Robert Bray (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Robert Napier Hubert Campbell (Bobbie) Bray, GBE
, KCB
, DSO
and bar (1908–1983) was a British
soldier
, deputy Supreme Commander Europe of NATO's Allied Command Europe from 1967 to 1970.
, followed by Gresham's School
, Holt
, and the Royal Military Academy.
in the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment
on the 2 February 1928.
He served during World War II
in North West Europe and the Middle East
being promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel
on 19 October 1942.
He became a Brigadier on the General Staff at the British Army of the Rhine
in 1950 and then Director of Land-Air Warfare and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Standardization at the War Office
in 1954. He was promoted to major-general on 29 October 1955 and became General Officer Commanding
56th Infantry Division in 1957. He then became GOC
British Land Forces in the Arabian Peninsula in 1959 and GOC Middle East Land Forces in 1960.
He was promoted to lieutenant-general on 27 February 1961 and served as GOC-in-C at Southern Command
from 1961 to 1963. He was promoted to full general
on 25 February 1965. He went on to serve as Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe
between 1963 and 1967 and as Deputy Supreme Commander Europe at NATO's Allied Command between May 1967 and December 1970, succeeding Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Pike
. He retired on 9 March 1971.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Robert Napier Hubert Campbell (Bobbie) Bray, GBE
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...
, 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...
and bar (1908–1983) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
, deputy Supreme Commander Europe of NATO's Allied Command Europe from 1967 to 1970.
Education
Bray was educated at St Ronan's School, WorthingWorthing
Worthing is a large seaside town with borough status in West Sussex, within the historic County of Sussex, forming part of the Brighton/Worthing/Littlehampton conurbation. It is situated at the foot of the South Downs, west of Brighton, and east of the county town of Chichester...
, followed by Gresham's School
Gresham's School
Gresham’s School is an independent coeducational boarding school in Holt in North Norfolk, England, a member of the HMC.The school was founded in 1555 by Sir John Gresham as a free grammar school for forty boys, following King Henry VIII's dissolution of the Augustinian priory at Beeston Regis...
, Holt
Holt, Norfolk
Holt is a market town and civil parish in the English county of Norfolk. The town is north of the city of Norwich, west of Cromer and east of King's Lynn. The town is on the route of the A148 King's Lynn to Cromer road. The nearest railway station is in the town of Sheringham where access to the...
, and the Royal Military Academy.
Career
Rober Bray was commissioned as a second lieutenantSecond Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
in the 1st Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment
Duke of Wellington's Regiment
The Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
on the 2 February 1928.
He served 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 North West Europe and 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...
being promoted to temporary 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...
on 19 October 1942.
He became a Brigadier on the General Staff at the British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
in 1950 and then Director of Land-Air Warfare and North Atlantic Treaty Organisation Standardization 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 was promoted to major-general on 29 October 1955 and 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...
56th Infantry Division in 1957. He then became GOC
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...
British Land Forces in the Arabian Peninsula in 1959 and GOC Middle East Land Forces in 1960.
He was promoted to lieutenant-general on 27 February 1961 and served as GOC-in-C at 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....
from 1961 to 1963. He was promoted to full general
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....
on 25 February 1965. He went on to serve as Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe
Allied Forces Northern Europe was the most northern NATO command located at Kolsås outside Oslo. It was part of Allied Command Europe from around 1952 to 2003...
between 1963 and 1967 and as Deputy Supreme Commander Europe at NATO's Allied Command between May 1967 and December 1970, succeeding Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Pike
Thomas Pike
Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Thomas Geoffrey Pike GCB CBE DFC & Bar DL RAF was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force.-RAF career:...
. He retired on 9 March 1971.
Honours
- 1944 - Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe 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...
for gallant and distinguished services in Normandy - 1945 - Bar to Distinguished Service OrderDistinguished Service OrderThe 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...
for gallant and distinguished services in north west Europe - 1952 - Commander of the Order of the British EmpireOrder of the British EmpireThe 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...
- 1956 - Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB)Order of the BathThe 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...
- 1962 - Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)Order of the BathThe 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...
- 1966 - Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)Order of the British EmpireThe 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...
- Colonel of the Duke of Wellington's RegimentDuke of Wellington's RegimentThe Duke of Wellington's Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division.In 1702 Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he did in and around the city of Gloucester. As was the custom in those days...
, October 1965 to July 1975 - Mentioned in Despatches North West Frontier 1935
- Mentioned in Despatches 20 December 1940