Francis Tuker
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir Francis Ivan Simms Tuker KCIE
CB
DSO
OBE
(4 July 1894 – 7 October 1967) was a British Indian Army
officer.
, of which he was in later life a governor, Tuker was commissioned into the Royal Sussex Regiment
in 1914.
He served in World War I
transferring to 2nd Gurkhas in the Indian Army
in 1914. He took part in the Kuki Punitive expedition in 1918 and North West Persia operations between 1920 and 1921. He was appointed Commander of 1/2 Gurkhas
in 1937.
He also served in World War II
becoming Director of Military Training in India in 1940 and then General Officer Commanding
34th Indian Division in 1941. He took over Indian 4th Infantry Division
on 30 December 1941 and then commanded it during the Western Desert
and Italian Campaign
s. He was awarded the CB
in 1943.
In early 1944, towards the end of Tuker's time in Italy, during the fighting at Cassino
allied commanders were engaged in a controversy regarding what action should be taken against the monastery at Monte Cassino
. The Germans had designated it a military-free zone but many senior commanders were reluctant to believe that the Germans would not occupy such a strategically important position. Tuker had found a book dated 1879 in a Naples bookshop giving details of the construction of the monastery at Monte Cassino which his division had been tasked to attack. He wrote a memorandum to his Corps commander, concluding that regardless of whether the monastery was currently occupied by the Germans, it should be demolished to prevent its effective occupation. He also pointed out that with 150 foot (45 m) high walls made of masonry at least 10 feet (3 m) thick, there was no practical means for field engineers to deal with the place, and that bombing with "blockbuster" bombs would be the only solution since 1,000 pound bombs would be "next to useless". The theatre commander, General Harold Alexander, agreed to the bombing (which did not employ blockbuster bombs) and the ruins were occupied by German forces which held the position until 18 May.
Tuker commanded the 4th Indian Division until 4 February 1944 when he became seriously ill and for nearly a year took no part in the war. On recovery in January 1945, he was given the Ceylon Army command. On 14 July 1945 he was put in command of the IV Corps in Burma and held this post to the end of the war.
After the War he was made Commander, Lucknow District and then became General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, India in 1946. He retired in April 1948 as a lieutenant-general and died in 1967. There is a memorial tablet to him in the chapel of Brighton College, below which hangs his sword; at its dedication, the band of the Brigade of Gurkhas beat retreat on the school's playingfield.
Tuker's nickname in the army was "Gertie". He is known for a number of books on military history that he wrote, including The Pattern of War, While Memory Serves and The Yellow Scarf. In his book The Pattern of War he argues that Warfare follows a definite pattern.
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
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...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(4 July 1894 – 7 October 1967) was a British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
officer.
Military career
Educated at Brighton CollegeBrighton College
Brighton College is an institution divided between a Senior School known simply as Brighton College, the Prep School and the Pre-Prep School. All of these schools are co-educational independent schools in Brighton, England, sited immediately next to each another. The Senior School caters for...
, of which he was in later life a governor, Tuker was commissioned into the Royal Sussex Regiment
Royal Sussex Regiment
The Royal Sussex Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1966. The regiment was formed as part of the Childers reforms by the amalgamation of the 35th Regiment of Foot and the 107th Regiment of Foot...
in 1914.
He served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
transferring to 2nd Gurkhas in the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
in 1914. He took part in the Kuki Punitive expedition in 1918 and North West Persia operations between 1920 and 1921. He was appointed Commander of 1/2 Gurkhas
2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)
The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles was an infantry regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Battalion, 8th Gurkha Rifles , where it exists to this day...
in 1937.
He also served in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
becoming Director of Military Training in India in 1940 and then General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
34th Indian Division in 1941. He took over Indian 4th Infantry Division
Indian 4th Infantry Division
The Indian 4th Infantry Division, also known as the Red Eagle Division, is an infantry division of the Indian Army.The division was formed in Egypt in 1939 and was the first Indian formation to go overseas during the Second World War. As with all formations in the Indian Army prior to independence,...
on 30 December 1941 and then commanded it during the Western Desert
Western Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
and Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
s. He was awarded the CB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
in 1943.
In early 1944, towards the end of Tuker's time in Italy, during the fighting at Cassino
Battle of Monte Cassino
The Battle of Monte Cassino was a costly series of four battles during World War II, fought by the Allies against Germans and Italians with the intention of breaking through the Winter Line and seizing Rome.In the beginning of 1944, the western half of the Winter Line was being anchored by Germans...
allied commanders were engaged in a controversy regarding what action should be taken against the monastery at Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino
Monte Cassino is a rocky hill about southeast of Rome, Italy, c. to the west of the town of Cassino and altitude. St. Benedict of Nursia established his first monastery, the source of the Benedictine Order, here around 529. It was the site of Battle of Monte Cassino in 1944...
. The Germans had designated it a military-free zone but many senior commanders were reluctant to believe that the Germans would not occupy such a strategically important position. Tuker had found a book dated 1879 in a Naples bookshop giving details of the construction of the monastery at Monte Cassino which his division had been tasked to attack. He wrote a memorandum to his Corps commander, concluding that regardless of whether the monastery was currently occupied by the Germans, it should be demolished to prevent its effective occupation. He also pointed out that with 150 foot (45 m) high walls made of masonry at least 10 feet (3 m) thick, there was no practical means for field engineers to deal with the place, and that bombing with "blockbuster" bombs would be the only solution since 1,000 pound bombs would be "next to useless". The theatre commander, General Harold Alexander, agreed to the bombing (which did not employ blockbuster bombs) and the ruins were occupied by German forces which held the position until 18 May.
Tuker commanded the 4th Indian Division until 4 February 1944 when he became seriously ill and for nearly a year took no part in the war. On recovery in January 1945, he was given the Ceylon Army command. On 14 July 1945 he was put in command of the IV Corps in Burma and held this post to the end of the war.
After the War he was made Commander, Lucknow District and then became General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, India in 1946. He retired in April 1948 as a lieutenant-general and died in 1967. There is a memorial tablet to him in the chapel of Brighton College, below which hangs his sword; at its dedication, the band of the Brigade of Gurkhas beat retreat on the school's playingfield.
Tuker's nickname in the army was "Gertie". He is known for a number of books on military history that he wrote, including The Pattern of War, While Memory Serves and The Yellow Scarf. In his book The Pattern of War he argues that Warfare follows a definite pattern.