General ‘Boy': The Life of Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Browning
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Legion of Merit 164
Order of Polonia Restituta 164
KBE 184
KCVO 209
GCVO 219
Military Career: Great War
at Sandhurst 11–12
joins Grenadier Guards 13
posted to 2nd Battalion 14
meets Churchill 16
sick leave 17
rejoins 2nd Battalion 17–18
platoon commander 19–20
acting Adjutant 21
at Passchendaele 21
at Gauche Wood 22–4
promoted captain 24
in Ludendorff Offensive 24–5
ADC to Rawlinson 25–6
Adjutant 1st Battalion 26–7
Military Career: Between the Wars
Adjutant 1st Battalion 29–30
Resident Captain, Guards Depot 30–4
posted to 2nd Battalion 34
Adjutant, RMC Sandhurst 34, 35–40
posted to 3rd Battalion 41
promoted major 41
course at Small Arms School 41, 57
sick leave 41–2
failure to attend Staff College 42
posted to 2nd Battalion 49
2nd in Command, 1st Battalion 51
at Senior Officers School 51
2nd in Command 2nd Battalion 52–3
promoted lieutenant colonel 53
Commanding Officer 2nd Battalion 53–6
in Egypt 53–5
promoted colonel and leaves Grenadier Guards 56
Military Career: 1939–41
Assistant Commandant, Small Arms School 56
promoted brigadier 56
Commandant, Small Arms School 56
visits BEF 57
Commander 128 Brigade 58–62
selected as Inspector of Infantry 61–2
Commander 24 Guards Brigade 62–65
in Exercise ‘Bumper’ 64
promoted major general 62
Military Career: 1941–43
GOC 1 Airborne Division 66–86
Dungeon Party 68, 89
discipline and esprit de corps 70, 76
Airborne Forces beret 70–1, 246
problems with bureaucracy 71, 77
issues with equipment 71–2
qualifies as glider pilot 72
and Bruneval Raid 72–3
Churchill visits 75
Brooke supports and Portal opposes 74–5, 82–3, 84–5
King and Queen visit 75
and Gale 75, 82
supports creation of Airborne Forces Security Fund 76
and Sosabowski 77–8
Eisenhower visits
visits USA 78–80
Brooke visits 82
visits North Africa 84
MPs visit 85
injured in glider accident 85
Military Career: 1943
Commander Airborne Forces and Airborne Adviser AFHQ 87–94
visits North Africa 87–9
and Hackett 88
establishes HQ in North Africa 90
and Ridgway 90–1
and Hopkinson 91, 93
Operation ‘Husky’ 89–93
returns to England 93
visits India 94
Military Career: December 1943–September 1944
promoted lieutenant general 96
Commander Airborne Troops and I Airborne Corps 96–168
and Down 93–4, 96, 106–7, 152–4
and Roy Urquhart 97, 152–3
planning for 6 Airborne Division in Normandy 98, 102
and SAS Brigade 99–100, 102–3
and Poles/Sosabowski 100–1, 106–7
and Gavin 101
accompanies Second Army to France 103
aborted operations (see ‘Beneficiary’, ‘Comet’, ‘Hands Up’, ‘Linnet’, ‘Linnet II’, ‘Transfigure’)
state of HQ 105–6
and Brereton 108, 110, 123
and morale 111, 112
Military Career: September–December 1944 (see also ‘Market Garden’)
meets Montgomery and Dempsey 113, 115–17
concern over going ‘a bridge too far’ 115–16
and timing of lifts 118–9, 154–5
and location of drop zones 119–20, 154–5
and priorities at Nijmegen 120, 158–9, 212, 213–4
and employment of I Airborne Corps HQ 120–1, 156–8
and intelligence concerning German divisions 122, 155–6
and overconfidence of senior officers 121, 152
flies into battle 125–6
and poor communications 126, 127, 128, 151, 157–8
and Gavin 120, 127, 128–31, 158–9, 163, 213–4, 227
meets Horrocks and Adair 129, 130
and Waal crossing 130–2
and competence of HQ 133, 157, 161
meets Dempsey 135, 160
rejects offer from 52 Division 135–6, 159–60
and responsibilities for defence 138, 149
meets Mackenzie and Myers 139, 143
at Valburg Conference 140–1, 160
and Sosabowski 141, 143, 160–1
and withdrawal of 1 Airborne Division 143, 146–7, 161, 162
and personal feelings 143, 147
letter to Roy Urquhart 145–6
meets Roy Urquhart 146–7
addresses survivors 147
withdraws HQ to England 150
letter to Hollinghurst 150–1, 163
responsibility for failure 152–162
role in ‘sacking’ of Sosabowski 164–6
Montgomery’s opinion of 166
Miltary Career: December 1944–July 1946
COS to Mountbatten 169–90
arrives in Imphal 169
tour of ALFSEA formations 169–70
arrives in Kandy 170
staff 171, 185
and Leese 170, 172, 176–8
returns to London to request aircraft 173
visit to China and Burma 174
takes Victory parade 176
and Burmese politicians 178
and ‘Python’scheme 178–9
and Japanese surrender 180, 181
and RAPWI 181–2
relocates HQ to Singapore 184
and Chinese trade unionists 185
and Netherlands East Indies 182–3, 184, 186, 188–9, 190
leaves SEAC 190
Military Career: July 1946–December 1947
Military Secretary 190, 193–8
and Montgomery 194
travels to Europe and Middle East 194–5
and resignation of O’Connor 197–8
resigns regular commission 198
Career in Royal Household
Comptroller & Treasurer to Princess Elizabeth & Duke of Edinburgh 199–206
responsibilities 200
refurbishment of Clarence House 200, 205
at Balmoral 201–2, 209
travels to Malta 205–6
at funeral of King George VI 206
Treasurer to Duke of Edinburgh 207–19
supports Duke in charities 208–9
travels to Tobruk 212
and breakdown 215–6
first return to Palace 217–8
second return to Palace 218
decision to retire 218
Retirement appointments
Deputy Lieutenant 221
Territorial Army 221
Civil Defence 221
Legacy
reputation 226–7
portrayal in A Bridge Too Far 228–33
Browning, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick (‘Freddie’) (Boy’s father) 3–4, 6, 7, 8, 12–13, 23, 26, 28–9, 43, 44, 46, 244, 253
Browning, Lieutenant Colonel George (Boy’s first cousin) 203, 244
Browning, Grace (Boy’s sister) x, 5, 7, 20, 26, 43, 50, 55, 195, 197, 220, 223, 225, 252
Browning, Helen (Boy’s aunt) x, 2, 7, 43, 57
Browning, Henry (Boy’s great-grandfather) 1
Browning, Hubert (Boy’s first cousin) 6
Browning, Sir John (of Leigh) 1
Browning, Sir John (of Coaley) 1
Browning, Colonel Montague Charles (Boy’s grandfather) 1–2, 7, 243
Browning, Admiral Sir Montague Edward (Boy’s uncle) 2, 23, 43, 50, 243
Browning, Nancy, née Alt (Boy’s mother) 4–5, 6–7, 23, 43–4, 50, 55, 60, 64, 252
Browning, Olive (Hacker) (Boy’s daughter-in-law) 223, 227
Browning, Robert (poet) 1
Browning, Tessa (Boy’s daughter) x, 52, 53, 54, 60, 187, 191–2, 197, 201, 210–11, 224, 227, 243
Browning, Thomas 1
Browning, William 1
Bruce, Major General G.McI.S. 170
Bruneval Raid 72–3, 78
Brussels 110, 111, 112, 113, 117, 119, 123, 125
Bruuk 126
Buchanan, Captain J.N. 19
Buckingham Palace x, 13, 28, 168, 198, 203, 207, 211
‘Bumper’, Exercise 64
Bunny, Mr 195
Bunt, Dick 187, 197
Burghley, Lord (David Cecil, later Marquess of Exeter) 33, 186, 196, 209, 244
Byng, General Viscount 21, 24, 25
Caen Canal 98, 104
Cain, Major R.H. 168
Calcutta 170, 174, 175
Cambrai, Battle of 21, 41, 244
Cameronia, SS 53
Camposena 47, 48
Cannon, General John K. 247
Cannon Hall 47, 52
Carew Pole, Sir John 221, 254
Carew Pole, Cynthia, Lady 221
Carrington, Peter, Lord 50, 55–6, 128–9, 132, 245, 249
Carton de Wiart, Lieutenant General Sir Adrian 170, 186
Casablanca Conference 84, 85, 87
Cassels, Field Marshal Sir James 35, 39, 227, 244, 254
Caterham (see Guards Depot)
Cator, Lieutenant Colonel H.J. 97, 125, 146, 147
Cavan, Field Marshal The Earl of 14, 15, 28, 59, 243
Central Council of Physical Recreation 208
Central Landing Establishment 66, 67
Champion de Crespigny, Brigadier General C.R. 18–19, 20, 21
Charles, HRH Prince (Prince of Wales) 205, 212
Charteris, Lord 205, 206, 207
Chatterton, Brigadier G.J.S. 72, 76, 81, 91, 125, 128, 148, 170, 246, 248, 249
Chequers, HMS 205
Chiang Kai-shek, Generalissimo 170, 174, 186
Christison, General Sir Philip 169, 170, 174, 177, 182, 188
Chudo, Rear Admiral 180
Churchill, Sir Winston 10, 69, 72, 73, 85, 94, 170, 179, 180, 198, 206
in 2nd Battalion, Grenadier Guards 16, 243; conceives Airborne Forces 66–7; and Bruneval Raid 73; visits Airborne Division 74, 75, 78; impatience with progress 74, 81; on dispute between Brooke & Portal 82, 83; and Clarence House 207; Boy dines with 212
Civil Defence Corps 221
Clarence House 198, 200, 203, 205, 207, 220
Claridges Hotel 4, 166, 221
Clark, General Mark W. 78, 87, 91
Clark Kerr, Sir Archibald (later Lord Inverchapel) 189, 252
Clarke, Mary Anne 211, 253
Clouds Hill 60, 61
Coaley 1, 2, 43, 243
Coldstream, John 232
Collins, Major John 60–1
Collins, Captain Jim 171, 174
Cologne 28, 113, 116, 130, 131, 195
Colombo 170, 172, 181, Colville, Sir John 198, 199–200, 205, 227
Combe, Lady Moira (see Scott)
Combined Services Rugby Football Club 196, 200
‘Comet’, Operation 111–13, 115, 116, 117, 118, 121, 154, 156, 159
Connaught, HRH Prince Arthur, Duke of 13, 25
Cook, Colonel Julian A. 131–2
Cooper, Dame Gladys 46, 52
Cora Ann, motor boat 49, 50
Corkran, Major General Sir Charles 36, 38–9, 40, 42
Cornwall Territorial & Auxiliary Forces Association 221, 225
COSSAC 101
‘Covent Garden’ 216–17, 254
Cowan, Lieutenant Colonel J.M.B. 68
Coward, Noel 230
Cowes Week 201, 209
Crawford, General Sir Kenneth 89, 93, 102, 246
Crocker, General Sir John 102
Crookenden, Lieutenant General Sir Napier 227
Cumberland HMS 178, 182
Cumming, Captain (RN) Sir Mansfield 29
Cunningham, Group Captain John 253
Cutty Sark Preservation Society 208, 221, 253
Cyprus 55
Darwin, Charles 4
Davies, Lieutenant Colonel J. 234
Deelen Airfield 118, 119, 136, 154
De Guingand, Major General Sir Francis 111, 115, 123, 189
De Kluis 129
Dempsey, General Sir Miles 118, 148, 149, 164, 189, 203, 212, 214, 228
at Sandhurst 35; at Small Arms School 41; in ‘Husky’ 88, 93; Boy joins HQ of 103; role in abortive operations 109–10, 112; on alternatives to Arnhem 113, 116; at meetings with Montgomery and Boy 115–17, 121; on the planning of ‘Market Garden’ 119, 122; and location of Airborne Corps HQ 121, 156; and use of 52 Division 135–6, 160; and changes in command 137; on withdrawal of 1 Airborne Division 140, 141–2, 143, 146, 250; impact on ‘Market Garden’ 152; as C-in-C ALFSEA 178, 181, 189; disagrees with Mountbatten 185; as C-in-C Middle East 191, 195
Den Heuvel woods 149
Denning, Lieutenant General Sir Reginald 171, 174, 184, 186, 189, 190
Denny, Lieutenant G. 90
Des Voeux, Lieutenant Colonel Sir Richard 67
De Valois, Dame Nina 204
Deventer 157
Dexter, Staff Sergeant 68
De Zulueta, Marie-Thérèse (Boy’s granddaughter) 211, 222
De Zulueta, Paul (Boy’s grandson) 211, 222, 224
De Zulueta, Peter (Boy’s son-in-law) 211, 223
Dill, Field Marshal Sir John 76, 78
Doesburg 157
Dommel, River 117
Dorman-Smith, Brigadier E.E. 35–6, 39, 49, 251
Dorman-Smith, Sir Reginald 178, 251
Doubleday, Ellen 197, 202, 210, 217
Doubleday, Nelson 197
Down, Lieutenant General Sir Eric 67, 81, 93, 94, 96, 106–7, 152–3, 170, 175, 247
D’Oyly Carte, Dame Bridget 203
D’Oyly Carte, Richard 3–4
D’Oyly Carte, Rupert 3–4, 43, 203
Driel 136, 140
Dublin 33, 223–4
Duivelsberg 137
Duke of Edinburgh’s Award Scheme 208–9
Du Maurier, Angela (Daphne’s sister) 45, 47, 98, 193