Charles Loewen

Sir Charles Loewen
Born	17 September 1900 Vancouver, Canada
Died	1986 (aged 85 or 86)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1916-1959
Rank	General
Unit	Royal Artillery
Commands held	1st Infantry Division 6th Armoured Division 50th Division Anti-Aircraft Command Western Command Far East Land Forces
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order

General Sir Charles Falkland Loewen, GCB KBE DSO (1900–1986) was a Canadian born and educated soldier who became Adjutant-General to the Forces in the United Kingdom.

Military career

Educated at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, where he enrolled in 1916, Charles Loewen joined the Royal Field Artillery in 1918 during the close of the First World War as he was too young for active service with the Canadian Army. He was promoted to lieutenant on 17 March 1920,^[1] and to captain on 17 September 1931.^[2] He was a student at the Staff College in Quetta in 1933, and was promoted to brevet major on 2 July 1937.^[3] Promoted to major the following year, he served in India with the local rank of lieutenant-colonel (from 1 November 1938).^[4] Loewen was promoted to brevet lieutenant-colonel on 1 July 1939.^[5]

Promoted to war substantive lieutenant-colonel in 1941, in the Second World War he served as Commander Royal Artillery in 55th Division, then 6th Division, then 1st Division and finally I Corps.^[6] He saw active service during the Norwegian campaign and took part in planning in the War Office. He was promoted to colonel on 30 June 1943 (seniority from 1 July 1942).^[7] In 1943, he drafted Operation Skyscraper to occur on the beaches of Normandy. The plan was shelved as it was thought to need too many resources. It was re-used and re-expanded in Operation Overlord back to the original ten divisions - which Skyscraper had recommended in the first place. ^[8] He was also involved in the Italian Campaign where he later served as General Officer Commanding 1st Infantry Division from 1944.^[9] As a temporary brigadier by 1944, he was appointed a CBE (Mil.) in the 1944 New Year Honours.^[10] He was promoted to the acting rank of major-general on 24 July 1944,^[11] appointed a Companion of the DSO for his distinguished service in Italy on 28 June 1945,^[12] appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 5 July^[13] and received a mention in despatches on 19 July.^[14] He was promoted to temporary major-general on 24 July.^[15]

After the war, Loewen was promoted to the permanent rank of major-general on 6 May 1946 (seniority from 30 August 1944).^[16] He took a number of commands including 6th Armoured Division in 1946 and 50th Division in 1948.^[6] He was awarded the U.S. Legion of Merit in the degree of Commander on 14 May 1948.^[17] He was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Anti-Aircraft Command on 27 May 1950, with a promotion to lieutenant-general from the same date.^[18] Knighted with the KBE in the 1951 King's Birthday Honours,^[19] he was appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of Western Command on 23 April 1953.^[6][20]

He became Commander-in-Chief Far East Land Forces on 13 October 1953.^[21] Appointed a KCB in the 1954 New Year Honours,^[22]following his promotion to general on 16 April,^[23] he went on to be Adjutant-General to the Forces in 1956.^[6] He retired from the British Army in 1959.^[6]

He was Aide-de-Camp General to the Queen from 1956 to 1959.^[6]

Retirement

Loewen moved with his wife to be with his sons, Charles Bernard Loewen and John Falkland Loewen, and retired at The Boyne River Mill near to Mansfield. He was the author of a book entitled Fly fishing flies.^[24]

Honours & Legacy

Wall of Honour, Royal Military College of Canada

Loewen, a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada, is listed on the Wall of Honour in Kingston, Ontario.

References

• Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War, Nick Smart. ISBN 1-84415-049-6.
• 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
• H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
• H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC - A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
• H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876-1918. Volume II: 1919-1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston]. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984