Basil Eugster
| Sir Basil Oscar Eugster | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 August 1914 |
| Died | 5 April 1984 (aged 69) |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Commands held |
3 Bn Irish Guards 1 Bn Irish Guards 3rd Infantry Brigade 4th Division London District Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong Southern Command UK Land Forces |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (KCVO) Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) Distinguished Service Order (DSO) Military Cross (MC) |
General Sir Basil Oscar Eugster KCB KCVO CBE DSO MC (15 August 1914 – 5 April 1984) was a Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces.
Army career
A British soldier of Swiss descent,[1] Basil Eugster attended Beaumont College. In 1935 he joined the Irish Guards.[2] He served with his Regiment through World War II and fought in the Narvik Campaign in Norway in 1940.[2] He was Commanding Officer of 3 Bn Irish Guards in 1945, and again in 1947, and of 1 Bn Irish Guards from 1951 to 1954.[2]
Eugster served as Commander of 3rd Infantry Brigade in Cyprus from 1959 to 1962 and was then General Officer Commanding 4th Division in Germany from 1963 to 1965.[2] He went on to become Major-General commanding the Household Brigade and General Officer Commanding London District between 1965 and 1968 and Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong from 1968 to 1970.[2] He was then General Officer Commanding Southern Command from 1971 to 1972.[2] He served as the Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1972 to 1974 when he retired.[2] In 1966, Eugster was awarded the Austrian Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star.[3]
Later career
He was Colonel of the Regiment of the Irish Guards until his death in 1984, aged 69.[4]
External links
References
- ↑ Beat de Fischer, 2000 Ans De Presence Suisse En Angleterre: L'etonnante epopee Des Suisses D'Outre-Manche, De L'epoque Romaine a La Communaute Europeenne
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- ↑ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (pdf) (in German). p. 26. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- ↑ Irish Guards: History
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Jean Allard |
General Officer Commanding the 4th Division 1963–1965 |
Succeeded by Michael Forrester |
| Preceded by Sir John Nelson |
GOC London District 1965–1968 |
Succeeded by Lord Michael Fitzalan-Howard |
| Preceded by Sir John Worsley |
Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong 1968–1970 |
Succeeded by Sir Richard Ward |
| Preceded by Sir Michael Carver |
GOC-in-C Southern Command 1971–1972 |
Succeeded by Post Disbanded |
| Preceded by New Post |
Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces 1972–1974 |
Succeeded by Sir Roland Gibbs |