Roderick McLeod
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir Roderick William McLeod GBE KCB (1905–1980) was a British Army
General who achieved high office in the 1950s.
in 1925.
He saw service during the Khajuri
Plains operations on the North West Frontier of India
between 1930 and 1932.
He served in World War II
and was Commanding Officer
1st Airlanding Light Regiment
Royal Artillery
in North Africa
and Sicily
in 1943 moving on to be Deputy Commander 1st Parachute Brigade later that year. He was then made the first Commander of the Special Air Service
Brigade from 1944 to 1945.
After the War he became Director of Military Operations in India
between 1945 and 1947. He was appointed Assistant Commandant at the Staff College in 1948 and then Commander Royal Artillery
for 7th Armoured Division, which was then part of British Army of the Rhine
in 1950. He went on to be Director of Military Operations at the War Office
in 1951 and then General Officer Commanding
6th Armoured Division in 1955. He was made Chief Army Instructor at the Imperial Defence College in 1957 and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff at the Ministry of Defence
later that year. He became Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
in 1960.
He was also General Officer Commanding
-in-Chief for Eastern Command
from 1962; during his time at Eastern Command he chaired a Committee which recommended re-organisation of the Logistic Services of the British Army: this led to the formation of the Royal Corps of Transport
in 1965. He retired in 1965.
He livered at Woking
in Surrey
and from 1966 to his death was Chairman of the Hockering Residents' Association.
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...
General who achieved high office in the 1950s.
Military career
Educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich McLeod 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 1925.
He saw service during the Khajuri
Khajuri
Khajuri is a village in the southern state of Karnataka, India. It is located in the Aland taluk of Gulbarga district in Karnataka.-Demographics:As of 2001 India census, Khajuri had a population of 6273 with 3162 males and 3111 females....
Plains operations on the North West Frontier of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between 1930 and 1932.
He served in 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...
and 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...
1st Airlanding Light Regiment
1st Airlanding Light Regiment
The 1st Airlanding Light Regiment was an airborne forces unit of the Royal Artillery during the Second World War.The regiment was raised in 1943, by the expansion of an existing airborne artillery battery...
Royal Artillery
Royal 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 North Africa
North Africa
North Africa or Northern Africa is the northernmost region of the African continent, linked by the Sahara to Sub-Saharan Africa. Geopolitically, the United Nations definition of Northern Africa includes eight countries or territories; Algeria, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, South Sudan, Sudan, Tunisia, and...
and Sicily
Sicily
Sicily is a region of Italy, and is the largest island in the Mediterranean Sea. Along with the surrounding minor islands, it constitutes an autonomous region of Italy, the Regione Autonoma Siciliana Sicily has a rich and unique culture, especially with regard to the arts, music, literature,...
in 1943 moving on to be Deputy Commander 1st Parachute Brigade later that year. He was then made the first Commander of the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
Brigade from 1944 to 1945.
After the War he became Director of Military Operations in India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
between 1945 and 1947. He was appointed Assistant Commandant at the Staff College in 1948 and then Commander Royal Artillery
Royal 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:...
for 7th Armoured Division, which was then part of 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. He went on to be 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 1951 and then 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...
6th Armoured Division in 1955. He was made Chief Army Instructor at the Imperial Defence College in 1957 and Deputy Chief of Defence Staff at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
later that year. He became Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong
Commander British Forces in Hong Kong
The Commander British Forces in Hong Kong was a senior British Army officer who acted as Military Advisor to the Governor of Hong Kong.-Structure:...
in 1960.
He was also 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...
-in-Chief for Eastern Command
Eastern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Fourth Army Corps and was based in London. Among the formations raised under its supervision in World War I was the 12th Division. Its headquarters was initially located at Horseguards in London. During World War II the Command relocated to...
from 1962; during his time at Eastern Command he chaired a Committee which recommended re-organisation of the Logistic Services of the British Army: this led to the formation of the Royal Corps of Transport
Royal Corps of Transport
The Royal Corps of Transport was a British Army Corps formed in 1965 from the transport elements of the Royal Army Service Corps and the movement control element of the Royal Engineers . The depot was Buller Barracks in Aldershot...
in 1965. He retired in 1965.
He livered at 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....
in Surrey
Surrey
Surrey is a county in the South East of England and is one of the Home Counties. The county borders Greater London, Kent, East Sussex, West Sussex, Hampshire and Berkshire. The historic county town is Guildford. Surrey County Council sits at Kingston upon Thames, although this has been part of...
and from 1966 to his death was Chairman of the Hockering Residents' Association.