Mosley Mayne
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Ashton Gerard Oswald Mosley Mayne GCB
, CBE
, DSO
(1889–1955) was a British Indian Army
officer in both World War I
and World War II
.
in 1908 serving with the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)
and the 9th Royal Deccan Horse
. He was awarded his DSO for service in World War I
. He was Commanding Officer
of the Royal Deccan Horse
from 1934 to 1936. In 1938 he was promoted Brigadier to command 9th Indian Infantry Brigade
.
as part of Indian 5th Infantry Division
where in battles at Agordat
and Keren
they saw fighting said by commentators to be as fierce as any seen during the war.
In April 1941, Mayne was promoted to command 5th Indian Division. As a newly promoted Major-General, he succeeded Lewis Heath
who had been posted to command Indian III Corps
in Malaya
. Under Mayne's command the major fighting was concluded by 5th Division and took the Italian Commander-in-Chief's surrender.
At the end of June 1941, 5th Indian Division left East Africa. During the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
it was in Kirkuk
in Iraq but was not involved with the fighting. In September 1941, Mayne's division relieved the British 50th Infantry Division in Cyprus
.
In June 1942, Mayne was promoted to command Indian XXI Corps
which became part of Persia and Iraq Command
's Tenth Army based in Baghdad
.
In August 1943, XXI Corps was disbanded and Mayne returned to India to become commander of Eastern Command, being promoted full General in April 1944.
From the start of 1945, Mayne was Military Secretary to the India Office
and retired in 1947.
. He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1947 having previously been knighted Knight Commander of the same order (KCB) in 1944 and appointed Companion of the order in 1941. He was also appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1941.
.
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....
Sir Ashton Gerard Oswald Mosley Mayne GCB
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...
, CBE
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...
, 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...
(1889–1955) 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 in both 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...
and 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...
.
Early career
He was commissioned into the British Indian ArmyBritish 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...
in 1908 serving with the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)
6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (Watson's Horse)
The 6 Lancers is an armoured regiment of Pakistan Army. Previously, it was known as the 6th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers , which was a regular cavalry regiment in the British Indian Army. It was formed in 1921 by amalgamation of the 13th Duke of Connaught's Lancers and 16th Cavalry...
and the 9th Royal Deccan Horse
9th Royal Deccan Horse
The 9th Royal Deccan Horse was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army , it was formed from the amalgamation of two regiments after World War I. They saw service from the Mutiny of 1857 up to and including World War II.-Formation:...
. He was awarded his DSO for service 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...
. He was 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 the Royal Deccan Horse
9th Royal Deccan Horse
The 9th Royal Deccan Horse was a regular cavalry regiment of the British Indian Army , it was formed from the amalgamation of two regiments after World War I. They saw service from the Mutiny of 1857 up to and including World War II.-Formation:...
from 1934 to 1936. In 1938 he was promoted Brigadier to command 9th Indian Infantry Brigade
9th Indian Infantry Brigade
The 9th Indian Infantry Brigade was an Infantry formation of the Indian Army during World War II. It was formed in India and converted to the 5th Indian Infantry Brigade and a new 9th Brigade was then formed all in September 1939. The brigade was assigned to the 5th Indian Infantry Division in June...
.
World War II
From September 1940, the 9th Brigade fought in the East African CampaignEast African Campaign (World War II)
The East African Campaign was a series of battles fought in East Africa during World War II by the British Empire, the British Commonwealth of Nations and several allies against the forces of Italy from June 1940 to November 1941....
as part of Indian 5th Infantry Division
Indian 5th Infantry Division
Indian 5th Infantry Division was an infantry division in the Indian Army during World War II which fought in several theatres of war and more than earned its nickname the "Ball of Fire".- History :...
where in battles at Agordat
Agordat
Agordat is a city in Eritrea. It was the former capital of the now defunct Barka Province of Eritrea .- Overview :...
and Keren
Keren, Eritrea
Keren is the second largest city in Eritrea. It is situated about 91 kilometers northwest of Asmara. The town serves as the capital of the Anseba region, and is home to the Bilen ethnic group.-History:...
they saw fighting said by commentators to be as fierce as any seen during the war.
In April 1941, Mayne was promoted to command 5th Indian Division. As a newly promoted Major-General, he succeeded Lewis Heath
Lewis Heath
Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC was an officer in the British Army and the Indian Army during the pre-World War I years, World War I, the interwar years, and World War II...
who had been posted to command Indian III Corps
Indian III Corps
The III Corps was a formation of the Indian Army during World War I formed in Mesopotamia. Prior to the reorganization of the British and Indian forces in Mesopotamia, it was designated as the Tigris Corps....
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...
. Under Mayne's command the major fighting was concluded by 5th Division and took the Italian Commander-in-Chief's surrender.
At the end of June 1941, 5th Indian Division left East Africa. During the Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran
The Anglo-Soviet invasion of Iran was the Allied invasion of the Imperial State of Iran during World War II, by British, Commonwealth, and Soviet armed forces. The invasion from August 25 to September 17, 1941, was codenamed Operation Countenance...
it was in Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
in Iraq but was not involved with the fighting. In September 1941, Mayne's division relieved the British 50th Infantry Division in Cyprus
Cyprus
Cyprus , officially the Republic of Cyprus , is a Eurasian island country, member of the European Union, in the Eastern Mediterranean, east of Greece, south of Turkey, west of Syria and north of Egypt. It is the third largest island in the Mediterranean Sea.The earliest known human activity on the...
.
In June 1942, Mayne was promoted to command Indian XXI Corps
Indian XXI Corps
The Indian XXI Corps was an Army Corps of the Indian Army during World War II. It served in the Tenth Army in 1942.-Formation:Lieutenant-General Sir Mosley Mayne*8th Indian Infantry Division, Major-General Charles Harvey...
which became part of Persia and Iraq Command
Persia and Iraq Command
The Persia and Iraq Command was a British Army Command established in September 1942 in Baghdad. Its primary role was to secure from land and air attack the oilfields and oil installations in Persia and Iraq...
's Tenth Army based in Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
.
In August 1943, XXI Corps was disbanded and Mayne returned to India to become commander of Eastern Command, being promoted full General in April 1944.
From the start of 1945, Mayne was Military Secretary to the India Office
Military Secretary to the India Office
The Military Secretary to the India Office was responsible for the recruitment of British and other European nationals to the officer ranks of the Indian Army.-Military Secretaries to the India Office:The Military Secretaries were as follows:...
and retired in 1947.
Honours
Between 1944 and 1947 Mayne held the honorary title of ADC General to the KingAide-de-camp
An aide-de-camp is a personal assistant, secretary, or adjutant to a person of high rank, usually a senior military officer or a head of state...
. He was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in 1947 having previously been knighted Knight Commander of the same order (KCB) in 1944 and appointed Companion of the order in 1941. He was also appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1941.
Personal
Mayne was married in 1916 to Phyllis Tweddell who died in 1949. His only son pre-deceased him, killed in action in 1943 in the Italian campaignItalian 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...
.