Douglas Anthony Kendrew
Details
| Forename | Douglas Anthony |
|---|---|
| Surname | Kendrew |
| Rank | Major General |
| Unit | 2nd Bn, 7th Bn |
| Biography | Born in 1910 and educated at Uppingham School, Douglas ('Joe') Kendrew was commissioned into The Leicestershire Regiment in 1930, serving in the 2nd Battalion in Londonderry (promoted Lieutenant 28.8.1934). He was a formidable Rugby prop forward, for Leicester, Eastern Counties, City of Derry, Ulster, Combined Services, and The Barbarians. Aged 20, in 1930 he was a member of the British Lions tour to Australia and New Zealand. He played for the Army 1932-36, and for England ten times (captain twice in 1935; in 1936 played in winning side vs New Zealand in Obolensky's match). In 1936-38 he was an instructor at the Tank Driving & Maintenance School at Bovington, and then at the Armoured Fighting Vehicle School. In 1939 in the rank of captain he was a platoon commander at RMC Sandhurst, before becoming a company commander in the newly-formed 7th Leicesters at Nottingham. He then joined the staff of HQ 1st Army, and in 1942 became Brigade Major of 36th Independent Infantry Brigade, with whom he landed in Algiers in early 1943. In an action 3 days after becoming CO of 6th Bn The York & Lancaster Regiment, his performance at the Second Battle for Sedjanene (50 miles west of Tunis) on 30 March 1943 led to the award of the D.S.O. He was Mentioned in Despatches at the conclusion of the North African campaign in September that year. He was awarded an Immediate Bar to the D.S.O. while commanding the same battalion just after the landings at Salerno in Italy on 9 September, and an Immediate Second Bar for his leadership on 5 January 1944 at the River Peccia, south of Monte Cassino. Shortly afterwards he became Commander of 128th (Hampshire) Brigade which he commanded in Italy and Greece, being appointed C.B.E. in December 1944 for the manner in which he had transformed the fighting ability of the Brigade. After the Second World War, he held a further five Brigadier's appointments. From 1946-48 he was Commandant School of Infantry, Rhine Army, and from 1948-50 Commandant Army Apprentice School Harrogate, followed by two years as Chief of Staff, HQ Northern Ireland District. From 1952-53 he was Commander 29th (British) Infantry Brigade in Korea, for which he was awarded a third bar to D.S.O. for his leadership during the Battles of the Hook in early 1953. After attending the Imperial Defence College in 1954, in 1955 he was Brigadier Administration, HQ Northern Command. Promoted Major General, from 1956-58 he was GOC Cyprus District and Director of Operations during the EOKA campaign, and was appointed C.B. He was Director of Infantry 1958-60 and then Head of British Defence Liaison Staff at Canberra, before retiring from the Army in 1963. For the next ten years (1963-73) he was Governor of Western Australia, being appointed K.C.M.G. in 1963 and a Knight of St John the following year. From 1965-73 he was Honorary Colonel of the SAS Regiment (Australia) and of The Royal West Australia Regiment. He was made an Honorary LLD of the University of Western Australia in 1969. He was the last Colonel The Royal Leicestershire Regiment from 1963-64 and a Deputy Colonel The Royal Anglian Regiment 1964-65. On return to England, from 1973-83 he was President of the Knights of the Round Table and from 1974-80 a Commissioner of The Royal Hospital Chelsea. He died in 1989. His medals are held in the Regimental Museum, and he has a memorial plaque in the Regimental Chapel in Leicester Cathedral. In April 2012, when RAF Cottesmore was handed over to the Army, it was renamed Kendrew Barracks in his memory. |
| Date of Birth | 22/07/1910 |
| Date of Death | 28/02/1989 |
| Occupation | Public Servant |
