The Rt Hon. The Viscount Alanbrooke
July 23, 1883(1883-07-23) – June 17, 1963 (aged 79)
General Sir Alan Brooke at his desk as CIGS, 1942
Place of birth	Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France
Place of death	Hartley Wintney, Hampshire
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1902–1946
Rank	Field Marshal
Commands	School of Artillery (February 1929 - 1932) 8 Infantry Brigade (1934 - 1935) Mobile Division (1937) Anti-Aircraft Corps (1938) II Corps (1 September 1939 - 25 June 1940) C-in-C, Southern Command (26 June 1940 - 19 July 1940) C-in-C, Home Forces (20 July 1940 - 24 December 1941) CIGS (25 December 1941 - 25 Jun 1946)
Battles/wars	World War I World War II - France, 1940
Awards	KG GCB OM GCVO DSO
Other work	Lord High Constable of England President of the Zoological Society of London (1950 - 1954) Vice-president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

Field Marshal Alan Francis Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke, KG, GCB, OM, GCVO, DSO (23 July 1883 - 17 June 1963) was a British career soldier, the Chief of the Imperial General Staff during the Second World War, and was promoted to Field Marshal in 1944. As chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee he was the foremost military advisor to Prime Minister Winston Churchill. He is regarded as one of the chief architects of the Allies' victory in 1945. In retirement he served as Lord High Constable of England during the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. His war diaries have attracted attention for their criticism of Winston Churchill and other leading figures of the war. is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a commune of southwestern France, in the Hautes-Pyrénées département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Hartley Wintney is a village and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. ... For other uses, see Hampshire (disambiguation). ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_Kingdom. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Field Marshal Viscount Slim in his Field Marshals uniform, holding a marshals baton. ... The Royal School of Artillery is the principal training establishment for artillery warfare in the British Army. ... Commander-in-Chief (in NATO-lingo often C-in-C or CINC pronounced sink) is the commander of all the military forces within a particular region or of all the military forces of a state. ... USSOUTHCOM emblem The United States Southern Command (USSOUTHCOM), located in Miami, Florida, is one of ten unified Combatant Commands (COCOMs) in the Department of Defense. ... Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... The insignia of a knight of the Order of the Garter. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... For other Orders see Order of Merit (disambiguation). ... Queen Victoria founded the Royal Victorian Order. ... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... For other uses, see Lord High Constable. ... The Zoological Society of London (sometimes known by the abbreviation ZSL) is a learned society founded in April 1826 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Lord Auckland, Sir Humphry Davy, Joseph Sabine, Nicholas Aylward Vigors and other eminent naturalists. ... The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is Europes largest wildlife conservation charity. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... The insignia of a knight of the Order of the Garter. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... For other Orders see Order of Merit (disambiguation). ... Queen Victoria founded the Royal Victorian Order. ... DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... is the 204th day of the year (205th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1883 (MDCCCLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Saturday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... Mushroom cloud from the nuclear explosion over Nagasaki rising 18 km into the air. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British forces. ... The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... Churchill redirects here. ... For other uses, see Lord High Constable. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary Windsor; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, holding each crown and title equally. ... Churchill redirects here. ...

Background and early life

He was born in 1883 at Bagnères-de-Bigorre, France, to a prominent Anglo-Irish family with a long military tradition. He was the sixth son and ninth child of Sir Victor Brooke, 3rd Baronet, of Colebrooke, Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, and the former Alice Bellingham, second daughter of Sir Alan Bellingham, 3rd Baronet, of Castle Bellingham in County Louth. Bagnères-de-Bigorre is a commune of southwestern France, in the Hautes-Pyrénées département, of which it is a sous-préfecture. ... Anglo-Irish was a term used historically to describe a ruling class inhabitants of Ireland who were the descendants and successors of the Protestant Ascendancy[1], mostly belonging to the Anglican Church of Ireland or to a lesser extent one of the English dissenting churches, such as the Methodist church. ... Sir Victor Brooke, 3rd Baronet, (1843 - 1891) was a British naturalist. ... Brookeborough is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Enniskillen Area: 1,691 km² Population (est. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Dundalk Code: LH Area: 820 km² Population (2006) 110,894 Website: www. ...

Alan Brooke was educated in France where he lived until the age of 16, and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Thanks to his upbringing in France he was a fluent French speaker. During World War I he served with the Royal Artillery in France, ending the conflict as a Lieutenant-Colonel and with a reputation as an outstanding planner of operations. Between the wars he was a lecturer at the Staff College, Camberley and the Imperial Defence College, where Brooke knew most of those who became leading British commanders of the Second World War. The Royal Military Academy (RMA) at Woolwich, in south-east London, was a British Army military academy for the training of commissioned officers of the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... RGA redirects here. ... Lieutenant Colonel (Lieutenant-Colonel in English from the French grades spelling) is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine corps and air forces of the world, typically ranking above a Major and below a Colonel. ... Lecturer is a term of academic rank. ... Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, is a training college for the British army. ... The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom. ...

World War II

Following the outbreak of World War II, Brooke commanded the II Corps of the British Expeditionary Force - which contained the 3rd Division, commanded by the then Major-General Bernard Montgomery, whose superior he thus was - and distinguished himself in the handling of the British forces in the retreat to Dunkirk. Shortly after the evacuation from Dunkirk he was again sent to France to take command of the remaining British troops in the country. Brooke soon realized that the situation was untenable and, in his first conversation with the prime minister Winston Churchill, he recommended that all British forces should be withdrawn from France, which they subsequently were.^[1] In July 1940 he was appointed to command United Kingdom Home Forces to take charge of anti-invasion preparations, and in December 1941 was appointed Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS); he later also became chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, holding both posts until retirement from active service in 1946. The British II Corps was formed in both World War I and World War II. During WWII its first assignment was to the British Expeditionary Force where it was commanded by Alan Brooke (from whose name it took its insignia of a red leaping salmon upon three wavy blue bands... The British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was the British army sent to France and Belgium in World War I and British Forces in Europe from 1939–1940 during World War II. The BEF was established by Secretary of State for War Richard Haldane following the Second Boer War in case the... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... Location within France For the battleship, see Dunkerque Dunkirk (French: Dunkerque; Dutch: Duinkerke; German: Dünkirchen) is a harbour city and a commune in the northernmost part of France, in the département of Nord, 10 km from the Belgian border. ... French troops rescued by a British merchant ship at Dunkirk British evacuation on Dunkirk beach Operation Dynamo (or Dunkirk Evacuation, the Miracle of Dunkirk or just Dunkirk) was the name given to the World War II mass evacuation of Allied soldiers from May 26 to June 4, 1940, during the... Detail from a pillbox embrasure. ... Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British forces. ...

For most of the Second World War, Brooke was the foremost military adviser to the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill (who was also Minister of Defence), the War Cabinet, and to Britain's allies. As CIGS, Brooke was the functional head of the Army, and as chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee, which he dominated by force of intellect and personality, he took the leading military part in the overall strategic direction of the war effort. In 1942, Brooke joined the Western Allies' ultimate command, the US-British Combined Chiefs of Staff, in Washington D.C. The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is, in practice, the political leader of the United Kingdom. ... Churchill redirects here. ... The post of Minister of Defence was responsible for co-ordination of defence and security from its creation in 1940 until its abolition in 1964. ... A War Cabinet is committee formed by a government in time of war. ... The Western Allies were the democracies and their colonial peoples, within the broader coalition of Allies during World War II. The term is generally understood to refer to the countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations and Poland (from 1939), exiled forces from Occupied Europe (from 1940), the United States... The Combined Chiefs of Staff (CCS) was the supreme military command for the western Allies during World War II. It was a body constituted from the British Chiefs of Staff Committee and the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. ... Aerial photo (looking NW) of the Washington Monument and the White House in Washington, DC. Washington, D.C., officially the District of Columbia (also known as D.C.; Washington; the Nations Capital; the District; and, historically, the Federal City) is the capital city and administrative district of the United...

Brooke (on the left) and Churchill visit Montgomery's mobile headquarters in Normandy, 12 June 1944.

Alan Brooke's focus was primarily on the European theatre of operations. Here, one of his key issues was to keep a strong pressure on the Axis in North Africa and Italy, thereby opening up the Mediterranean for Allied shipping, and then, when the Allies were ready and the Germans sufficiently weakened, mount the cross channel invasion.^[2] This strategy was essentially the one which was implemented, not always in initial agreement with the American allies whose strong commitment to an invasion of western Europe was in contrast to Brooke's and the British view on the importance of the Mediterranean operations. Not all of Brooke's plans were however ultimately met with success. For example he had great hope of bringing Turkey into the war on the Allied side, but this hope he admitted after the war remained a "wild dream".^[3] Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... This article is about the independent states that comprised the Axis powers. ... The Mediterranean Sea is an intercontinental sea positioned between Europe to the north, Africa to the south and Asia to the east, covering an approximate area of 2. ... The Western Allies were the democracies and their colonial peoples, within the broader coalition of Allies during World War II. The term is generally understood to refer to the countries of the British Commonwealth of Nations and Poland (from 1939), exiled forces from Occupied Europe (from 1940), the United States...

The post of CIGS was less rewarding than command in an important theatre of war, but the CIGS chose the generals who commanded those theatres and decided what men and munitions they should have. When it came to finding the right commanders he often complained that many would be good generals had been killed in World War I, and that this was one reason behind the difficulties the British had in the beginning of the war. However, he does not seem to have reflected on the fact that the Germans did not suffer from the same problem, which they must have had to the same extent. When General Claude Auchinleck was to be substituted as the commander of the Eighth Army in 1942, Brooke preferred Bernard Montgomery instead of Lieutenant-General William Gott who was Churchill's candidate. Soon thereafter Gott was killed in an air crash and Montgomery got the command. Brooke would later reflect upon the tragic event which led to the appointment of Montgomery as an intervention by God.^[4] Earlier in 1942 Brooke had himself been offered the command of British forces in the Middle East, Brooke declined, believing he now knew better than any other general how to deal with Prime Minister Churchill, who too often seemed vulnerable to unwise advice from unqualified people.^[5] “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Field Marshal Sir Claude John Eyre Auchinleck, GCB, GCIE, CSI, DSO, OBE (June 21, 1884 - March 23, 1981), nicknamed The Auk, was a British army commander during World War II. // Born in Aldershot, he grew up in impoverished circumstances, but was able through hard work and scholarships to graduate from... The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations in World War II, fighting in the campaigns in North Africa and Italy. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ... Gott being addressed by Major General Ritchie during the Battle of Gazala. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

A year later, the war had taken a different turn and Brooke no longer believed it necessary to stay at Churchill's side. He therefore looked forward to take the command of the Allied invasion of Western Europe, a post Brooke believed he had been promised to have by Churchill on three occasions. But during the first Quebec conference, in August 1943, it was decided that the command would go to US General George C. Marshall. (Although in the event Marshall's work as US Army Chief of Staff was too important for him to leave Washington DC, and a different US General, Dwight D. Eisenhower, was in fact appointed.) Brooke was bitterly disappointed, both of being passed over and of the way the decision was conveyed to him by Churchill, who according to Brooke "dealt with the matter as if it were one of minor importance".^[6] Belligerents Western Allies Nazi Germany Commanders Dwight Eisenhower (Supreme Allied Commander) Arthur Tedder (Deputy Supreme Allied Commander) Bernard Montgomery (Ground Forces Commander in Chief) Trafford Leigh-Mallory (Air Commander in Chief) Bertram Ramsay (Naval Commander in Chief) Gerd von Rundstedt (OB WEST) Erwin Rommel (Heeresgruppe B) Strength 1,452,000... Left to right: Athlone, Roosevelot, Churchill, and King The Quebec Conference (codenamed QUADRANT) was a high level military conference held during World War II between the British and United States governments. ... George C. Marshall George Catlett Marshall (December 31, 1880–October 16, 1959), an American military leader and statesman, was born into a middle-class family in Uniontown, Pennsylvania. ... Dwight David Eisenhower, born David Dwight Eisenhower (October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969), nicknamed Ike, was a five-star General in the United States Army and U.S. politician, who served as the thirty-fourth President of the United States (1953–1961). ...

Statue of Field Marshal The Viscount Alanbrooke, MoD Building, Whitehall, London.

Relationship with Churchill

During the years as CIGS, Alan Brooke had a stormy relationship with Winston Churchill. Brooke was often frustrated with the Prime Minister’s habits and working methods, his abuse of generals and constant meddling into strategic matters. At the same time Brooke greatly admired Churchill for the way he inspired the Allied cause and for the way he bore the heavy burden of war leadership. In one typical passage in Brooke’s war diaries Churchill is described as a “genius mixed with an astonishing lack of vision -- he is quite the most difficult man to work with that I have ever struck but I should not have missed the chance of working with him for anything on earth!”.^[7]

When Churchill’s many fanciful strategic ideas collided with sound military strategy it was only Alan Brooke on the Chiefs of Staff Committee who was able to stand up to the Prime Minister. Churchill said about Brooke: “When I thump the table and push my face towards him what does he do? Thumps the table harder and glares back at me. I know these Brookes – stiff-necked Ulstermen and there's no one worse to deal with than that!” ^[8][9] It has been claimed that part of Churchill's greatness was that he appointed Brooke as CIGS and kept him for the whole war.^{[citation needed]}

A general complaint from Brooke was that Churchill often advocated diversion of forces where the CIGS preferred concentration. Brooke was particularly annoyed by Churchill's idea of capturing the northern tip of Sumatra.^[10] But in some cases Brooke did not see the political dimension of strategy as the Prime Minister did. For example, Brooke was sceptical about the British intervention in Greece in late 1944, an operation which he believed drained troops from the central front in Germany. But at this stage the war was practically won and Churchill saw the possibility to prevent Greece from becoming a communist state.^[11] For other uses, see Sumatra (disambiguation). ...

The balance of the Chiefs of Staff Committee was tilted in October 1943 when Admiral Andrew Cunningham succeeded Admiral Dudley Pound as First Sea Lord. Brooke now got a firm ally in his arguments with Churchill.^[12] This was reflected in the most serious clash between the Prime Minister and the Chiefs of Staff, regarding the British preparations for final stages of the Pacific War. Brooke and the rest of the Chiefs of Staff wanted to build up the forces in Australia while Churchill preferred to use India as a base for the British effort. It was an issue over which the Chiefs of Staff were prepared to resign, but in the end a compromise was reached.^[13] Admiral of the Fleet Andrew Browne Cunningham, 1st Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, KT, GCB, OM, DSO** (7 January 1883 – 12 June 1963), older brother of General Sir Alan Cunningham, was a British admiral of the Second World War. ... Admiral of the Fleet Sir Alfred Dudley Pickman Rogers Pound GCB GCVO RN (August 29, 1877 - October 21, 1943) was a British naval officer who served as First Sea Lord, professional head of the Royal Navy from June 1939 to September 1943. ... Sir Jonathon Band, the current First Sea Lord The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service. ... For other uses, see Pacific War (disambiguation). ... The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British forces. ...

Despite their many disagreements Brooke and Churchill held an affection for each other. After one fierce clash Churchill told General Hastings Ismay that he did not think he could continue to work any longer with Brooke because “he hates me. I can see hatred looking from his eyes.” Brooke responded to Ismay: “Hate him? I don't hate him. I love him. But the first time I tell him that I agree with him when I don't will be the time to get rid of me, for then I can be no more use to him." When Churchill was told this he murmured, ”Dear Brooke.”^{[citation needed]} General Hastings Lionel Ismay, 1st Baron Ismay of Wormington (June 21, 1887 - 1965) was a British soldier and diplomat. ...

Assessment

Alan Brooke, or "Brookie" as he was generally known, is reckoned to be one of the foremost of all the heads of the British Army. He was quick in mind and speech and deeply respected by his military colleagues, both British and Allied, although his uncompromising manners could make the Americans somewhat wary. His influence on the Western Allied grand strategy was strong, perhaps the strongest any individual had. Among the most important of his contributions to the course of the war ranks the delaying of the second front. The partnership between Brooke and Churchill was a very successful one. The combination of Churchill's vision and Brooke's down to earth-method of running the war led Britain to victory in 1945.^[14]

War diaries

Alan Brooke kept a diary during the whole of World War II. Originally intended for his wife, Benita, the diaries were later commented by Brooke in the 1950s. The diaries contain descriptions on the day-to-day running of the British war effort (including some quite indiscreet references to top secret interceptions of German radio traffic),^[15] Brooke's thoughts on strategy as well as frequent anecdotes from the many meetings Brooke had with the Allied leadership during the war.

The diaries have become famous mostly because of the frequent remarks on and criticisms of Winston Churchill. Although the diaries contain appraisal and admiration of Churchill, they also served as a vent for Brooke's frustration with working with the Prime Minister. The diaries also give a rough opinion on several of the top Allied leaders. The American generals Eisenhower and George Marshall are for example described as poor strategists and the British Field Marshal Harold Alexander as unintelligent. Among the few individuals who Brooke seems to have only positive opinion of are General Douglas MacArthur,^[16] Field Marshal John Dill and Joseph Stalin (for his war leadership). For other persons named George Marshall, see George Marshall (disambiguation). ... Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis (December 10, 1891 - June 16, 1969) was a British military commander and Field Marshal, notably during World War II as the commander of the 15th Army Group. ... This article is about the American general; for the municipality in the Philippines, see General MacArthur, Eastern Samar. ... Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, GCB, CMG, DSO (25 December 1881 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. ... Josef Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili (Georgian: , Ioseb Besarionis Dze Jughashvili; Russian: , Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili) (December 18 [O.S. December 6] 1878[1] – March 5, 1953), better known by his adopted name, Joseph Stalin (alternatively transliterated Josef Stalin), was General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Unions Central Committee from...

Edited by historian Arthur Bryant the diaries were first published in 1957 (The Turn of the Tide) and in 1959 (Triumph in the West). Originally the diaries were never meant to be published. One reason why Brooke changed his mind was the lack of credit to him and the Chiefs of Staff in Churchill's own war memoirs which essentially presented their ideas and innovations as his own. Although heavily censored, the books became controversial not only as a result of the many comments on Churchill and others, but also because they launched Brooke as the sole man behind the Allies' victory. Winston Churchill himself did not appreciate the books.^[17] In 2001 the publication of the uncensored "War Diaries", edited by Alex Danchev and Daniel Todman, again attracted attention to one of the most influential strategists of World War II. Sir Arthur Bryant, CH, (18 February 1899 - 22 January 1985), was a widely popular British historian, and columnist for the Illustrated London News. ... Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki Tōjō Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000...

Post war career and honours

After retirement from the Army Alan Brooke served on the boards of several companies, both in industry and in banking. He was director of the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company, the Midland Bank, the National Discount Company and the Belfast Banking Company. Brooke was particularly fond of being a director of the Hudson's Bay Company where he served for eleven years from 1948.^[18] The Anglo-Iranian Oil Company (AIOC) was founded in 1909, as the Anglo-Persian Oil Company, following the discovery of a large oil field in Masjed Soleiman, Iran. ... The Midland Bank (now part of HSBC) opened as the Birmingham and Midland Bank in Union Street, Birmingham, England in August 1836. ... Hudsons Bay Company (HBC; Compagnie de la Baie dHudson in French) is the oldest commercial corporation in North America and is one of the oldest in the world. ...

Brooke was created Baron Alanbrooke, of Brookeborough, County Fermanagh, in 1945, and Viscount Alanbrooke in 1946. Brookeborough is a village in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Ulster County Town: Enniskillen Area: 1,691 km² Population (est. ...

• He won the Distinguished Service Order in World War I,
• He was appointed KCB in 1940,
• The GCB in 1942,^[19]
• He became a Knight of the Garter,
• A member of the Order of Merit in 1946,
• And GCVO in 1953.

He also served as Chancellor of the Queen's University of Belfast from 1949 until his death. At the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II he was appointed Lord High Constable of England, thus commanding all troops taking part in the event. In 1994 a statue of Brooke was erected in front of the Ministry of Defence in London. The statue is flanked by statues of Britain's other two leading generals of World War II, Lord Slim and Lord Montgomery of Alamein. DSO medal The Distinguished Service Order (DSO) is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat. ... “The Great War ” redirects here. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... Badge of a Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division) Ribbon of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath (formerly The Most Honourable Military Order of the Bath)[1] is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on May 18, 1725. ... A garter is one of the Orders most recognisable insignia. ... For other Orders see Order of Merit (disambiguation). ... Victoria founded the Royal Victorian Order. ... A Chancellor is the head of a university. ... The Queens University of Belfast (QUB) is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland; the university is often called Queens University Belfast. ... Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary [1]; born 21 April 1926) is Queen of sixteen sovereign states, and their respective overseas territories and dependencies. ... For other uses, see Lord High Constable. ... The Ministry of Defence (MOD) is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces. ... Field Marshal Sir William Slim (pictured here as a Major General) Field Marshal William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim (6 August 1897 - 14 December 1970), British military commander and 13th Governor-General of Australia, was born near Bristol, Gloucestershire. ... Bernard Law Montgomery Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein (November 17, 1887 - March 24, 1976) was a British military officer during World War II often referred to as Monty. ...

Coat of Arms

His Coat of Arms as issued to him by the College of Arms is: "Or, a cross engrailed per pale Gules and Sable, in dexter chief a crescent for difference." The entrance of the College of Arms. ...

Private life and ornithology

Alan Brooke was married twice. After six years of engagement he married Jane Richardson in 1914, a neighbour to the Brookes in Fermanagh, Northern Ireland. Six days into their honeymoon Brooke was recalled to active duty when World War I started. The couple had one daughter and one son, Rosemary and Thomas. Jane Brooke died following a car accident in 1925 in which her husband was at the steering wheel. The death of his first wife was a severe blow to Alan Brooke.^[20] He regained happiness when he met Benita Lees, daughter of Sir Harold Pelly, 4th Bt. and the widow of Sir Thomas Lees, 2nd Bt., whom he married in 1929. The marriage was very happy and resulted in one daughter and one son, Kathleen and Victor.^[21] During the war the couple lived in Hartley Wintney, a village in Hampshire. After the war, the Alanbrookes' financial situation forced the couple to move into the gardener's cottage of their former home, where they lived for the rest of their lives. Their last years were darkened by the death of their daughter, Kathleen, in a riding accident in 1961.^[22] On 18 March 1940 an army dentist pulled out Alan Brooke's last three teeth and fitted him with full dentures. ^[23] Thomas Brooke, 2nd Viscount Alanbrooke (9 January 1920–19 December 1972). ... Captain Alan Victor Harold Brooke, 3rd Viscount Alanbrooke, RA (born 24 November 1932) succeeded to the viscountcy in 1972 on the death of his half-brother. ... Hartley Wintney is a village and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. ... For other uses, see Hampshire (disambiguation). ...

Alan Brooke had a love of nature. Hunting and fishing were among his great interests. His foremost passion, however, was birds. Brooke was a noted ornithologist, especially skilled in bird photography. He was president of the Zoological Society of London from 1950 to 1954 and vice-president of the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds.^[24] During breaks in the war planning, the CIGS could sometimes be seen in London book shops looking for rare bird books. He bought a precious collection of books by John Gould, but due to financial reasons he was forced to sell these volumes after the war. The Zoological Society of London (sometimes known by the abbreviation ZSL) is a learned society founded in April 1826 by Sir Thomas Stamford Raffles, Lord Auckland, Sir Humphry Davy, Joseph Sabine, Nicholas Aylward Vigors and other eminent naturalists. ... The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) is Europes largest wildlife conservation charity. ... Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... John Gould John Gould (14 September 1804 – 3 February 1881) was an English ornithologist. ...

Death

Lord Alanbrooke's gravestone.

On June 17, 1963 Brooke suffered a heart attack and died quietly in his bed with his wife beside him. The same day he was to have had attended the Garter Service in St George's Chapel, Windsor. Nine days later he was given a funeral in Windsor. Then he was buried in St Mary's churchyard, near his home in Hartley Wintney,^[25] which is where his son, the last heir to the Alanbrooke viscountcy, still lives. Image File history File links Lord Alanbrookes gravestone Picture taken by R Neil Marshman &copy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Lord Alanbrookes gravestone Picture taken by R Neil Marshman &copy File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... is the 168th day of the year (169th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For other uses, see 1963 (disambiguation). ... Members of the public outside St Georges Chapel at Windsor Castle, waiting to watch the Garter Procession St Georges Chapel is the place of worship at Windsor Castle in England. ... This article is about the castle in Windsor. ... Hartley Wintney is a village and civil parish in the English county of Hampshire. ... Captain Alan Victor Harold Brooke, 3rd Viscount Alanbrooke, RA (born 24 November 1932) succeeded to the viscountcy in 1972 on the death of his half-brother. ...

At his death, Alan Brooke's estate was probated at £50,580 (about £700,000 in 2006). Probate is the legal process of settling the estate of a deceased person; specifically, resolving all claims and distributing the decedents property. ...

Other

• Alanbrooke House is a house at Welbeck college where all 5 houses are named after prominent military figures.
• Alanbrooke is the Junior Girls house at the Duke of York's Royal Military School, where, like Welbeck college, all houses are named after prominent military figures.

Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College (Welbeck DSFC) is a sixth form college in the United Kingdom [1] providing A-Level education for candidates to the technical branches of the British Armed Forces and the Ministry of Defence Civil Service. ... The Duke of York’s Royal Military School was originally founded in 1801 by Prince Frederick Augustus, Duke of York and Albany son of King George III and Queen Charlotte. ...

Notes

is the 165th day of the year (166th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 219th day of the year (220th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 227th day of the year (228th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 242nd day of the year (243rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 231st day of the year (232nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 271st day of the year (272nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 220th day of the year (221st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1944 (MCMXLIV) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1942 (MCMXLII) was a common year starting on Thursday (the link will display the full 1942 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1943 (MCMXLIII) was a common year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1943 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 77th day of the year (78th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1940 (MCMXL) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display the full 1940 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

References

• Alanbrooke, Field Marshal Lord (edited by Alex Danchev and Daniel Todman) (2001). War Diaries 1939-1945. Phoenix Press. ISBN 1-84212-526-5. 

• Fraser, David (1983). Alanbrooke. Hamlyn Paperbacks. ISBN 0-600-20816-8. 

• Galloway, Peter (2006). The Order of the Bath. 

• Heathcote, Tony (1999). The British Field Marshals 1736-1997. Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-696-5. 

• Reynolds, David (2005). In Command of History, Churchill Fighting and Writing the Second World War. Peunguin Books. ISBN 0-141-01964-6. 

External links

• A link to the churchyard where he is buried - which shows his Coat of Arms

v • d • e Chiefs of the General Staff of the British Army
Chiefs of the Imperial General Staff	Sir William Nicholson • Sir John French • Sir Charles Douglas • Sir James Murray • Sir Archibald Murray • Sir William Robertson • Sir Henry Wilson • Lord Cavan • Sir George Milne • Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd • Sir Cyril Deverell • Viscount Gort • Sir Edmund Ironside • Sir John Dill • Sir Alan Brooke • Viscount Montgomery • Sir William Slim • Sir John Harding • Sir Gerald Templer • Sir Francis Festing • Sir Richard Hull Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, GCB, CMG, DSO (25 December 1881 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. ... Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (17 November 1887 – 24 March 1976) was a British Army officer, often referred to as Monty. He successfully commanded Allied forces at the Battle of El Alamein, a major turning point in World War II, and... George Francis Milne, 1st Baron Milne, GCB, GCMG, DSO (November 5, 1866 – March 23, 1948), was a British military commander who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff from 1926 to 1933. ... The Master Gunner (of), St. ... Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (May 5, 1883 – May 24, 1950) was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during World War II. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only... The Constable of the Tower of London is the governor of the Tower. ... Field Marshal Henry Maitland Wilson, 1st Baron Wilson of Libya (5 September 1881 - 31 December 1964), better known as Jumbo Wilson was a senior British General during World War II. He saw active service in the Boer War and the First World War. ... Field Marshal Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell, GCB, GCSI, GCIE, CMG, MC, PC (May 5, 1883 – May 24, 1950) was a British field marshal and the commander of British Army forces in the Middle East during World War II. He led British forces to victory over the Italians, only... Incomplete: Hugh Grosvenor, 1st Duke of Westminster 1889–1899 Gerald Wellesley, 7th Duke of Wellington 1944–1949 Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke 1950 –1956 Harold Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis1956–1965 Categories: | | ... Field Marshal Harold Rupert Leofric George Alexander, 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis, KG, OM, GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCVO, DSO, MC, LL.D, PC (10 December 1891 - 16 June 1969) was a British military commander and field marshal, notably during the Second World War as the commander of the 15th Army... A Chancellor is the head of a university. ... The Queens University of Belfast (QUB) is a university in Belfast, Northern Ireland; the university is often called Queens University Belfast. ... The Peerage of the United Kingdom comprises most peerages created in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland after the Act of Union in 1801. ... Viscount Alanbrooke, of Brookeborough in the County of Fermanagh, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. ... Thomas Brooke, 2nd Viscount Alanbrooke (9 January 1920–19 December 1972). ... Chief of the General Staff (CGS) has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS) was the title of the professional head of the British Army from 1908 to 1964. ... Field Marshal Sir William Gustavus Nicholson, 1st Baron Nicholson GCB (2 March 1845-13 September 1918), was an officer of the British Army. ... The Earl of Ypres John Denton Pinkstone French, 1st Earl of Ypres, KP, GCB, OM, GCVO, KCMG, PC (28 September 1852–22 May 1925) was a British Field Marshal, the first commander of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in World War I. Biography Born in Ripple in Kent, the son... Sir Archibald James Murray (1860-1945) was a British military officer during World War I, most famous for his commanding the Egyptian Expeditionary Force from 1916-7. ... For the Victoria Cross recipient see William Robertson (VC) Sir William Robert Robertson (1860-1933) was a British field marshal who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff from 1916 to 1918 during the First World War. ... Field Marshal Sir Henry Hughes Wilson, 1st Baronet, GCB, DSO, (5 May 1864 – 22 June 1922) was a British Field Marshal and Conservative Party politician. ... Frederick Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan was brought back from retirement at 48 in 1914 and rose to become one of the British Armys more successful commanders during the First World War. ... George Francis Milne, 1st Baron Milne, GCB, GCMG, DSO (November 5, 1866 – March 23, 1948), was a British military commander who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff from 1926 to 1933. ... Sir Archibald Armar Montgomery-Massingberd (1871 - British field marshal. ... Field Marshal Sir Cyril John Deverell, GCB, KBE (1874–1947) was a British career military officer who served as Chief of the Imperial General Staff between 1936 and 1937. ... Field Marshal John Standish Surtees Prendergast Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort VC GCB CBE DSO and two Bars MVO MC (commonly known as Lord Gort) (10 July 1886 - 31 March 1946) was a British soldier who served in both World War I and II, rising to the rank of field marshal... Field Marshal William Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside (b. ... Field Marshal Sir John Greer Dill, GCB, CMG, DSO (25 December 1881 - 4 November 1944) was a British commander in World War I and World War II who played a significant role in the formation of the special relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States. ... Field Marshal Bernard Law Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein, KG, GCB, DSO, PC (IPA: ; 17 November 1887 â€“ 24 March 1976), often referred to as Monty, was an Anglo-Irish British Army officer. ... Field Marshal Sir William Joseph Slim, 1st Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GBE, DSO, MC (6 August 1891 – 14 December 1970) was a British military commander and the 13th Governor-General of Australia. ... Sir Allan Francis John Harding was a British military man and governor of Cyprus (1955 - 1957). ... Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer, KG (1898 - 1979) was a British military commander. ... Field Marshal Sir Francis Wogan Festing (1902–1976), called 菲士挺 in Chinese, was a Field Marshal of the British Army. ... Field Marshal Sir Richard Amyatt Hull was the last Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1961–1964) and the first Chief of the General Staff (1964–1965), and as such the professional head of the British Army. ...
Chiefs of the General Staff	Sir Richard Hull • Sir James Cassels • Sir Geoffrey Baker • Sir Michael Carver • Sir Peter Hunt • Sir Roland Gibbs • Sir Edwin Bramall • Sir John Stanier • Sir Nigel Bagnall • Sir John Chapple • Sir Peter Inge • Sir Charles Guthrie • Sir Roger Wheeler • Sir Michael Walker • Sir Mike Jackson • Sir Richard Dannatt Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Chief of the General Staff (CGS) has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. ... Field Marshal Sir Richard Amyatt Hull was the last Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1961–1964) and the first Chief of the General Staff (1964–1965), and as such the professional head of the British Army. ... Field Marshal Sir Charles Archibald James Halkett Cassels , GCB, KBE, DSO (1907-1996) was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army. ... Field Marshal Sir Geoffrey Harding Baker was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1968 and 1971. ... Field Marshal Richard Michael Power Carver, Baron Carver (April 24, 1915 - December 9, 2001) was a British soldier. ... Field Marshal Sir Roland Christopher Gibbs was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1976 and 1979. ... Field Marshal The Right Honourable Edwin Noel Westby Bramall, Baron Bramall, KG, GCB, OBE, MC, JP (born 18 December 1923) is a British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1979 and 1982, and as Chief of the Defence... This article is about John Stanier, a soldier. ... Field Marshal Sir Nigel Bagnall was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1985 and 1989. ... Field Marshal Sir John Lyon Chapple was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1989 and 1992. ... Field Marshal Peter Anthony Inge, Baron Inge, KG, GCB, DL (born 5 August 1935) was the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1992 and 1994. ... General Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank. ... General Sir Roger Neil Wheeler, GCB, CBE, (born 16 December 1941) was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1997 and 2000. ... General Michael John Dawson Walker, Baron Walker of Aldringham, GCB, CMG, CBE (born 7 July 1944) was the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) in the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces from May 2003 until April 2006. ... General Sir Michael Mike Jackson, GCB, CBE, DSO, ADC Gen (born 21 March 1944) is a British army officer, currently Chief of the General Staff. ... General Sir Francis Richard Dannatt, KCB, CBE, MC (born 23 December 1950) is the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army. ...