John Woodall (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir John (Dane) Woodall KCMG
KBE
CB
MC
(1897–1985) was General Officer Commanding
Northern Ireland District
.
in 1915 during the latter phases of World War I. He served in Gallipoli
and was a Staff Captain in Salonika and the Black Sea
.
After the War he became Deputy Assistant Adjutant General for the Black Sea Area before undertaing the same role in Turkey
. In 1937 he became an Instructor in Gunnery at Northern Command
and in 1932 he transferred to become a Staff Officer, Royal Artillery at Western Command
. He then went on to be Brigade Major for the Royal Artillery in Malaya
in 1934 and then an Instructor at the RAF Staff College
in 1938.
He served in World War II initially as a General Staff Officer with the British Expeditionary Force
and then as a Brigadier on the General Staff. He was appointed a Regimental Commander in the Royal Artillery in 1943 and Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Army Cooperation Command
in 1943 before becoming Deputy Director of Staff Duties at the War Office
in 1944. During his time working with the Royal Air Force
he co-authored the "Wane-Woodall Report" which advocated a specially trained and equipped unit for close support, a series of liaison officers, a command post and a communications system.
After the Second World War he was appointed Director of Manpower at the War Office moving on to be Vice Adjutant-General to the Forces
in 1949. He became General Officer Commanding
Northern Ireland
in 1952 and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda
in 1955.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
KBE
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...
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...
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....
(1897–1985) was 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...
Northern Ireland District
HQ Northern Ireland
HQ Northern Ireland was the command formation responsible for the administration of all British Armed Forces stationed in and around Northern Ireland...
.
Military career
Woodall was commissioned into the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1915 during the latter phases of World War I. He served in Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
and was a Staff Captain in Salonika and the Black Sea
Black Sea
The Black Sea is bounded by Europe, Anatolia and the Caucasus and is ultimately connected to the Atlantic Ocean via the Mediterranean and the Aegean seas and various straits. The Bosphorus strait connects it to the Sea of Marmara, and the strait of the Dardanelles connects that sea to the Aegean...
.
After the War he became Deputy Assistant Adjutant General for the Black Sea Area before undertaing the same role in Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. In 1937 he became an Instructor in Gunnery at Northern Command
Northern Command (United Kingdom)
-Nineteenth century:The District Commands of the British Army in Great Britain and Ireland first appear in print in 1840, at which time Northern Command was held by Maj-Gen Charles James Napier, appointed in 1838. During his time the troops stationed within Northern Command were frequently deployed...
and in 1932 he transferred to become a Staff Officer, Royal Artillery at Western Command
Western Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 and was originally called the Welsh & Midland Command before changing its name in 1906. In 1907 Western Command relocated to Watergate House in Chester...
. He then went on to be Brigade Major for the Royal Artillery in Malaya
British Malaya
British Malaya loosely described a set of states on the Malay Peninsula and the Island of Singapore that were brought under British control between the 18th and the 20th centuries...
in 1934 and then an Instructor at the RAF Staff College
RAF Staff College, Andover
The RAF Staff College at RAF Andover was the first Royal Air Force staff college to be established. Its role was the training of officers in the administrative, staff and policy apects of air force matters.-Foundation:...
in 1938.
He served in World War II initially as a General Staff Officer with the British Expeditionary Force
British Expeditionary Force (World War II)
The British Expeditionary Force was the British force in Europe from 1939–1940 during the Second World War. Commanded by General Lord Gort, the BEF constituted one-tenth of the defending Allied force....
and then as a Brigadier on the General Staff. He was appointed a Regimental Commander in the Royal Artillery in 1943 and Senior Air Staff Officer at RAF Army Cooperation Command
RAF Army Cooperation Command
RAF Army Cooperation Command was a short-lived major command of the Royal Air Force during World War II, comprising the army cooperation units of the RAF.The command was formed on 1 December 1940 when No...
in 1943 before becoming 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...
in 1944. During his time working 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...
he co-authored the "Wane-Woodall Report" which advocated a specially trained and equipped unit for close support, a series of liaison officers, a command post and a communications system.
After the Second World War he was appointed Director of Manpower at the War Office moving on to be Vice Adjutant-General to the Forces
Adjutant-General to the Forces
The Adjutant-General to the Forces, commonly just referred to as the Adjutant-General , is one of the most senior officers in the British Army. He is in charge of administration, personnel and organisational matters. The Adjutant-General usually holds the rank of General or Lieutenant-General...
in 1949. He became 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...
Northern Ireland
HQ Northern Ireland
HQ Northern Ireland was the command formation responsible for the administration of all British Armed Forces stationed in and around Northern Ireland...
in 1952 and Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda
Governor of Bermuda
The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
in 1955.