Lewis Heath

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Lieutenant-General Sir Lewis Macclesfield Heath, KBE, CB, CIE, DSO, MC (1885 - 1954) was a British Army officer during World War II.

Having achieved some success as GOC 5th Indian Division during the East African Campaign, Heath was appointed to command III Indian Corps part of the Malaya Command during the Battle of Malaya. He was unable to stop the Japanese advance and had conflicting opinions on how to conduct the campaign with his commanding officer, Lieutenant-General Arthur Percival. He was captured during the Battle of Singapore.

[edit] Service biography

• Joined Indian Army 1906;
• King's African Rifles 1909-1913;
• World War I 1914-1918;
• Afghanistan 1919;
• East Persia 1919-1921;
• 10/14 Punjab Regt 1928;
• Commander, 1 Bn 11 Sikh Regt 1929-1933;
• North West Frontier, India 1930;
• North West Frontier, India 1932;
• Instructor, Senior Officers School,
• Belgium 1934-1936;
• Commander, Wana Bde 1936-1939;
• North West Frontier 1937;
• Commander, Deccan District 1939;
• World War II 1939-1945;
• Commander, 5 Indian Div 1939-1941;
• Commander, 3 Indian Corps, Malaya 1941-1942;
• POW, Singapore, Formosa and Manchukuo (Manchuria) 1942-1945;
• retired 1946

[edit] Reference

• Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War, Nick Smart. ISBN 1-84415-049-6.