Edwin Flavell
Encyclopedia
Brigadier
Edwin William Conquest Flavell DSO
, MC
& two Bars
(22 February 1898 – 1 December 1993) was a British soldier who served in both the First World War and Second World War, commanding 1st Parachute Brigade and 6th Airlanding Brigade
in the latter conflict before becoming Deputy Chief of Staff HQ First Allied Airborne Army
.
, Berkshire
, and was educated at King's College School
in London
. In 1914, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the East Surrey Regiment
and was commissioned as an officer five months later. In 1916 he transferred to the newly formed Machine Gun Corps
, and in 1917 he was believed to be the youngest major serving in the Flanders area at the age of 20. He was wounded during the Battle of Cambrai
in the same year, and by the end of the conflict had been awarded the Military Cross
a total of three times (referred to as the Military Cross and two Bars
). The first was awarded for taking command of an infantry company that had lost all of its officers; by his leadership the unit was able to continue advancing. The second (his first bar) was for conducting several personal reconnaissances of enemy positions. In mid-March 1918, Flavell was transferred from the 19th Infantry Division to the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
, where he took command of the 126th Machine Gun Company; one of the officers in the company was his future commanding officer, General
(then Lieutenant
) Richard Nelson Gale
.
On 21 March the Germans launched Operation Michael
, a major offensive against the British Army, and the 42nd Division moved into the frontline near Bapaume, replacing the 46th (North Midland) Infantry Division who had taken heavy casualties. The offensive was repulsed, and by the end of August the division had advanced towards the Hindenburg Line
. Forming a part of British Third Army, the division then made rapid advances towards Bapaume and by the end of September had reached the Hindenburg Line; on 27 September Flavell's brigade was tasked with capturing Highland Ridge, near Havrincourt Wood. The next day, after the brigade had reached the top of the ridge, Gale's machine gun section sighted in on two German field guns moving parallel to their position; they sighted in on the horses leading the guns, but just before they could open fire, Flavell arrived. According to Gale, "Flavell could not resist and, firing one of the guns himself, he brought down the leading horses;" the crews fled and the section was able to capture the two guns. This action resulted in Flavell being awarded his third Military Cross (second bar).
in 1940, and was then given the task of raising the 70th Middlesex (Young Soldiers) Battalion. On 22 June 1940, the Prime Minister
, Winston Churchill
, created the British airborne establishment when he directed the War Office
in a memorandum to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
of 5,000 parachute troops. In 1941 the 1st Parachute Brigade was formed, with Brigadier
Richard Gale as its commander. Gale selected Flavell, now a Colonel, to raise and then command 2nd Parachute Battalion
which would form part of the brigade. His adjutant was Captain
John Dutton Frost
, who would later become famous for commanding the battalion during the Battle of Arnhem
; both men qualified as parachutists in October, 1941. In January 1942 Flavell gave Frost command over Operation Biting
, a raid on a radar station on the French coast near Bruneval; the raid, which took place in February, was a success, bringing back vital technology.
In the spring of 1942 Gale was promoted to Deputy Director of Staff Duties at the War Office
, and he passed command of the brigade over to Flavell. Flavell, promoted to Brigadier, transferred command of 2nd Parachute Battalion to Major Gofton-Salmond, and in the beginning of November the brigade was sent to North Africa as part of Operation Torch
. Because of a shortage of aircraft, 3rd Parachute Battalion was forced to travel separately from the brigade, arriving on 11 November; the rest of the brigade, including Flavell, arrived the next day. He commanded the brigade for the whole of the period that it fought in North Africa
, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order at the end of the brigade's service in the theatre; the citation stated that Flavell and the brigade had "fought magnificently and set a standard to the 1st Army difficult to emulate." Under his command the brigade had sustained 1, 700 casualties and taken more than 3, 500 Axis prisoners, as well as winning eight Distinguished Service Orders, fifteen Military Crosses, nine Distinguished Conduct Medals and twenty-two Military Medals. Flavell had a difficult time commanding the brigade while it was in North Africa. He was hampered by the fact that there were no senior officers who knew how to use airborne forces properly and efficiently, meaning that the airborne missions that were given to the brigade were often unsuitable to its abilities. The same problems occurred when it was used in a ground role, for which it was considered to be unsuited, and Flavell found it difficult to prevent this occurring.
The brigade ended its operations in North Africa in mid-April 1943, and Flavell left for England in June to take up a new command. He was replaced as commander of 1st Parachute Brigade by Brigadier G.W. Lathbury
. He became commander, Airborne Establishments, which was tasked with promoting closer cooperation with the Royal Air Force
as well as providing reinforcements for 1st Airborne Division and aiding in the creation of the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade. Then on 12 June 1944, he was given command of the 6th Airlanding Brigade
, part of 6th Airborne Division. On the night of 5 June the division conducted Operation Tonga
, the British airborne portion of the Invasion of Normandy. As an airlanding brigade equipped with gliders, the brigade was the last unit belonging to the division to arrive, landing at 21:00 on 6 June in landing zone 'W' after it had been secured by the rest of the division. Flavell continued to command 6th Airlanding Brigade throughout the period that 6th Airborne Division fought in Normandy, as well as when the division fought in the Ardennes
during the German offensive
there in December 1944. He was then appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff HQ in First Allied Airborne Army
, and subsequently made an Officer of the American Legion of Merit
.
, rising to the rank of Provincial Grand Master
, and also founded and presided over the Ickenham Cricket Club. He married for a second time, to Kathleen Fenton. Flavell died on 1 December 1993.
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Edwin William Conquest Flavell DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& two Bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(22 February 1898 – 1 December 1993) was a British soldier who served in both the First World War and Second World War, commanding 1st Parachute Brigade and 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
in the latter conflict before becoming Deputy Chief of Staff HQ First Allied Airborne Army
First Allied Airborne Army
The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allied formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. The formation was part of the Allied Expeditionary Force and controlled all Allied airborne forces in Western...
.
First World War
Flavell was born on 22 February 1898, at CookhamCookham
Cookham is a village and civil parish in the north-easternmost corner of Berkshire in England, on the River Thames, notable as the home of the artist Stanley Spencer. It lies north of Maidenhead close to the border with Buckinghamshire...
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
, and was educated at King's College School
King's College School
King's College School, commonly referred to as KCS, King's, or KCS Wimbledon, is an independent school for day pupils in Wimbledon in south-west London. The school was founded as the junior department of King's College London and occupied part of its premises in Strand, before relocating to...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. In 1914, at the age of 17, he enlisted in the East Surrey Regiment
East Surrey Regiment
The East Surrey Regiment was a regiment in the British Army formed in 1881 from the amalgamation of the 31st Regiment of Foot and the 70th Regiment of Foot...
and was commissioned as an officer five months later. In 1916 he transferred to the newly formed Machine Gun Corps
Machine Gun Corps
The Machine Gun Corps was a corps of the British Army, formed in October 1915 in response to the need for more effective use of machine guns on the Western Front in World War I. The Heavy Branch of the MGC was the first to use tanks in combat, and the branch was subsequently turned into the Tank...
, and in 1917 he was believed to be the youngest major serving in the Flanders area at the age of 20. He was wounded during the Battle of Cambrai
Battle of Cambrai
The Battle of Cambrai was a British campaign of the First World War. Cambrai, in the Nord département , was a key supply point for the German Siegfried Stellung and the nearby Bourlon Ridge would be an excellent gain from which to threaten the rear of the German line to the north...
in the same year, and by the end of the conflict had been awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
a total of three times (referred to as the Military Cross and two Bars
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
). The first was awarded for taking command of an infantry company that had lost all of its officers; by his leadership the unit was able to continue advancing. The second (his first bar) was for conducting several personal reconnaissances of enemy positions. In mid-March 1918, Flavell was transferred from the 19th Infantry Division to the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division
42nd (East Lancashire) Division
The 42nd Division was a Territorial Force division of the British Army. Originally called the East Lancashire Division, it was redesignated as the 42nd Division on 25 May 1915. It was the first Territorial division to be sent overseas during the First World War. The division fought at Gallipoli,...
, where he took command of the 126th Machine Gun Company; one of the officers in the company was his future commanding officer, General
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
(then Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
) Richard Nelson Gale
Richard Nelson Gale
General Sir Richard Nelson "Windy" Gale GCB, KBE, DSO, MC was a soldier in the British Army who served in both world wars. In World War I he was awarded the Military Cross in 1918 whilst serving as a junior officer in the Machine Gun Corps...
.
On 21 March the Germans launched Operation Michael
Operation Michael
Operation Michael was a First World War German military operation that began the Spring Offensive on 21 March 1918. It was launched from the Hindenburg Line, in the vicinity of Saint-Quentin, France...
, a major offensive against the British Army, and the 42nd Division moved into the frontline near Bapaume, replacing the 46th (North Midland) Infantry Division who had taken heavy casualties. The offensive was repulsed, and by the end of August the division had advanced towards the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
. Forming a part of British Third Army, the division then made rapid advances towards Bapaume and by the end of September had reached the Hindenburg Line; on 27 September Flavell's brigade was tasked with capturing Highland Ridge, near Havrincourt Wood. The next day, after the brigade had reached the top of the ridge, Gale's machine gun section sighted in on two German field guns moving parallel to their position; they sighted in on the horses leading the guns, but just before they could open fire, Flavell arrived. According to Gale, "Flavell could not resist and, firing one of the guns himself, he brought down the leading horses;" the crews fled and the section was able to capture the two guns. This action resulted in Flavell being awarded his third Military Cross (second bar).
Second World War
During the interwar period Flavell remained on the active list of the East Surrey Regiment, but became involved in the shipping industry with a business partner from the United States of America. He married in 1920 to Nora Cooper, having two sons and a daughter with her. When the Second World War broke out in September 1939, Flavell was recalled to the British Army and subsequently given command of the 2nd Battalion of the 7th Middlesex Regiment. He subsequently saw service during the Battle of FranceBattle of France
In the Second World War, the Battle of France was the German invasion of France and the Low Countries, beginning on 10 May 1940, which ended the Phoney War. The battle consisted of two main operations. In the first, Fall Gelb , German armoured units pushed through the Ardennes, to cut off and...
in 1940, and was then given the task of raising the 70th Middlesex (Young Soldiers) Battalion. On 22 June 1940, the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
, Winston Churchill
Winston Churchill
Sir Winston Leonard Spencer-Churchill, was a predominantly Conservative British politician and statesman known for his leadership of the United Kingdom during the Second World War. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest wartime leaders of the century and served as Prime Minister twice...
, created the British airborne establishment when he directed the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
in a memorandum to investigate the possibility of creating a corps
Corps
A corps is either a large formation, or an administrative grouping of troops within an armed force with a common function such as Artillery or Signals representing an arm of service...
of 5,000 parachute troops. In 1941 the 1st Parachute Brigade was formed, with Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Richard Gale as its commander. Gale selected Flavell, now a Colonel, to raise and then command 2nd Parachute Battalion
2nd Battalion, The Parachute Regiment
The Second Battalion, The Parachute Regiment is a battalion-sized formation of the British Army's Parachute Regiment and subordinate unit within 16th Air Assault Brigade whose Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Joseph O'Sullivan....
which would form part of the brigade. His adjutant was Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
John Dutton Frost
John Dutton Frost
Major General John Dutton Frost CB, DSO & Bar, MC, DL was a British airborne officer best known for being the leader of the small group of airborne forces that actually got to Arnhem bridge during the Battle of Arnhem...
, who would later become famous for commanding the battalion during the Battle of Arnhem
Battle of Arnhem
The Battle of Arnhem was a famous Second World War military engagement fought in and around the Dutch towns of Arnhem, Oosterbeek, Wolfheze, Driel and the surrounding countryside from 17–26 September 1944....
; both men qualified as parachutists in October, 1941. In January 1942 Flavell gave Frost command over Operation Biting
Operation Biting
Operation Biting, also known as the Bruneval Raid, was the codename given to a British Combined Operations raid on a German radar installation in Bruneval, France that occurred between 27–28 February 1942 during World War II...
, a raid on a radar station on the French coast near Bruneval; the raid, which took place in February, was a success, bringing back vital technology.
In the spring of 1942 Gale was promoted to Deputy Director of Staff Duties at the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
, and he passed command of the brigade over to Flavell. Flavell, promoted to Brigadier, transferred command of 2nd Parachute Battalion to Major Gofton-Salmond, and in the beginning of November the brigade was sent to North Africa as part of Operation Torch
Operation Torch
Operation Torch was the British-American invasion of French North Africa in World War II during the North African Campaign, started on 8 November 1942....
. Because of a shortage of aircraft, 3rd Parachute Battalion was forced to travel separately from the brigade, arriving on 11 November; the rest of the brigade, including Flavell, arrived the next day. He commanded the brigade for the whole of the period that it fought in North Africa
British airborne operations in North Africa
British airborne operations in North Africa were conducted by the British 1st Parachute Brigade as part of the Tunisian Campaign of World War II over the period between November 1942 and April 1943....
, and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order at the end of the brigade's service in the theatre; the citation stated that Flavell and the brigade had "fought magnificently and set a standard to the 1st Army difficult to emulate." Under his command the brigade had sustained 1, 700 casualties and taken more than 3, 500 Axis prisoners, as well as winning eight Distinguished Service Orders, fifteen Military Crosses, nine Distinguished Conduct Medals and twenty-two Military Medals. Flavell had a difficult time commanding the brigade while it was in North Africa. He was hampered by the fact that there were no senior officers who knew how to use airborne forces properly and efficiently, meaning that the airborne missions that were given to the brigade were often unsuitable to its abilities. The same problems occurred when it was used in a ground role, for which it was considered to be unsuited, and Flavell found it difficult to prevent this occurring.
The brigade ended its operations in North Africa in mid-April 1943, and Flavell left for England in June to take up a new command. He was replaced as commander of 1st Parachute Brigade by Brigadier G.W. Lathbury
Gerald Lathbury
General Sir Gerald William Lathbury, GCB, DSO, MBE was a British Army officer during the Second World War and later became Governor of Gibraltar-Military career:...
. He became commander, Airborne Establishments, which was tasked with promoting closer cooperation with the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
as well as providing reinforcements for 1st Airborne Division and aiding in the creation of the 1st Independent Polish Parachute Brigade. Then on 12 June 1944, he was given command of the 6th Airlanding Brigade
6th Airlanding Brigade (United Kingdom)
The 6th Airlanding Brigade was a glider infantry brigade forming part of the British airborne forces during the Second World War. Composed of three infantry battalions and supporting units, it was assigned to the 6th Airborne Division....
, part of 6th Airborne Division. On the night of 5 June the division conducted Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga
Operation Tonga was the codename given to the airborne operation undertaken by the British 6th Airborne Division between 5 June and 7 June 1944 as a part of Operation Overlord and the Normandy Landings during the Second World War....
, the British airborne portion of the Invasion of Normandy. As an airlanding brigade equipped with gliders, the brigade was the last unit belonging to the division to arrive, landing at 21:00 on 6 June in landing zone 'W' after it had been secured by the rest of the division. Flavell continued to command 6th Airlanding Brigade throughout the period that 6th Airborne Division fought in Normandy, as well as when the division fought in the Ardennes
Ardennes
The Ardennes is a region of extensive forests, rolling hills and ridges formed within the Givetian Ardennes mountain range, primarily in Belgium and Luxembourg, but stretching into France , and geologically into the Eifel...
during the German offensive
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
there in December 1944. He was then appointed as Deputy Chief of Staff HQ in First Allied Airborne Army
First Allied Airborne Army
The First Allied Airborne Army was an Allied formation formed on 2 August 1944 by the order of General Dwight D. Eisenhower, the Supreme Allied Commander of the Allied Expeditionary Force. The formation was part of the Allied Expeditionary Force and controlled all Allied airborne forces in Western...
, and subsequently made an Officer of the American Legion of Merit
Legion of Merit
The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements...
.
Postwar career
In the 1945 general election, Flavell stood as the Conservative candidate for North-West Hendon in London, but was defeated by a slim margin. After this, he became involved in property development and also managing his own company. In 1948 he was appointed as Deptuy Lieutenant for Middlesex, and some time later became the chairman of the County of Middlesex Territorial Army Association. In later life he became a MasonFreemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
, rising to the rank of Provincial Grand Master
Provincial Grand Master
Provincial Grand Master , sometimes called District Grand Master or Metropolitan Grand Master, is an office held by the senior Freemason in the middle management layer of masonic administration, between the national and the local levels...
, and also founded and presided over the Ickenham Cricket Club. He married for a second time, to Kathleen Fenton. Flavell died on 1 December 1993.