William Havelock Ramsden
| William Ramsden | |
|---|---|
 W. Churchill shaking hands with Lt. General Ramsden, commanding 30 Corps, El Alamein area, 7 August 1942 | |
| Born | 3 October 1888 |
| Died | 1969 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1910-1945 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Commands held |
1st Bn Hampshire Regiment West Lancashire Area 25th Infantry Brigade 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division XXX Corps 3rd Division British Troops in Sudan and Eritrea |
| Battles/wars |
World War I World War II |
| Awards |
Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross |
Major-General William Havelock Ramsden CB, CBE, DSO, MC (3 October 1888 - 1969) was a British Army commander during World War II.
Military career
Educated at Bath College and at the Royal Military College Sandhurst, Ramsden was commissioned into the West India Regiment in 1910.[1] He served in World War I in the Cameroons and in Nigeria and then, from 1916, as a captain in the East Yorkshire Regiment, in France and Belgium.[1] Between the wars Ramsden remained in the Army reaching the rank of lieutenant colonel by 1933, and securing command of the 1st Battalion Hampshire Regiment in 1936.[1] He was on active service on operations in Waziristan and Palestine during this period.[1] He went on to be Commander of the West Lancashire Area in 1939.[1]
He fought in World War II commanding the 25th Infantry Brigade during the fighting in France as part of the British Expeditionary Force.[1] In December 1940 he was appointed General Officer Commanding the 50th (Northumbrian) Infantry Division which fought well in North Africa.[1] He was promoted to command XXX Corps in July 1942, which post he held until September 1942.[1] He was given Montgomery's old command, the 3rd Division, in December 1942.[1] From early 1944 he was deployed to the Sudan, later commanding British Troops in Sudan and Eritrea. He retired in 1945.[1]
References
External links and Sources
- William Havelock Ramsden at Orders of Battle.com
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Willoughby Norrie |
GOC XXX Corps July 1942–September 1942 |
Succeeded by Oliver Leese |
| Preceded by Eric Hayes |
General Officer Commanding the 3rd Division 1942–1943 |
Succeeded by Tom Rennie |