Bernard Campbell Fletcher: Difference between revisions

[[Lieutenant colonel (United_Kingdom)|Lieutenant Colonel]] '''Bernard Campbell Fletcher''' [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]], [[Military Cross|MC]] (17 June 1898 – 1968) was an [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]] of the [[British Army]] active during the [[World War I|First World War]] and later the [[World War II|Second World War]].

Fletcher was born on 17 June 1898 and was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] as a [[second lieutenant]] from the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]] into the [[British Army]]'s [[Highland Light Infantry]] on 7 April 1916.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=29537| date=6 April 1916|page=3685| supp=y}}</ref> During the [[World War I|First World War]] he served in [[Western Front (World War I)|France and Belgium]] from 21 December 1917 to 23 April 1918, then from 21 June 1918 to 11 November 1918.<ref>Half Yearly Army List January 1946 p.239</ref> He won the [[Military Cross]] (gazetted in March 1919)<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=31219| date=9 March 1919|page=3240| supp=y}}</ref> and was gassed with mustard gas. The citation for his MC, published in the [[London Gazette]] in October 1919 read:{{quote|Lt. (A./Capt.) Bernard Campbell Fletcher, High. L.I., attd. 15th Bn. On the 29th September, 1918, in the attack on Le Tronquoy, he led his company through the village, gaining all of his objectives and capturing about ten machine guns and 60 prisoners. He then, reorganised his company himself, having lost all his platoon commanders. Later, his fine example was largely responsible for beating off two enemy counter-attacks, he firing a Lewis gun himself. Throughout he showed most marked courage and did splendid work.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=31583| date=3 October 1919|page=12290| supp=y}}</ref>}}

After the war he spent periods in North Russia (16 August 1919 to 1 October 1919)<ref>Half Yearly Army List January 1946 p.239</ref> [[Egypt]], [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] and [[British Raj|India]] during which he learned to speak Arabic and Hindustani. In 1929 he returned to England, where he attended the [[Staff College, Camberley]]<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=33459| date=22 January 1929|page=544}}</ref> after which he returned to his regiment in India. Between 25 July 1933 and 24 July 1937 he held an appointment as Staff Captain in India<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=33963| date=25 July 1933|page=4964}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette| issue=34432| date=3 September 1937|page=5563}}</ref><ref>Half Yearly Army List January 1946 p.236</ref> and was promoted to [[Major (United Kingdom)|major]] 4 October 1935.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=34204| date=4 October 1935|page=6217}}</ref> At some point between 1937 and 1939 he served in Palestine during the [[1936–1939 Arab revolt in Palestine|Arab revolt]].<ref>Half Yearly Army List January 1946 p.236</ref> In 1938 he was given command of the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry{{sfn|Brett-James|1951| loc=[http://ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fire04.html Chapter VI]}} and his promotion to [[Lieutenant colonel (United_Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]] was gazetted 1 July 1939.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=34641| date=30 June 1939|page=4438}}</ref>

In [[World War II]] Fletcher and his battalion took part in the [[East African Campaign (World War II)|East African Campaign]] as an element of the [[10th Indian Infantry Brigade]] which formed part of [[5th Infantry Division (India)|5th Indian Infantry Division]]. When the brigade's commander, [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|William "Bill" Slim]], was wounded on 21 January 1941 Fletcher was given temporary command until the arrival of a permanent replacement on 20 March.{{sfn|Brett-James|1951|loc=[http://ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fire03.html#ch5 Chapter V]}} Reverting to his battalion command, Fletcher was subsequently given command of Fletcher Force,{{sfn|Brett-James|1951|loc=[http://ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fire03.html#ch5 Chapter V]}} an ad hoc grouping of armour and mobile infantry created to advance into Keren at the end of the [[Battle of Keren]] and to exploit towards Asmara. He was then appointed to command Flitforce (a reference to his nickname),{{sfn|Brett-James|1951|loc=[http://ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fire04.html Chapter VI]}} an ad hoc grouping created to pursue the retreating Italians towards Adigrat. On 13 April 1941, Fletcher was promoted to command the [[9th Indian Infantry Brigade]], also part of the 5th Indian Infantry Division, an appointment he held until 7 August 1942. For his service during the campaign Fletcher was awarded the DSO<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35396 |date=26 December 1941 |page=7333 |supp=y }}</ref> and was [[mentioned in despatches]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35396 |date=26 December 1941 |page=7348|supp=y }}</ref>

He was again appointed temporary [[Colonel (United_Kingdom)|colonel]] and temporary [[Brigadier (United_Kingdom)|brigadier]], 2 March 1944.

 

Fletcher retired from the army on 3 September 1948 a lieutenant colonel and was granted the honorary rank of brigadier.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38394|date=31 August 1948 |page=4808 |supp=y }}</ref>

 

 

* {{cite book| first=Antony| last=Brett-James| url=http://ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fireTC.html#TC| title=Ball of fire - The Fifth Indian Division in the Second World War| publisher=[[Gale & Polden]]| year=1951| location=Aldershot| oclc=4275700| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327021347/http://www.ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fireTC.html#TC| archive-date=27 March 2020| url-status=dead}}

[[Category:British Army personnel of World War II]]