Leaders & History Makers
World War Two to Post War
Over its 350-year history, the regiment has seen many outstanding individuals who served in conflicts across the world. The following provides a list of some of the many who were notable for their achievements. This group includes individuals who made notable achievements during Second World War but also in the post war period up until modern times.
Leaders and History Makers includes individuals who were models of outstanding leadership, and, in some cases, also pivotal in key events of world history.
Lieutenant General Sir Archibald NYE (1895 – 1967)
Lieutenant General Sir Archibald Nye joined the regiment in 1922. He had already distinguished himself in WW1 (awarded Military Cross) and went on to play a major role in WW2.
Working at the War Office in London in 1940 he re-organised the Army, re-equipping it for possible enemy invasion and then for overseas operations. In 1941 aged 46 Churchill (the Prime Minister) gave him the job of Vice Chief of the Imperial General Staff (a senior military adviser to Government).
On leaving in 1946 he was Governor of Madras then the UK’s High Commissioner to India (first after Independence), playing a key role in fostering good relations between India and Britain.
Field Marshal The Viscount Slim (1891-1970)
WW2 hero in the Far East campaigns against Japan
William J. Slim was educated at King Edward’s School, Birmingham before working for an engineering firm. He joined Birmingham University OTC.
1914 was commissioned into the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
1915 served with the Battalion at Gallipoli where he was severely wounded.
1916 returned to 9th Battalion who were in Mesopotamia but was once again wounded. Here he won the MC.
1919 joined the Indian Army and was posted to 1st/6th Gurkha Rifles and in due course commanded the 2nd/7th Gurkha Rifles.
1941 Slim was appointed to command the 10th Indian Brigade in the Sudan, where he was wounded again. Later he commanded 10th Indian Division in Syria, Persia, and Iraq, earning the DSO. 1942 was appointed Corps Commander of the 1st Burma Corps and led them throughout the fighting retreat through jungle and mountains back to India.
1943 assumed command of the 14th Army, newly formed in India for future operations in Burma.
1944 defeated the Japanese offensives in the Arakan, in Manipur and in Assam, he launched a powerful offensive across the Chindwin and Irrawaddy.
1945 Mandalay fell in March and Rangoon soon afterwards. Before the fighting in Burma ended, Slim was appointed Commander in Chief of Allied Land Forces, Southeast Asia, and began to prepare for the reconquest of Malaya. The Allied atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki made this unnecessary.
After being Commandant of the Imperial Defence College after the war, Slim became Deputy Chairman of the Railway Executive.
1948 Slim was recalled by Prime Minister Atlee to take over from Field Marshal Montgomery as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, when he became Field Marshal.
1953, he was sworn in as Governor General of Australia, where he served until 1960. "He left in Australia" wrote the Times "an indelible impression of character, honesty and friendliness, as well as a powerful mind."
1970 Slim died having been Governor and Constable of Windsor Castle.
Field Marshal The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (1887 – 1976)
Britain’s most successful WW2 General
Bernard Law Montgomery joined the Royal Warwickshire Regiment as an officer in 1908.
He was arguably the most successful British General of the Second World War and probably the most famous British soldier of all time. He defeated the German army in North Africa and commanded Allied landings in Normandy in 1944. Montgomery also led the northern wing of forces across France and into Germany. His last appointment was as Deputy Supreme Commander of the Allied Powers in Europe, and he retired from the army in 1958 after 50 years of continuous service.
He died in 1976 and was buried by the immediate successors of the Royal Warwickshire's – The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers.
Lieutenant General Sir Geoffrey Evans (1901 – 1987)
One of the youngest generals in the British Army during WW2
Lieutenant General Sir Geoffrey Evans joined the regiment in 1920 and rose to prominence in WW2.
He was awarded the DSO three times, the first in east Africa where a hard fought 53-day battle in March 1941 ended with the winning of Keren (a mountain fortress). He then led 123rd Indian infantry brigade in the first major defeat of the Japanese in Burma (Ngakyedauk area) in 1944 (third DSO). In July 1944 he was promoted to Major General, at 44 and became one of the youngest generals in the army. He commanded the 7th Indian division in a two month 300-mile march to secure a bridgehead over the river Irrawaddy (February 1945) thus enabling the capture of Meiktila, (the communication and support base for the Japanese in Burma), and ultimately the capture of Rangoon.
In February 1946 he was made General Officer Commanding British troops in Siam and took the surrender of the Japanese Forces.
Major General RC MacDonald CB, DSO, OBE (1911-2005)
WW2 Battalion Commander in the gruelling final assault on Germany
Major General Ronal Clarence Macdonald served as military assistant to two Field Marshals and commanded three separate infantry battalions during the Second World War and one in the 1960’s.
He was the last Colonel of the Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers before it became The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers in 1968 and he then continued as its Deputy Colonel. Affectionately known as ‘Mac’ he was well loved by everyone in the regiments in which he served and commanded. He also played an excellent game of Hockey and was president of the Fusilier Golfing society for 15 years.
Brigadier H C Illing CBE,MC (1920 – 2010)
Courageous leader from the D-Day landings to the Cold War
Harry Illing was born in London and educated at Alleyn's School, College of God's Gift, Dulwich.
1939 joined the TA as a private soldier in the Artists' Rifles and was commissioned in December.
Mid-1940 was posted to the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Warwickshire Regiment.
June 1944 Illing was OC A Coy where he led his Company with great distinction and was awarded a 3rd Division Commendation. At the 1st Battle of Lebisey up against the fanatical Panzer Grenadiers of 21st Panzer Division he was twice wounded and was awarded an MC for his outstanding bravery throughout. After treatment in hospital, he was back with the 2nd Battalion some 3 months later, this time as Adjutant and then to the Command of A Coy again.
The Battalion by this time had fought its way out of Normandy and into Northwest Europe. In doing so, it had been involved in heavy fighting throughout. On the approach to Bremen, the battalion was involved in a very tough battle at Leeste which was defended by the 18th SS Training Battalion - dedicated Nazi youth led by fanatical SS Officers and men. After a vicious close-quarter battle, the battalion triumphed, and Harry Illing gained a bar to his MC. He had the distinction of this being awarded to him in the field by FM The Viscount Montgomery of Alamein.
Post 1945 With the end of the War in Europe the 2nd Battalion was posted to Palestine and then Egypt. Harry Illing accompanied them, still as Coy Comd, until 1947 he was posted as Adjt to the 7th Bn Royal Warwickshire Regt (TA) with its Bn HQ in Coventry. He was the sole regular officer in the battalion and was responsible for reforming a disbanded battalion.
1950 He attended the Staff College followed by various staff appointments in Cyprus and Egypt. Spring 1953 he was posted to 1st Battalion Royal Warwickshire Regt, again as OC 'A' Coy and remained with the Battalion throughout its time in Korea with the British Commonwealth Division.
1954 he was posted to a staff appointment in Malaya for 2 years during which he was mentioned in Despatches and appointed an honorary ADC to the High Commissioner. This was followed by attendance at the Joint Services Staff College, a spell as Depot Commander at Budbrooke Barracks and a few months as a student at the Royal Military College of Science at Shrivenham.
1959 he was back commanding a company for the 1st Bn this time in Aden and thence to Hong Kong.
1960 he moved to the Ministry of Defence in London as a staff officer in Operations Branch.
August 1962 The highlight of his career when he was appointed to command the 1st Battalion the Royal Warwickshire Regt, then stationed in Hameln on the River Weser in West Germany. During his tour it became 1st Bn The Royal Warwickshire Fusiliers.
1965 It was a happy and confident battalion that he left to go to the Ministry of Defence for another staff appt.
1967 he moved to Germany, this time as Chief of Staff HQ 2 Division. After which a short spell in Aden as Force Comd.
1968 he was appointed to command 51 Bde in Hong Kong, on promotion to Brigadier, where he remained for 3 yrs until
1971 he returned to Germany in a Brigadier's appointment on the staff of the C in C British Army of the Rhine after which he was appointed CBE. His last appointment as a serving officer was as Commander Rhine Area, based in Dusseldorf.
1975 He retired from the Army but continued as Dep Col Warwickshire, RRF, to which he had been appointed in 1974, until 1981.
1982 – 85 Finally, he was the Hon Col Warwickshire Cadets RRF.
