John Nelson (British Army officer)

Sir John Nelson
Born	1912
Died	1993 (aged 80–81)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1933–1968
Rank	Major-General
Commands held	3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards 1st Guards Parachute Battalion 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards 4th Guards Brigade Group London District British Forces in Berlin
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross

Major-General Sir Eustace John Blois Nelson KCVO CB DSO OBE MC (1912–1993) was Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin.

Military career

Born the son of the barrister Roland Nelson and educated at West Downs School^[1] and Eton College,^[2] Nelson was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1933.^[3]

He served in World War II latterly as Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards in Italy.^[3]

After the War he became Commanding Officer of the 1st Guards Parachute Battalion in Palestine before transferring to the War Office as a General Staff Officer in 1948.^[3] He was Commanding Officer of 1st Bn Grenadier Guards in Tripoli from 1950 until 1952 when he became a General Staff Officer at London District.^[3] In 1954 he joined the British military staff in Washington D. C. and in 1959 he became Commander of 4th Guards Brigade Group in Germany.^[3] He was made Major-General commanding the Household Brigade and General Officer Commanding London District in 1962 and Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin in 1966.^[3] He retired in 1968.^[3]

Following his death in 1993, a memorial service was held at Wellington Barracks.^[4]

Family

He married Lady Margaret Jane Fitzroy.^[5]

References

Further reading

• Durie, William (2013). The British Garrison Berlin 1945–1994. Vergangenheitsverlag. ISBN 978-3-86408-068-5.