th Rajput Regiment (1938–40) |
| Battles/wars | First World War North-West Frontier Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Officer of the Order of the British Empire Mentioned in Despatches Order of the Cloud and Banner with Special Cravat (China) |
Major-General Alan Bruce Blaxland, CB, OBE (17 October 1892 – 2 September 1963) was a senior British Indian Army officer during the Second World War.[2]
Early life and First World War[edit | edit source]
Born on 17 October 1892, Blaxland was commissioned onto the Unattached List for the Indian Army on 5 August 1914 (the day after Britain's entry into the First World War), with seniority of 21 January 1913, from being a university candidate. He was attached to the 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters in 1914. He later joined the Indian Army.
He was a captain when he married Lilian Ann Lucy in India 19 August 1919.
Second World War[edit | edit source]
Remaining in the army between the wars, he served in the Second World War. As an acting colonel he was an Area Commander in the Sudan from 16 January to 15 March 1941.[3]
He was appointed an acting brigadier on 16 March 1941 when he was appointed a brigade commander, an appointment he held until 21 July 1942.[3] As part of Paiforce (formerly Iraqforce), Blaxland commanded the 27th Indian Infantry Brigade, part of the 6th Indian Infantry Division, during the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia. On 22 July 1942, he became General Officer Commanding of the 10th Indian Infantry Division, then serving in the Middle East until 28 August 1942. He was promoted to an acting lieutenant general on 29 August 1942[citation needed] to command XXV Indian Corps[citation needed] but reverted to major general in August 1943 for his next appointment in India as District Officer Commanding Lahore District.[4]
After the war he was the chairman of the Indian National Army court-martials held at the Red Fort at Delhi between November 1945 and May 1946.
In recognition of his services, Blaxland was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1945, and awarded the Order of the Cloud and Banner with Special Cravat by China in 1947.
He retired as a colonel and honorary major general on 22 May 1947.[5]
References[edit | edit source]
Bibliography[edit | edit source]
- Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
External links[edit | edit source]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by John Nichols |
GOC 10th Indian Infantry Division 1942–1943 |
Succeeded by Wilfrid Lloyd |
| Preceded by New post |
GOV XXV Indian Corps 1943 |
Succeeded by Ivor Hughes |