Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd
Encyclopedia
Major-General
Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd CBE
, DSO
, MC
(1896–1944) was an officer in the British Army
and the Indian Army
during World War I
and World War II
.
. In 1916 he transferred to the Indian Army and was attached to 4th / 39th Garwhal Rifles. He was later to join the 19th Hyderabad Regiment.
, the East African Campaign
and the Syria-Lebanon campaign
. In the Western Desert, Lloyd's forces were involved in the opening stages of Operation Compass
. In East Africa, forces under Lloyd's command were involved in the Battle of Agordat and the Battle of Keren
. In Syria, he commanded for a period Gentforce. This was a combined British, Indian, and Free French force attacking towards Damascus
.
From October 1941 to March 1943, during the Burma Campaign
, Major-General Lloyd commanded the 14th Indian Division
. The Division was defeated during the First Arakan Offensive and Lloyd was removed from command. Most of his contemporaries nevertheless considered he was not responsible for the defeat.
From July 1943 to January 1944 Major-General Lloyd commanded the 10th Indian Division
in Persia. He was killed in an air crash in 1944.
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
Wilfrid Lewis Lloyd 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...
, 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....
(1896–1944) was an officer in the 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...
and the Indian Army
Indian Army
The Indian Army is the land based branch and the largest component of the Indian Armed Forces. With about 1,100,000 soldiers in active service and about 1,150,000 reserve troops, the Indian Army is the world's largest standing volunteer army...
during 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...
.
World War I
Lloyd was commissioned into the 7th Shropshire Light Infantry and fought with the regiment until 1916, winning an MCMilitary 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....
. In 1916 he transferred to the Indian Army and was attached to 4th / 39th Garwhal Rifles. He was later to join the 19th Hyderabad Regiment.
World War II
In July 1940, Brigadier Lloyd was appointed to the 5th Indian Brigade of the 4th Indian Division and commanded them in the Western Desert CampaignWestern Desert Campaign
The Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
, the East African Campaign
East 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....
and the Syria-Lebanon campaign
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
. In the Western Desert, Lloyd's forces were involved in the opening stages of Operation Compass
Operation Compass
Operation Compass was the first major Allied military operation of the Western Desert Campaign during World War II. British and Commonwealth forces attacked Italian forces in western Egypt and eastern Libya in December 1940 to February 1941. The attack was a complete success...
. In East Africa, forces under Lloyd's command were involved in the Battle of Agordat and the Battle of Keren
Battle of Keren
The Battle of Keren was fought as part of the East African Campaign during World War II. The Battle of Keren was fought from 5 February-1 April 1941 between the colonial Italian army defending it's colonial possession of Eritrea and the invading British and Commonwealth forces. In 1941, Keren was...
. In Syria, he commanded for a period Gentforce. This was a combined British, Indian, and Free French force attacking towards Damascus
Damascus
Damascus , commonly known in Syria as Al Sham , and as the City of Jasmine , is the capital and the second largest city of Syria after Aleppo, both are part of the country's 14 governorates. In addition to being one of the oldest continuously inhabited cities in the world, Damascus is a major...
.
From October 1941 to March 1943, during the Burma Campaign
Burma Campaign
The Burma Campaign in the South-East Asian Theatre of World War II was fought primarily between British Commonwealth, Chinese and United States forces against the forces of the Empire of Japan, Thailand, and the Indian National Army. British Commonwealth land forces were drawn primarily from...
, Major-General Lloyd commanded the 14th Indian Division
14th Indian Infantry Division
For the World War I formation see 14th Indian DivisionThe Indian 14th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II...
. The Division was defeated during the First Arakan Offensive and Lloyd was removed from command. Most of his contemporaries nevertheless considered he was not responsible for the defeat.
From July 1943 to January 1944 Major-General Lloyd commanded the 10th Indian Division
10th Indian Division
The 10th Indian Division was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War I. It was the basis of Indian Expeditionary Force F which served in Egypt and was disbanded in March 1915....
in Persia. He was killed in an air crash in 1944.
Command history
- General Staff Officer, Division - 1939
- Commanding Officer, 5th Indian Brigade, North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth 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...
- 1940 - Commanding Officer, 5th Indian Brigade, East AfricaEast AfricaEast Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
- (1940–1941) - Commanding Officer, 5th Indian Brigade, North AfricaNorth AfricaNorth 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 SyriaSyriaSyria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
- 1941 - Director of Military Training, India - (1941–1942)
- General Officer Commanding, 14th Indian Division14th Indian Infantry DivisionFor the World War I formation see 14th Indian DivisionThe Indian 14th Infantry Division was an infantry division of the Indian Army during World War II...
- (1941–1943) - General Officer Commanding, 10th Indian Division10th Indian DivisionThe 10th Indian Division was a formation of the British Indian Army during World War I. It was the basis of Indian Expeditionary Force F which served in Egypt and was disbanded in March 1915....
- (1943–1944)
See also
- Western Desert CampaignWestern Desert CampaignThe Western Desert Campaign, also known as the Desert War, was the initial stage of the North African Campaign during the Second World War. The campaign was heavily influenced by the availability of supplies and transport. The ability of the Allied forces, operating from besieged Malta, to...
- 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....
- Syria-Lebanon campaignSyria-Lebanon campaignThe Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...