Henry Leask
Sir Henry Leask | |
---|---|
Born | 30 June 1913 |
Died | 10 January 2004 (aged 90) |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Years of service | 1936–1972 |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Unit | Royal Scots Fusiliers |
Commands held | 8th Battalion, Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders 1st Battalion, London Scottish 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division Scottish Command |
Battles/wars | World War II |
Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
Lieutenant General Sir Henry Lowther Ewart Clark Leask KCB DSO OBE (30 June 1913 – 10 January 2004) was a senior British Army officer who served in World War II and held high command during the 1960s.
Military career
Henry Leask was commissioned into the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1936.[1]
He served in the Second World War becoming Commanding Officer of 8th Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders in 1944.[1] He won the DSO for on a three-mile dash to capture two bridges over the River Po at San Patrizio.[2]
After the War, in 1946, he was appointed Commanding Officer of 1st London Scottish and from 1947 he was in Military Operations Directorate at the War Office.[1] He then became Commanding Officer of 1st Parachute Regiment in 1952.[1] He was appointed Assistant Military Secretary to the Secretary of State for War in 1955 and then from 1957 he was Commandant of the Tactical Wing of the School of Infantry.[1] In 1962, he became Deputy Military Secretary to the Secretary of State for War.[1]
He was appointed General Officer Commanding 52nd (Lowland) Infantry Division in 1964, and Director of Army Training at the Ministry of Defence in 1966.[1] He became General Officer Commanding Scottish Command and Governor of Edinburgh Castle in 1969; he retired in 1972.[1]
Family
In 1940, he married Zoe Paynter and together they went on to have one son and two daughters.[2]
References
- Use dmy dates from April 2012
- 1913 births
- 2004 deaths
- British Army generals
- British Army personnel of World War II
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- Royal Scots Fusiliers officers
- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders officers
- British Parachute Regiment officers