John Churcher

Major-General John Bryan Churcher CB DSO (9 September 1905 – 2 August 1997) was a senior British Army officer who, during World War II, commanded the 159th Infantry Brigade during the campaign in Northwest Europe and later commanded the 3rd Infantry Division.

John Churcher
Birth name	John Bryan Churcher
Born	9 September 1905[1] Reading, Berkshire, England[2]
Died	2 August 1997 (aged 91) Colchester, Essex, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1925–1959
Rank	Major-General
Unit	Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Commands held	1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment 159th Infantry Brigade 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division 2nd Infantry Division 3rd Infantry Division 5th Infantry Division 3rd Infantry Division
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order (& Bar)

Military career

Churcher was commissioned into the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1925.[3] He fought in World War II as Commanding Officer (CO) of the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment and then as commander of the 159th Infantry Brigade, serving in North-West Europe as part of 11th Armoured Division.[4]

After the Second World War he became General Officer Commanding (GOC) 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division in March 1946, GOC 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division and Northumbrian District in August 1946, and GOC 2nd Infantry Division in the Far East in October 1946. He then became GOC 3rd Infantry Division in Palestine in December 1946 and GOC 5th Infantry Division in April 1947–in this role he had orders to disband it.[5]

He became Chief of Staff at Southern Command in 1951–in this capacity he organised the response to the devastating Lynmouth Flood in 1952.[6] He returned to the command of GOC 3rd Infantry Division in 1954 and became Director of Military Training at the War Office in 1957 before retiring in 1959.[4]

He is buried at St Mary's Churchyard at Wargrave in Berkshire.[7]

References

1. England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916–2007
2. 1911 England Census
3. "No. 33016". The London Gazette. 30 January 1925. p. 686.
4. Generals.dk
5. "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 1 June 2020.
6. ITN Source
7. "Major-General John Churcher". Safe Music. Retrieved 14 February 2020.

External links

• John Churcher at Find a Grave