George Giffard

For those of a similar name, see George Gifford (disambiguation).

George Giffard
Born	27 September 1886 Englefield Green, Surrey
Died	17 November 1964 (aged 78) Royal Hampshire County Hospital, Winchester
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1905-1946
Rank	General
Commands held	2nd Bn Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment Palestine & Trans-Jordan West Africa Command Eastern Army 11th Army Group
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order
Relations	Susan Lawrence (aunt)

General Sir George Giffard GCB DSO (1886–1964) was a British military officer, who had a distinguished career in command of African troops in World War I, rising to command an Army Group in South East Asia in World War II.

Early career

After attending Rugby School and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, he was commissioned into the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment in 1906. In 1913, while serving with its 1st Battalion, he saw action in East Africa. He transferred into a unit of the King's African Rifles.

World War I

His unit saw extensive service in the East African campaign against the German forces under von Lettow-Vorbeck. He rose to command a column of two battalions of the KAR, "Gifcol". Although von Lettow-Vorbeck's forces were never rounded up, Gifcol was nevertheless the most effective unit involved in the efforts to pursue and hound them. Giffard was wounded, was awarded the DSO and was mentioned in despatches four times.

Between the Wars

Giffard attended Staff College, Camberley from 1919 to 1920. On graduating, he joined the Royal West African Frontier Force.

In 1927 he went on the Shanghai Expeditionary Force as the Second-in-Command of 1st Bn, the Queen's Royal West Surrey Regiment. He was appointed an Instructor at the Staff College, Camberley in 1928, and then became Commanding Officer of 2nd Bn, the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment at Aldershot in 1931. In 1933 he became a General Staff Officer, Grade 1 (GSO1) (effectively the Chief of Staff) of the British 2nd Division.

He returned to service in West Africa in 1936, when he was appointed Inspector-General of West African Frontier Force. He was appointed Inspector-General of African Colonial Forces in 1938.

World War II

Giffard served in World War II initially as Military Secretary at the War Office and then, from 1940, as General Officer Commanding Palestine & Trans-Jordan.

In 1941 he became Commander-in-Chief of West Africa Command. While the Mediterranean was barred to British shipping by German and Italian naval and air force units, West Africa was an important link in Allied lines of communication to the Middle East and Far East. In addition to organising the logistic infrastructure, Giffard's major achievement was the reorganisation of the units of the Royal West African Frontier Force into two field infantry divisions, capable of serving as independent forces in rough terrain. Initially, this was in response to a potential threat from Vichy French forces in Senegal and Niger. Later, these two divisions, 81st (West Africa) Division and 82nd (West Africa) Division served with distinction in the Burma Campaign.

He was made General Officer Commanding Eastern Army, India in August 1943. This army faced the Japanese army which had occupied Burma. Several sources, notably Field Marshal William "Bill" Slim, testified to his contribution to the improvement in morale and effectiveness in Eastern Army during this period.

In 1943 he was appointed Commander in Chief of 11th Army Group in Burma. His period of command here was less happy, mainly because of difficulties with the US General Joseph Stilwell. The two men disliked each other, and Stilwell held so many appointments that any working arrangement had to be an awkward compromise. (As commander of the Northern Combat Area Command, Stilwell was Giffard's subordinate, but as Deputy Supreme Commander of the South East Asia Command, he was Giffard's superior.) Nevertheless, this period was marked by the victories in the Arakan, and at Imphal and Kohima, to which Giffard contributed greatly. Late in 1944, 11th Army Group was replaced by the Allied HQ, ALFSEA and Giffard was replaced by General Oliver Leese.

He was also Aide-de-Camp General to the King from 1943 to 1946. He retired in 1946.

Other appointments

In 1945, he was made Colonel of the Queen's Royal Regiment. He was also Colonel Commandant of the Royal West African Frontier Force and of the King's African Rifles.

Miscellaneous

His legacy in Britain's West African possessions was the pride the people felt in the contribution and fighting record of the two West African divisions which he formed, and which fought on an equal basis with British and Indian divisions. This contributed to the growth of national feeling, which in turn played its part in the achievement of independence in those countries.

He was a nephew of the Labour politician Susan Lawrence.

Honours and awards

• Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath - 1 January 1944 (KCB - 1 January 1941, CB - 1 January 1938)
• Distinguished Service Order - 4 June 1917, for distinguished service in the field
• Mentioned in Despatches - 1 April 1941 (for service in the Middle East August 1939-Novemebr 1940), 26 October 1944 (for service in Burma & Eastern Frontier of India)
• Order of Polonia Restituta, 1st Class - 14 December 1943
• Croix de Guerre (France) - 31 August 1917

External links

• British Military History Biographies G

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Douglas Brownrigg	Military Secretary 1939–1940	Succeeded by Arthur Floyer-Acland
Preceded by New Post	GOC West Africa Command 1940–1943	Succeeded by Francis Nosworthy
Preceded by New Post	GOC-in-C, 11th Army Group November 1943–November 1944	Succeeded by Oliver Leese (As GOC Allied Land Forces South East Asia)