James Bowes-Lyon
Encyclopedia
Major-General
Sir Francis James Cecil Bowes-Lyon KCVO
CB
OBE
MC
(1917–1977) was Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.
in 1938. He served in the Guards Armoured Division during World War II
.
In 1955 he became Commandant
at the Guards Depot and in 1957 he was made Commanding Officer
of 2nd Bn Grenadier Guards
. He was appointed Military Assistant to Field Marshal
Sir Francis Festing
, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, in 1960 and Commander
of 157th Lowland Brigade in 1963.
He went on to be General Officer Commanding
52nd Lowland Division District in 1966 and Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1968. In 1971 he was appointed Major-General commanding the Household Division
and General Officer Commanding
London District
. He retired in 1973.
He was also a Gentleman Usher to the Royal Household and lived at Sennicotts
in West Sussex
.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Sir Francis James Cecil Bowes-Lyon KCVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
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...
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...
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....
(1917–1977) was Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.
Military career
Bowes-Lyon was commissioned into the Grenadier GuardsGrenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
in 1938. He served in the Guards Armoured Division during 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...
.
In 1955 he became Commandant
Commandant
Commandant is a senior title often given to the officer in charge of a large training establishment or academy. This usage is common in anglophone nations...
at the Guards Depot and in 1957 he was made Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 2nd Bn Grenadier Guards
Grenadier Guards
The Grenadier Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army. It is the most senior regiment of the Guards Division and, as such, is the most senior regiment of infantry. It is not, however, the most senior regiment of the Army, this position being attributed to the Life Guards...
. He was appointed Military Assistant to Field Marshal
Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Sir Francis Festing
Francis Festing
Field Marshal Sir Francis Wogan Festing GCB, KBE, DSO , called 菲士挺 in Chinese, was a field marshal of the British Army...
, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, in 1960 and Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
of 157th Lowland Brigade in 1963.
He went on to be 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...
52nd Lowland Division District in 1966 and Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1968. In 1971 he was appointed Major-General commanding the Household Division
Major-General commanding the Household Division
The Major-General commanding the Household Division commands the troops of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. He is also General Officer Commanding London District.-Recent Commanders:The holders of this office include:...
and 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...
London District
London District (British Army)
London District is the name given by the British Army to the area of operations encompassing the Greater London area. Established in 1870 as Home District, it was re-formed in 1905 as London District to be an independent district within the larger command structure of the army, and has remained so...
. He retired in 1973.
He was also a Gentleman Usher to the Royal Household and lived at Sennicotts
Sennicotts
Sennicotts is a small estate near Chichester, West Sussex, England, formed in 1809 by Charles Baker having retired after serving in Madras, with the British East India Company. In the following years, he built the house , the lodge and the chapel...
in West Sussex
West Sussex
West Sussex is a county in the south of England, bordering onto East Sussex , Hampshire and Surrey. The county of Sussex has been divided into East and West since the 12th century, and obtained separate county councils in 1888, but it remained a single ceremonial county until 1974 and the coming...
.