Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen
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| Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen | |
|---|---|
| 16 April 1889 - 1963 | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1909 - 1946 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held | 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (1936 - 1937) 14th Infantry Brigade (1938 - 1939) 8th Division (1939 - 1940) British forces British Somaliland (1940) 2nd (later 12th) (African) Division (1940 - 1941) XIII Corps (1941 - 1942) |
| Battles/wars | East African Campaign Western Desert Campaign |
| Awards | KCSI (13 June 1946) CB (30 May 1941) OBE () MC (3 June 1916) |
| Other work | Colonel The S. Wales Borderers, (1 Jan. 1950) |
General Sir Alfred Reade Godwin-Austen, KCSI, CB, OBE, MC (born 1889; died 1963) was a British Army officer during World War I and World War II.
During the Italian Invasion of British Somaliland Godwin-Austen took command of the British forces in the colony from mid-August 1940. His actions allowed almost the entire Commonwealth contingent to withdraw to Berbera. From there, it was successfully evacuated to Aden. Commonwealth losses in the short campaign are estimated to have been exceedingly light, about 260 (38 killed, 102 wounded and 120 missing).
Following the evacuation of Somaliland he commanded the 2nd (African) Division (renamed 12th (African) Division) in the British advance from Kenya during the East African Campaign. At the end of the campaign he was promoted to his last fighting command, leading XIII Corps in the Western Desert Campaign in North Africa.
He retired in 1946 having achieved the rank of general and was knighted in the same year.
[edit] Army career
- Commissioned The South Wales Borderers - 1909
- Commanding Officer, 2nd Battalion, Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry - 1936 - 1937
- Head British Military Mission, Egypt - 1937 - 1938
- Commanding Officer, 14th Infantry Brigade, British Mandate of Palestine - 1938 - 1939
- General Officer Commanding, 8th Division, Middle East - 1939 - 1940
- General Officer Commanding, British Somaliland - 1940
- General Officer Commanding, 2nd (African) Division, East Africa - 1940
- General Officer Commanding, 12th (African) Division, Ethiopia - 1940 - 1941
- General Officer Commanding, 12th (African) Division, East Africa - 1941
- General Officer Commanding, XIII Corps, North Africa - 1941 - 1942
- Commandant of Staff College, Camberley - 1942
- Director of Tactical Investigation, War Office - 1942 - 1943
- Vice Quartermaster-General, War Office - 1944
- Quartermaster-General, India - 1944
- Principal Administration Officer, Indian Command - 1945 - 1946
- Retired - 1946
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- Ammentorp, Steen. Generals of World War II. Retrieved on 2007-07-30.
- MacKenzie, Compton (1951). Eastern Epic. Chatto & Windus, London, 623 pages.
- Orders of Battle.com. Retrieved on 2007-07-25.
