James Bowes-Lyon

Sir James Bowes-Lyon
Born	1917
Died	1977 (aged 59 or 60)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1938 - 1973
Rank	Major-General
Commands held	2nd Bn Grenadier Guards 157th Lowland Brigade 52nd Lowland Division District British Forces in Berlin London District
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Companion of the Order of the Bath Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross and Bar

Major-General Sir Francis James Cecil Bowes-Lyon KCVO CB OBE MC & Bar (1917–1977) was Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.

Military career

Bowes-Lyon was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1938.^[1] He served in the Guards Armoured Division during the Second World War.^[1]

In 1955 he became Commandant at the Guards Depot and in 1957 he was made Commanding Officer of 2nd Bn Grenadier Guards.^[1] He was appointed Military Assistant to Field Marshal Sir Francis Festing, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff, in 1960 and Commander of 157th Lowland Brigade in 1963.^[1]

He went on to be General Officer Commanding 52nd Lowland Division District in 1966 and Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1968.^[1] In 1971 he was appointed Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District.^[1] He retired in 1973.^[1]

Personal life

Bowes-Lyon married Mary de Trafford. The couple had three children, two sons, John and David, and a daughter, Fiona. The family lived at Sennicotts in West Sussex.^[2]

A descendent of the 13th Earl of Strathmore, he was a Gentleman Usher to the Royal Household^[3] and a paternal first cousin of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother.^[4]

References