John Churcher

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John Bryan Churcher
File:Johnchurcher.jpg
John Bryan Churcher
Born 1905
Died 2 August 1997
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Years of service 1925–1959
Rank Major-General
Unit Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry
Commands held 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment
159th Infantry Brigade
43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division
5th Infantry Division
3rd Infantry Division
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order & Bar

Major-General John Bryan Churcher, CB DSO (1905 – 2 August 1997) was a senior British Army officer who, during World War II, commanded the 159th Infantry Brigade during the campaign in Northwest Europe and later commanded the 3rd Infantry Division.

Military career

Churcher was commissioned into the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in 1925.[1] He fought in World War II as Commanding Officer (CO) of the 1st Battalion, Herefordshire Regiment and then as commander of the 159th Infantry Brigade, serving in North-West Europe as part of 11th Armoured Division.[2] After the Second World War he became General Officer Commanding (GOC) 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division.[2] He was appointed GOC 5th Infantry Division in 1947 and Chief of Staff at Southern Command in 1951–in this capacity he organised the response to the devastating Lynmouth Flood in 1952.[3] He went on to be GOC 3rd Infantry Division in 1954 and Director of Military Training at the War Office in 1957 before retiring in 1959.[2]

He is buried at St Mary's Churchyard at Wargrave in Berkshire.[4]

References

Military offices
Preceded by General Officer Commanding 3rd Division
1954–1957
Succeeded by
George Gordon-Lennox