Nigel Poett
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Joseph Howard Nigel Poett KCB
, DSO
(20 August 1907 – 1991) was a British Army
officer who commanded the 5th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division, during the Second World War.
J.H. Poett, who saw service in the Boer War
, attaining the position of Assistant Adjutant General with the rank of brevet
Lieutenant Colonel
by the end of the conflict, and was commanding the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment in British India when Poett was born. Shortly after his birth Poett's family moved to India to join his father, and then in 1910 they moved once again, this time to Canada, where his father hoped to take up a new career in farming. However, the family did not take well to their Canadian surroundings, Poett's mother in particular missing her European friends, and in 1914 the family moved to Britain. Poett was first educated at a private boarding school, and then moved to Downside School
, a Catholic
public school. There he enjoyed a number of sports and joined the Officer Training Corps, but later regretted that he studied little of English language or Classical studies, instead being placed in a specialized class that focused on the mathematical and scientific skills required for pupils to join the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
. After studying at Sandhurst, Poett opted to join the Durham Light Infantry
, and was gazetted as an officer into the regiment on 1 September 1927.
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In November 1927, Poett was posted with the regiment to Egypt
, with his battalion being stationed at Mustapha Barracks on the outskirts of the city of Alexandria
. In December 1929, Poett was informed that his father had died, although his mother urged him not to return home, as he would not be able to return to Britain before the funeral took place. One month later, in January 1930, Poett was informed that he was to be transferred to the regiment's 2nd Battalion, which was soon to move to Razmak
, a frontier post in Waziristan
on the North-West Frontier
. Poett first spent a month's leave visiting his family and travelling around Europe, and was then transported by troopship to Port Said
. Arriving in April, Poett joined a draft of troops joining the 2nd Battalion, and then spent two weeks on a train travelling to the city of Bannu
; once there, the draft were forced to remain until they could join one of the lorry columns that transported troops to Razmak. These only travelled once or twice a week, as the area surrounding the route to Razmak had to be guarded by British troops to protect the lorries from hostile tribesmen and snipers. The area around Razmak was in open conflict, with hostile tribesmen attacking those villages that had allied themselves with the British authorities, and sniping at British patrols.
The camp at Razmak was strongly fortified with barbed wire and guard towers, as well as machine-gun and mortar positions. It was garrisoned by a brigade, which included a unit of mountain gunners and a number of Sappers from the Royal Engineers
, as well as Poett's battalion. Upon arrival, he was attached to the battalion's 'A' Company, which was commanded by Oswald Paget, an old family friend. Only a short time later, Poett participated in an action by the battalion known as going on 'column', in which the battalion patrolled the area around the camp in order to 'show the flag' and highlight its continued presence at the camp. It was an extremely physical activity, and Poett found his first 'column' very trying, particularly due to the lack of water supplies carried by the troops during the process. Poett found that the hardest, and most dangerous part of the 'column', was when he commanded a picket that ranged in front of the battalion. When ordered by the battalion commander, the picket would occupy and then hold a hilltop that the battalion itself would later occupy; the danger was found in rushing the top of the hill, which would risk being fired upon by hostile tribesmen, as well as running fast down the often steep hill to withdraw and rejoin the battalion. Although his first 'column' was only a practice exercise, the political situation around Razmak rapidly worsered during Poett's time at the camp, and on further 'columns' he found himself fired upon a number of times. Poett did find one positive feature of the patrols, however - his fitness levels quickly increased, and he was later of the opinion that he reached the peak of his physical fitness whilst serving at Razmak. In the time between 'columns', Poett played polo
with his fellow officers, and also helped level a patch of ground by hand, on which a permanent sports facility for the garrison was erected. Eventually the battalion's time at the camp came to an end and it transferred to Barrackpore, some fifteen miles from the city if Calcutta.
in order to communicate with the Indian soldiers in the companies he commanded. Between November and the middle of January Poett then took up services as an ADC in Government House with the temporary rank of Captain, one of three stationed there; he spent his time attending events with the Governor, as well as receiving and attending to visitors who wanted to see the Governor. During his time at Government House, Poett met General H.K. Bethell, the General Commanding the Presidency and Assam District. When the left Government House and returned to his battalion, General Bethell had Poett detached from the regiment to temporarily replace his ADC who had gone on leave. Bethell lived near Fort William in Calcutta, and Poett found it a demanding '6am to midnight' job. Poett's duties generally included exercising the General's ponies at his estate, joining the General when he inspected British and Commonwealth units in the area, and also accompanying him on tours around India.
Poett eventually finished as Bethell's ADC and returned to his battalion, but not for long; he was then transferred to General Bethell's staff as a General Staff Officer 3rd Grade. This meant increased pay for Poett, as well as experience as a staff officer; he served under William Gott
, then Bethell's General Staff Officer 2nd Grade, a future Lieutenant General
and intended commander of the British Eighth Army
before he was killed in 1942. Poett returned to his battalion after a period as General Staff Officer, and then spent some time in Britain on leave. When he returned in 1934 he was trained on the Vickers machine gun
, and then gazetted as the battalion's next adjutant. Poett took another period of leave to visit his brother-in-law in Australia, and during the journey met and fell in love with his future wife, Julia, on the ship from Bombay to Calcutta. After a brief time together in Australia with Julia, Poett returned to Bombay to act as battalion adjutant. At the end of 1935 the battalion was transferred to the Sudan, taking up station near the city of Khartoum
. During the battalion's transfer, as well as for some time afterwards, Poett studied for the entrance exam at the British Army's Staff College. Although he passed the exams, he was unable to get a vacancy and eventually gave up. Then in April 1937, Poett took leave to the city of Wellington
in New Zealand
, where he married Julia on 26 May 1937. The next month the married couple moved to Britain, with Poett resuming his duties as battalion adjutant in Woking
, where the battalion had recently been transferred.
running troop exercises, he was informed that he had been promoted to the rank of Major
and appointed a General Staff Officer Grade 2. Poett would be attached to a branch of the War Office
known as Staff Duties 2, and his specific duties were concerned with allocating weapons to British Army units positioned throughout the different theatres of war. In early May 1940, Poett was sent to the General Headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force
, and when he returned to Britain at the port of Dover
he was informed that the invasion of Belgium and France
had begun during his journey. Poett appealed to the War Office to be released from staff duties and assigned to a division in the field, but it was not until the Dunkirk evacuation was over that a replacement was found for him. He was then assigned as the GSO 2 for the 2nd Infantry Division, which had only recently returned from France. The division was situated in East Riding
and was responsible for the defence of a large section of Yorkshire coast; as a result a number of anti-invasion exercises were conducted by the division, and there were also a number of invasion warnings. One such alert took place when Poett was in Woking, where his wife had just given birth to his son Simon.
Upon his return from Woking, Poett was transferred to the War Office, and by early 1941 he had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
and became the General Staff Officer Grade 1 in charge of the Staff Duties 2 branch of the War Office. Poett was given a secretary to help him handle his new responsibilities, many of which were secret in nature; they included developing the Orders of Battle for oversea theatres such as the Middle East, and the allocation of space on convoys travelling to these theatres. At one point Poett had to defend a paper he had written, about the Middle East Order of Battle, to the Prime Minister
Winston Churchill
, who was unhappy with the large number of administrative units assigned to the theatre. Poett continued his work throughout 1941, and in late December he travelled to Washington D.C in the United States of America alongside an officer from the Plans Directorate, with orders to assist the Anglo-American planning of the coming conflict. These initial planning meetings ended in January 1942, and Poett returned with the Prime Minister's party via a specially-charted train to Norfolk
, Virginia
, and then by flying boat to Britain via Bermuda
; when he was leaving the hotel he had been staying in, Poett was informed that his hotel bills and expenses had been paid for by the Americans as part of the Lend Lease agreement between the two countries.
, but soon travelled around the country with it, moving to Wales and Scotland, before finishing up in the Welsh town of Llanelli
.
in 1950, General Officer Commanding
3rd Division based in the Middle East
in 1952 and then Director of Military Operations at the War Office
in 1954. He went on to be Commandant of the Staff College, Camberley
in 1957 and General Officer Commanding
Southern Command
in 1958 before returning to Far East Land Forces in 1961 as Commander-in-Chief
prior to his retirement in 1963.
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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 Joseph Howard Nigel Poett KCB
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...
(20 August 1907 – 1991) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who commanded the 5th Parachute Brigade, 6th Airborne Division, during the Second World War.
Early life
Poett was born on August 20, 1907, at a rented family house in Winterborne St. Martin, near the city of Dorchester. He was a twin, born at the same time as his sister Angela. Poett was the son of Julia Baldwin and Major GeneralMajor General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
J.H. Poett, who saw service in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, attaining the position of Assistant Adjutant General with the rank of brevet
Brevet
Brevet may refer to:* Brevet , a temporary authorization for a person to hold a higher rank* Brevet , a long-distance bicycle ride with check-point controls* Aircrew brevet, a Royal Air Force and British Army badge...
Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
by the end of the conflict, and was commanding the 1st Battalion of the Dorsetshire Regiment in British India when Poett was born. Shortly after his birth Poett's family moved to India to join his father, and then in 1910 they moved once again, this time to Canada, where his father hoped to take up a new career in farming. However, the family did not take well to their Canadian surroundings, Poett's mother in particular missing her European friends, and in 1914 the family moved to Britain. Poett was first educated at a private boarding school, and then moved to Downside School
Downside School
Downside School is a co-educational Catholic independent school for children aged 11 to 18, located in Stratton-on-the-Fosse, between Norton Radstock and Shepton Mallet in Somerset, south west England. It is attached to Downside Abbey...
, a Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
public school. There he enjoyed a number of sports and joined the Officer Training Corps, but later regretted that he studied little of English language or Classical studies, instead being placed in a specialized class that focused on the mathematical and scientific skills required for pupils to join the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
. After studying at Sandhurst, Poett opted to join the Durham Light Infantry
Durham Light Infantry
The Durham Light Infantry was an infantry regiment of the British Army from 1881 to 1968. It was formed by the amalgamation of the 68th Regiment of Foot and the 106th Regiment of Foot along with the militia and rifle volunteers of County Durham...
, and was gazetted as an officer into the regiment on 1 September 1927.
Egypt and Razmak
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, with his battalion being stationed at Mustapha Barracks on the outskirts of the city of Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
. In December 1929, Poett was informed that his father had died, although his mother urged him not to return home, as he would not be able to return to Britain before the funeral took place. One month later, in January 1930, Poett was informed that he was to be transferred to the regiment's 2nd Battalion, which was soon to move to Razmak
Razmak
Razmak is one of the three sub-divisions of North Waziristan Agency in Pakistan, the other two being Miranshah and Mirali. Inhabitants are Uthmanzai Wazirs. Razmak is further sub-divided in three Tehsils. Tehsil being the lowest administrative unit in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas of...
, a frontier post in Waziristan
Waziristan
Waziristan is a mountainous region near the Northwest of Pakistan, bordering Afghanistan and covering some 11,585 km² . The area is entirely populated by ethnic Pashtuns . The language spoken in the valley is Pashto/Pakhto...
on the North-West Frontier
North-West Frontier (military history)
The North-West Frontier was the most difficult area, from a military point of view, of the former British India in the Indian sub-continent. It remains the frontier of present-day Pakistan, extending from the Pamir Knot in the north to the Koh-i-Malik Siah in the west, and separating the...
. Poett first spent a month's leave visiting his family and travelling around Europe, and was then transported by troopship to Port Said
Port Said
Port Said is a city that lies in north east Egypt extending about 30 km along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea, north of the Suez Canal, with an approximate population of 603,787...
. Arriving in April, Poett joined a draft of troops joining the 2nd Battalion, and then spent two weeks on a train travelling to the city of Bannu
Bannu
Bannu is the principal city of the Bannu District in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province of Pakistan. It is an important road junction and market city. Bannu is a very old city, founded in ancient times; however, the present location of the downtown Bannu was founded by Sir Herbert Edwardes in 1848,...
; once there, the draft were forced to remain until they could join one of the lorry columns that transported troops to Razmak. These only travelled once or twice a week, as the area surrounding the route to Razmak had to be guarded by British troops to protect the lorries from hostile tribesmen and snipers. The area around Razmak was in open conflict, with hostile tribesmen attacking those villages that had allied themselves with the British authorities, and sniping at British patrols.
The camp at Razmak was strongly fortified with barbed wire and guard towers, as well as machine-gun and mortar positions. It was garrisoned by a brigade, which included a unit of mountain gunners and a number of Sappers from the Royal Engineers
Royal Engineers
The Corps of Royal Engineers, usually just called the Royal Engineers , and commonly known as the Sappers, is one of the corps of the British Army....
, as well as Poett's battalion. Upon arrival, he was attached to the battalion's 'A' Company, which was commanded by Oswald Paget, an old family friend. Only a short time later, Poett participated in an action by the battalion known as going on 'column', in which the battalion patrolled the area around the camp in order to 'show the flag' and highlight its continued presence at the camp. It was an extremely physical activity, and Poett found his first 'column' very trying, particularly due to the lack of water supplies carried by the troops during the process. Poett found that the hardest, and most dangerous part of the 'column', was when he commanded a picket that ranged in front of the battalion. When ordered by the battalion commander, the picket would occupy and then hold a hilltop that the battalion itself would later occupy; the danger was found in rushing the top of the hill, which would risk being fired upon by hostile tribesmen, as well as running fast down the often steep hill to withdraw and rejoin the battalion. Although his first 'column' was only a practice exercise, the political situation around Razmak rapidly worsered during Poett's time at the camp, and on further 'columns' he found himself fired upon a number of times. Poett did find one positive feature of the patrols, however - his fitness levels quickly increased, and he was later of the opinion that he reached the peak of his physical fitness whilst serving at Razmak. In the time between 'columns', Poett played polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
with his fellow officers, and also helped level a patch of ground by hand, on which a permanent sports facility for the garrison was erected. Eventually the battalion's time at the camp came to an end and it transferred to Barrackpore, some fifteen miles from the city if Calcutta.
India and the Sudan
Just before leaving Razmak, Poett had been informed that he had been selected to serve as an aide-de-camp to the Governor of Bengal for six weeks, and upon arrival at Barrackpore found that he would start his duties in November 1930. While he waited, Poett was kept busy by commanding the companies of officers who decided to take annual leave in Britain, as well as learning UrduUrdu
Urdu is a register of the Hindustani language that is identified with Muslims in South Asia. It belongs to the Indo-European family. Urdu is the national language and lingua franca of Pakistan. It is also widely spoken in some regions of India, where it is one of the 22 scheduled languages and an...
in order to communicate with the Indian soldiers in the companies he commanded. Between November and the middle of January Poett then took up services as an ADC in Government House with the temporary rank of Captain, one of three stationed there; he spent his time attending events with the Governor, as well as receiving and attending to visitors who wanted to see the Governor. During his time at Government House, Poett met General H.K. Bethell, the General Commanding the Presidency and Assam District. When the left Government House and returned to his battalion, General Bethell had Poett detached from the regiment to temporarily replace his ADC who had gone on leave. Bethell lived near Fort William in Calcutta, and Poett found it a demanding '6am to midnight' job. Poett's duties generally included exercising the General's ponies at his estate, joining the General when he inspected British and Commonwealth units in the area, and also accompanying him on tours around India.
Poett eventually finished as Bethell's ADC and returned to his battalion, but not for long; he was then transferred to General Bethell's staff as a General Staff Officer 3rd Grade. This meant increased pay for Poett, as well as experience as a staff officer; he served under William Gott
William Gott
Lieutenant-General William Henry Ewart Gott CB, CBE, DSO and bar, MC , nicknamed "Strafer", was a British Army officer during both the First and Second World Wars, reaching the rank of lieutenant-general when serving in the British Eighth Army.-Military career:Educated at Harrow School he was...
, then Bethell's General Staff Officer 2nd Grade, a future Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and intended commander of the British Eighth Army
Eighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
before he was killed in 1942. Poett returned to his battalion after a period as General Staff Officer, and then spent some time in Britain on leave. When he returned in 1934 he was trained on the Vickers machine gun
Vickers machine gun
Not to be confused with the Vickers light machine gunThe Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun is a name primarily used to refer to the water-cooled .303 inch machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army...
, and then gazetted as the battalion's next adjutant. Poett took another period of leave to visit his brother-in-law in Australia, and during the journey met and fell in love with his future wife, Julia, on the ship from Bombay to Calcutta. After a brief time together in Australia with Julia, Poett returned to Bombay to act as battalion adjutant. At the end of 1935 the battalion was transferred to the Sudan, taking up station near the city of Khartoum
Khartoum
Khartoum is the capital and largest city of Sudan and of Khartoum State. It is located at the confluence of the White Nile flowing north from Lake Victoria, and the Blue Nile flowing west from Ethiopia. The location where the two Niles meet is known as "al-Mogran"...
. During the battalion's transfer, as well as for some time afterwards, Poett studied for the entrance exam at the British Army's Staff College. Although he passed the exams, he was unable to get a vacancy and eventually gave up. Then in April 1937, Poett took leave to the city of Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, where he married Julia on 26 May 1937. The next month the married couple moved to Britain, with Poett resuming his duties as battalion adjutant in Woking
Woking
Woking is a large town and civil parish that shares its name with the surrounding local government district, located in the west of Surrey, UK. It is part of the Greater London Urban Area and the London commuter belt, with frequent trains and a journey time of 24 minutes to Waterloo station....
, where the battalion had recently been transferred.
War Office and Washington
Only a few days after Poett arrived in Britain, war had been declared on Germany and the Second World War had begun. He travelled to the regimental depot in County Durham, and after two weeks at Brancepeth CastleBrancepeth Castle
Brancepeth Castle is a castle in the village of Brancepeth in County Durham, England, some 5 miles south-west of the city of Durham . It is a Grade I listed building.-History:...
running troop exercises, he was informed that he had been promoted to the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and appointed a General Staff Officer Grade 2. Poett would be attached to a branch of 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...
known as Staff Duties 2, and his specific duties were concerned with allocating weapons to British Army units positioned throughout the different theatres of war. In early May 1940, Poett was sent to the General Headquarters of 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 when he returned to Britain at the port of Dover
Dover
Dover is a town and major ferry port in the home county of Kent, in South East England. It faces France across the narrowest part of the English Channel, and lies south-east of Canterbury; east of Kent's administrative capital Maidstone; and north-east along the coastline from Dungeness and Hastings...
he was informed that the invasion of Belgium and France
Battle 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...
had begun during his journey. Poett appealed to the War Office to be released from staff duties and assigned to a division in the field, but it was not until the Dunkirk evacuation was over that a replacement was found for him. He was then assigned as the GSO 2 for the 2nd Infantry Division, which had only recently returned from France. The division was situated in East Riding
East Riding
East Riding could be*East Riding of Yorkshire*East Riding of County Cork, Ireland*East Riding of County Galway, Ireland...
and was responsible for the defence of a large section of Yorkshire coast; as a result a number of anti-invasion exercises were conducted by the division, and there were also a number of invasion warnings. One such alert took place when Poett was in Woking, where his wife had just given birth to his son Simon.
Upon his return from Woking, Poett was transferred to the War Office, and by early 1941 he had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
and became the General Staff Officer Grade 1 in charge of the Staff Duties 2 branch of the War Office. Poett was given a secretary to help him handle his new responsibilities, many of which were secret in nature; they included developing the Orders of Battle for oversea theatres such as the Middle East, and the allocation of space on convoys travelling to these theatres. At one point Poett had to defend a paper he had written, about the Middle East Order of Battle, to 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...
, who was unhappy with the large number of administrative units assigned to the theatre. Poett continued his work throughout 1941, and in late December he travelled to Washington D.C in the United States of America alongside an officer from the Plans Directorate, with orders to assist the Anglo-American planning of the coming conflict. These initial planning meetings ended in January 1942, and Poett returned with the Prime Minister's party via a specially-charted train to Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
, Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
, and then by flying boat to Britain via Bermuda
Bermuda
Bermuda is a British overseas territory in the North Atlantic Ocean. Located off the east coast of the United States, its nearest landmass is Cape Hatteras, North Carolina, about to the west-northwest. It is about south of Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, and northeast of Miami, Florida...
; when he was leaving the hotel he had been staying in, Poett was informed that his hotel bills and expenses had been paid for by the Americans as part of the Lend Lease agreement between the two countries.
5th Parachute Brigade
When he returned from Washington, Poett requested that the War Office return him to regimental duty and give him command of a regular infantry battalion. A short while later, Poett was ordered to take command of the 11th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry. At the time the battalion formed a part of the 70th Brigade, itself attached to the 49th Infantry Division. Poett assumed command of the battalion in HerefordshireHerefordshire
Herefordshire is a historic and ceremonial county in the West Midlands region of England. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of three counties that comprise the "Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Gloucestershire" NUTS 2 region. It also forms a unitary district known as the...
, but soon travelled around the country with it, moving to Wales and Scotland, before finishing up in the Welsh town of Llanelli
Llanelli
Llanelli , the largest town in both the county of Carmarthenshire and the preserved county of Dyfed , Wales, sits on the Loughor estuary on the West Wales coast, approximately west-north-west of Swansea and south-east of the county town, Carmarthen. The town is famous for its proud rugby...
.
Post-war career
He became Chief of Staff at Headquarters Far East Land ForcesBritish Far East Command
The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. These were firstly, 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command , and secondly, 1963 – 1971 succeeded by Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom Force...
in 1950, 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...
3rd Division based in the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
in 1952 and then Director of Military Operations 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 1954. He went on to be Commandant of the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
in 1957 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...
Southern Command
Southern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Second Army Corps and was initially based at Tidworth but in 1949 moved to Fugglestone Farm near Wilton in Wiltshire....
in 1958 before returning to Far East Land Forces in 1961 as Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
prior to his retirement in 1963.
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