John Churcher
Major-General John Bryan Churcher CB DSO (9 September 1905 – 2 August 1997) was a senior British Army officer who, during World War II, commanded the 159th Infantry Brigade during the campaign in Northwest Europe and later commanded the 3rd Infantry Division.
John Churcher | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Birth name | John Bryan Churcher |
| Born | 9 September 1905[1] Reading, Berkshire, England[2] |
| Died | 2 August 1997 (aged 91) Colchester, Essex, England |
| Allegiance |  |
| Service/ |  |
| Years of service | 1925–1959 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Unit | Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry |
| Commands held | |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | |
Military career
Churcher was commissioned into the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1925.[3] He fought in World War II as Commanding Officer (CO) of the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment and then as commander of the 159th Infantry Brigade, serving in North-West Europe as part of 11th Armoured Division.[4]
After the Second World War he became General Officer Commanding (GOC) 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in March 1946, GOC 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and Northumbrian District in August 1946, and GOC 2nd Infantry Division in the Far East in November 1946.[5] He then became GOC 3rd Infantry Division in Palestine in December 1946 and GOC 5th Infantry Division in April 1947–in this role he had orders to disband it.[5]
He became Chief of Staff at Southern Command in 1951–in this capacity he organised the response to the devastating Lynmouth Flood in 1952.[6] He returned to the command of GOC 3rd Infantry Division in 1954 and became Director of Military Training at the War Office in 1957 before retiring in 1959.[4]
He is buried at St Mary's Churchyard at Wargrave in Berkshire.[7]
References
- England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007
- 1911 England Census
- "No. 33016". The London Gazette. 30 January 1925. p. 686.
- Generals.dk
- "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
- ITN Source
- "Major-General John Churcher". Safe Music. Retrieved 14 February 2020.
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by George Erskine |
GOC 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division March 1946 − June 1946 |
Succeeded by George Symes |
| Preceded by Robert Naylor |
GOC 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division August 1946 – October 1946 |
Succeeded by John Whitfield |
| Preceded by Robert Arkwright |
GOC 2nd Infantry Division November 1946 – December 1946 |
Succeeded by Philip Balfour |
| Preceded by Lashmer Whistler |
GOC 3rd Division December 1946 − April 1947 |
Succeeded by George Wood |
| Preceded by Philip Gregson-Ellis |
GOC 5th Division April 1947 − September 1947 |
Succeeded by Post Disbanded |
| Preceded by Nigel Poett |
GOC 3rd Division 1954−1957 |
Succeeded by George Gordon-Lennox |