William Alfred Dimoline

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Major-General William Alfred Dimoline CB CMG CBE DSO MC (born 1897; died 1965) was an officer in the British Army during World War I and World War II. His nickname was "Dimmo."

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[edit] Early Career

Dimoline was educated at Dean Close School, Cheltenham (where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps) and with the outbreak of World War I he was commissioned into the King's Regiment (Liverpool) (Territorial Force) as a second lieutenant in 1914.[1] In 1915 he was promoted to lieutenant,[2][3] he was then seconded to the Divisional Artillery Signals on 15 March 1917[4] and promoted to captain.[5] In 1920 he was given a backdated regular army commission in the East Surrey Regiment from July 1916, as a second lieutenant,[6] having transferred to the regiment as a lieutenant in 1918.[7] He was awarded the Military Cross.

Between the World Wars he officially transferred to the Royal Signal Corps.[8] He commanded a Divisional Signal Company as an acting captain for a period up to 1922.[9] He was then seconded to the West African Frontier Force as a temporary captain in 1923.[10] In 1925 he was seconded to the Colonial Office,[11] promoted to substantive captain in 1927 (with seniority back to 1920),[12] and returned to regimental duty to serve as adjutant from 1930,[13][14] and then attended Staff College in 1933–1934,[15][16] and in 1936 he was appointed a General Staff Officer, Grade 3,[17] holding the appointment until January 1937.[18] He was then seconded to be Commandant of the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, with the local rank of lieutenant-colonel,[19] and appointed to the Northern Rhodesia Legislative Council.[20][21][22] He was promoted to susbtantive lieutenant-colonel on 8 November 1938.[23]

[edit] World War II

Dimoline was initially employed in the Middle East, and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1941 for his services there,[24] He was promoted to substantive colonel on 19 December 1941.[25] and Mentioned in Despatches.[26]

Brigadier Dimoline commanded the 26th East African Brigade (of the 12th African Division) in Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia during the East African Campaign. His brigade acted independently of its division for the duration of the campaign.[27]

During the Battle of Madagascar in 1942, Brigadier Dimoline commanded the 22nd East African Brigade. His brigade carried out an amphibious landing on 10 September at Majunga, in the north-west part of the island. He commanded a surprise attack on 18 October against forces based at Andriamanalina with such success that his troops suffered no casualties.[28] He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his part in the battle.[29]

Later, he commanded a number of East African brigades in the Asian Theatre including in the Burma Campaign the 28th East African Brigade and then, on promotion to acting major-general in 1945,[30] the 11th (East Africa) Division. He was again Mentioned in Despatches for his performance there,[31] and given the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).[32]

[edit] Post war

Dimoline was made a substantive major-general on 6 September 1946,[33] and a Companion of the Bath (CB) in the 1947 King's Birthday Honours,[34] he relinquished command of the Aldershot District on 1 September 1951.[35] On 29 September 1951 he was appointed "Head of The Service Advisers to The United Kingdom Delegation and United Kingdom Representative on, The Military Staff Committee of The United Nations",[36] and held the post until 13 October 1953.[37] He retired on 27 December 1953,[38] remaining a reserve officer until 1957.[39] He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1958 New Year Honours for his work as "Secretary, British Group, Inter-Parliamentary Union."[40]

[edit] Family

His younger brother was Brigadier Harry Kenneth Dimoline.

[edit] Career summary

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ London Gazette: no. 28867, page 6307, 11 August 1914. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  2. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29399, page 12415, 10 December 1915. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  3. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 29597, page 5294, 26 May 1916. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  4. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30082, page 4928, 18 May 1917. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  5. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30136, page 6041, 15 June 1917. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  6. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31865, page 4435, 13 April 1920. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  7. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 30539, page 2400, 22 February 1918. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  8. ^ London Gazette: no. 32772, page 8520, 1 December 1922. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 32817, page 2966, 24 April 1923. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  10. ^ London Gazette: no. 32825, page 3614, 22 May 1923. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  11. ^ London Gazette: no. 33085, page 6088, 18 September 1925. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  12. ^ London Gazette: no. 33278, page 3448, 27 May 1927. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  13. ^ London Gazette: no. 33578, page 894, 11 February 1930. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  14. ^ London Gazette: no. 33607, page 3153, 20 May 1930. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  15. ^ London Gazette: no. 33904, page 442, 20 January 1933. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  16. ^ London Gazette: no. 34116, page 8296, 21 December 1934. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  17. ^ London Gazette: no. 34277, page 2625, 24 April 1936. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  18. ^ London Gazette: no. 34368, page 788, 5 February 1937. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  19. ^ London Gazette: no. 34374, page 1257, 20 February 1937. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  20. ^ London Gazette: no. 34458, page 7432, 26 November 1937. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  21. ^ London Gazette: no. 34507, pages 2857–2858, 3 May 1938. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  22. ^ London Gazette: no. 34607, page 1763, 14 March 1939. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  23. ^ London Gazette: no. 34593, page 607, 27 January 1939. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  24. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35120, page 1865, 28 March 1941. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  25. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35448, page 645, 6 February 1942. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  26. ^ London Gazette: no. 35396, pages 7339–7340, 26 December 1941. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  27. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37645, page 3592, 9 July 1946. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  28. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37655, page 3719, 16 July 1946. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  29. ^ London Gazette: no. 36083, page 3085, 6 July 1943. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  30. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37016, page 1833, 3 April 1945. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  31. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37425, page 380, 8 January 1946. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  32. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37433, page 498, 15 January 1946. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  33. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37736, page 4801, 20 September 1946. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  34. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37977, page 2573, 6 June 1947. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  35. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39332, page 4811, 11 September 1951. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  36. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39375, page 5771, 6 November 1951. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  37. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40023, page 6359, 20 November 1953. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  38. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40051, page 7023, 25 December 1953. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  39. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41167, page 5215, 3 September 1957. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.
  40. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41268, page 4, 31 December 1957. Retrieved on 2008-01-15.

[edit] External links