Edward Colville

Major-General Edward Charles Colville CB DSO & Bar DL (1 September 1905 – 10 January 1982) was a senior British Army officer.

Edward Colville
Born	1 September 1905 St George Hanover Square, London
Died	10 January 1982 Stoughton, West Sussex
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	Major-General
Commands held	2nd Bn, Gordon Highlanders 227th Infantry Brigade 128th Infantry Brigade 51st (Highland) Division
Battles/wars	Second World War
Awards	Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar

Military career

Born the son of Admiral Sir Stanley Colville and Adelaide Jane Meade, Colville was commissioned into the Gordon Highlanders on 3 September 1925.[1] He became commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Gordon Highlanders in August 1943 and commander of 227th Infantry Brigade in North West Europe in July 1944 during the Second World War.[2] He commanded the brigade during Operation Plunder, the crossing of the Rhine, opposite Xanten in March 1945.[3]

After the war he became Defence adviser in Canada in December 1946, commander of 128th Infantry Brigade in November 1949 and Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) at British Army of the Rhine in June 1952.[4] He went on to be Chief of Staff at Headquarters Far East Land Forces in June 1954 and General Officer Commanding 51st (Highland) Division in March 1956 before retiring in March 1959.[4]

In retirement he served as a Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex.[2]

Family

In 1934 he married Barbara Joan Denny; they had two daughters.[2]

References

1. "No. 33081". The London Gazette. 4 September 1925. p. 5837.
2. "Colville, Edward Charles". Unit Histories. Retrieved 21 June 2020.
3. Saunders, pp. 143–61
4. "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 20 June 2020.

Sources

• Saunders, Tim (2006), Operation Plunder: Rhine Crossing: The British and Canadian Operations, Barnsley: Pen & Sword, ISBN 1-84415-221-9.