John Grover (British Army officer)
| John Grover | |
|---|---|
 Grover (left) with generals Stopford and Salomons | |
| Born | 6 February 1897 |
| Died | 1979 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1914 - 1948 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Commands held |
1st Bn King's Shropshire Light Infantry 11th Infantry Brigade 2nd Division |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II Battle of Kohima |
| Awards |
Companion of the Order of the Bath Military Cross |
Major-General John Malcolm Lawrence Grover CB MC (6 February 1897–1979) was a British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division in Burma during World War II.
Military career
Grover was commissioned into the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1914.[1] He was awarded the Military Cross for his service in World War I[2] having been wounded three times during the four years of War.[3] He became Commanding Officer of the 1st Bn King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1938.[4] He served in World War II as Commander of the 11th Infantry Brigade from 1940 and as General Officer Commanding 2nd Division in Burma from 1941.[4] He devised and implemented a strategy to remove the Japanese from the Kohima region of India leading to the defeat of the Japanese at the Battle of Kohima between April and June 1944.[5] Despite being victorious in this battle, he was removed from command on 4 July 1944 by Lieutenant General Montagu Stopford who was unhappy with Grover's methods.[6] Grover went on to be Director of Army Welfare Services at the War Office in 1944 before retiring in 1948.[4]
He became Colonel of The King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1947.[7] In 2014, on the 70th anniversary of the Battle of Kohima, a memorial to General Grover was unveiled at Jotsama on the site of his 2nd Division Headquarters.[8]
References
- ↑ The London Gazette: no. 29007. p. 10696. 15 December 1914. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 31219. p. 3240. 7 March 1919. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
- ↑ Keane, Fergal (2010). Road of Bones: The Siege of Kohima 1944. London: HarperPress. ISBN 978-0-00-713240-9. p458.
- 1 2 3 Generals.dk
- ↑ The Battle of Kohima, North East India, 4 April – 22 June 1944
- ↑ Swinson, Arthur (2015). Kohima. London: Head of Zeus. ISBN 9781784081782. p315
- ↑ The King's Shropshire Light Infantry
- ↑ Nagaland Post
External links
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Daril Watson |
General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division 1941–1944 |
Succeeded by Cameron Nicholson |