Basil Eugster
Sir Basil Oscar Eugster | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 August 1914 |
| Died | 5 April 1984 (aged 69) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1935–74 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands | UK Land Forces Southern Command British Forces in Hong Kong London District 4th Division 3rd Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion Irish Guards 3rd Battalion Irish Guards |
| Battles / wars | Arab revolt in Palestine Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross & Bar Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star (Austria) |
General Sir Basil Oscar Eugster, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO, MC & Bar (15 August 1914 – 5 April 1984) was a senior British Army officer who served as Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1972 to 1974.
Army career
A British soldier of Swiss descent,[1] Basil Eugster attended Beaumont College. In 1935 he joined the Irish Guards.[2] He served with his regiment through the Second World War and fought in the Narvik Campaign in Norway in 1940.[2] He was Commanding Officer of the 3rd Battalion Irish Guards in 1945, and again in 1947, and of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards from 1951 to 1954.[2]
Eugster served as Commander of 3rd Infantry Brigade in Cyprus from 1959 to 1962 and was then General Officer Commanding 4th Division in Germany from 1963 to 1965.[2] He went on to become Major-General commanding the Household Brigade and General Officer Commanding London District from 1965 to 1968 and Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong from 1968 to 1970.[2] He was then General Officer Commanding Southern Command from 1971 to 1972.[2] He served as the Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1972 to 1974 when he retired.[2] In 1966, Eugster was awarded the Austrian Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star.[3]
Later career
He was Colonel of the Regiment of the Irish Guards until his death in 1984, aged 69.[4]
External links
References
- ^ Beat de Fischer, 2000 Ans De Presence Suisse En Angleterre: L'etonnante epopee Des Suisses D'Outre-Manche, De L'epoque Romaine a La Communaute Europeenne
- ^ a b c d e f g Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (pdf) (in German). p. 26. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
{{cite web}}: Cite has empty unknown parameter:|trans_title=(help) - ^ Irish Guards: History[permanent dead link]
- 1914 births
- 1984 deaths
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Knights Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Recipients of the Military Cross
- Recipients of the Grand Decoration with Star for Services to the Republic of Austria
- British people of Swiss descent
- Irish Guards officers
- British Army personnel of World War II
- British Army generals
- British military personnel of the 1936–39 Arab revolt in Palestine