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==Biography==
==Biography==
Educated at [[Eton College|Eton]] and [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]], Curtis was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] in the [[King's Royal Rifle Corps]] in 1908.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28185|page=7383|date=13 October 1908}}</ref> He saw [[World War I|First World War]] service in France, Salonika and in Palestine. [[Mentioned in dispatches]] three times and wounded three times, he was awarded the [[Military Cross|MC]] in 1917,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30111|page=5476|date=1 June 1917}}</ref> and the [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] in 1919.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31370|page=6818|date=30 May 1919 }}</ref>
Educated at [[Eton College|Eton]] and [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]], Curtis was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] in the [[King's Royal Rifle Corps]] in 1908.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=28185|page=7383|date=13 October 1908}}</ref> He saw [[World War I|First World War]] service in France, Salonika and in Palestine. [[Mentioned in dispatches]] three times and wounded three times, he was awarded the [[Military Cross|MC]] in 1917,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=30111|page=5476|date=1 June 1917}}</ref> and the [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] in 1919.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=31370|page=6818|date=30 May 1919 }}</ref>

Ending the war as commander of the 4th Battalion, KRRC, Curtis attended the [[Command and Staff College|Staff College, Quetta]] in 1920, and served on the staff at Middle East HQ 1922–1926. On the directing staff at the [[Staff College, Camberley]] in the later 1920s, he returned to his regiment, commanding the 1st Battalion 1931–1934. After two years commanding British troops in Palestine, he served again on the staff at Camberley before commanding [[3rd Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|3rd Infantry Brigade]] from 1938–1939.


Sent home from France in December 1939 to assume command of [[46th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|46th Division]], Curtis rejoined the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|BEF]] with his division in April 1940. [[Dunkirk evacuation|Evacuated from Dunkirk]], he was appointed to command [[49th (West Riding) Infantry Division|49th Division]] in June 1940<ref name=commands>{{cite web|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |title=Army Commands |accessdate=26 March 2017 |deadurl=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |archivedate=5 July 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> which, at a reduced establishment, was detailed to [[Occupation of Iceland|occupy Iceland]]. Curtis spent the next two years nominally in charge of his division based in Scotland from his office in Reykjavik. Made commander of Salisbury Plain District 1943, he was appointed commander of the Hampshire District in 1944 and the Dorset District in 1945. He retired from the army in 1946.<ref name=commands/>
Sent home from France in December 1939 to assume command of [[46th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|46th Division]], Curtis rejoined the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|BEF]] with his division in April 1940. [[Dunkirk evacuation|Evacuated from Dunkirk]], he was appointed to command [[49th (West Riding) Infantry Division|49th Division]] in June 1940<ref name=commands>{{cite web|url=http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |title=Army Commands |accessdate=26 March 2017 |deadurl=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |archivedate=5 July 2015 |df=dmy-all }}</ref> which, at a reduced establishment, was detailed to [[Occupation of Iceland|occupy Iceland]]. Curtis spent the next two years nominally in charge of his division based in Scotland from his office in Reykjavik. Made commander of Salisbury Plain District 1943, he was appointed commander of the Hampshire District in 1944 and the Dorset District in 1945. He retired from the army in 1946.<ref name=commands/>

Commandant of 1st Battalion KRRC 1944–1954, Curtis was [[Deputy Lieutenant]] for Dorset in 1953 and President of the Dorset [[The Royal British Legion|British Legion]] the same year.

He married Jean Mackenzie Low in 1918. Two of his four sons were killed in action: F/Lt. Richard Osborne Curtis, RAFVR and Lt. Philip Evelyn Curtis, KRRC.


==References==
==References==

Revision as of 08:05, 4 August 2017

Henry Curtis
Nickname(s)"Squeak"[1]
Born18 November 1888
Died28 January 1964 (aged 75)
Allegiance Vereinigtes Königreich
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1908–1946
RankMajor-General
UnitKing's Royal Rifle Corps
Commands4th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
1st Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
3rd Infantry Brigade
46th Infantry Division
49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
Aldershot Command
Battles/warsWorld War I
World War II
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Army Distinguished Service Medal (United States)[2]
Mentioned in dispatches (3)

Major-General Henry Osborne Curtis CB, DSO, MC, DL (18 November 1888 – 28 January 1964) was a British Army officer who saw service in both World War I and World War II. During the latter, he commanded the 46th Infantry Division during the Battle of France in 1940, and later the 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division during the Occupation of Iceland from 1940–1942.[1]

Biography

Educated at Eton and Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Curtis was commissioned in the King's Royal Rifle Corps in 1908.[3] He saw First World War service in France, Salonika and in Palestine. Mentioned in dispatches three times and wounded three times, he was awarded the MC in 1917,[4] and the DSO in 1919.[5]

Sent home from France in December 1939 to assume command of 46th Division, Curtis rejoined the BEF with his division in April 1940. Evacuated from Dunkirk, he was appointed to command 49th Division in June 1940[6] which, at a reduced establishment, was detailed to occupy Iceland. Curtis spent the next two years nominally in charge of his division based in Scotland from his office in Reykjavik. Made commander of Salisbury Plain District 1943, he was appointed commander of the Hampshire District in 1944 and the Dorset District in 1945. He retired from the army in 1946.[6]

References

  1. ^ a b Smart, p. 76
  2. ^ "No. 35645". The London Gazette. 24 July 1942. p. 3293.
  3. ^ "No. 28185". The London Gazette. 13 October 1908. p. 7383.
  4. ^ "No. 30111". The London Gazette. 1 June 1917. p. 5476.
  5. ^ "No. 31370". The London Gazette. 30 May 1919. p. 6818.
  6. ^ a b "Army Commands" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 July 2015. Retrieved 26 March 2017. {{cite web}}: Unknown parameter |deadurl= ignored (|url-status= suggested) (help)

Bibliography

  • Smart, Nick (2005). Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War. Barnesley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1844150496.
Military offices
Preceded by GOC 46th Infantry Division
1939–1940 		Succeeded by
Preceded by GOC 49th (West Riding) Infantry Division
1940–1943 		Succeeded by
Preceded by GOC Aldershot District
1944–1945 		Succeeded by
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