lieutenant general sir boy december march senior officer british_army called father british airborne forces commander deputy commander operation market garden september planning operation said think going bridge far olympic competitor husband author educated commissioned second lieutenant guards world war fought western awarded conspicuous gallantry november september aide camp general sir war competed winter olympics switzerland team finished tenth married july second world war commanded led operation market garden travelling participate assault december chief staff admiral lord september january military secretary january treasurer royal princess elizabeth edinburgh ascended throne queen elizabeth_ii treasurer suffered severe nervous breakdown retired died mansion inspired wife novel march early life born december family home london house later demolished way expansion allowing claim later life born piano department son wine merchant wife nancy née sibling older sister early age known family tommy educated grandfather attended joined world war sat entrance examinations november achieve necessary scores required subjects schools including position recommend students nomination head master forward way entered december graduated june commissioned second lieutenant guards joining exclusive regiment wartime required personal introduction interview regimental commander colonel sir initially joined guards training departed western august transferred 5th reserve battalion october left join 2nd battalion time acquired nickname boy time served company major winston_churchill churchill arrival given job showing company trenches discovered churchill gave churchill england trench fever january hospitalised weeks rejoin october participated july october november distinguished battle received order generally given officers command rank captain junior officer like lieutenant awarded regarded officer missed award victoria_cross citation read conspicuous gallantry devotion duty took command companies officers casualties reorganised proceeded consolidate exposing heavy machine gun rifle fire hours placed line strong state defence conduct officer assault especially praise successful handing relieving unit entrenched strongly fortified position entirely energy skill awarded french december mentioned despatches september aide camp general sir returned regiment promoted temporary rank captain appointed adjutant guards november inter war period granted substantive rank captain november retained post adjutant november posted guards depot posted adjutant adjutant sovereign parade ride horse named vicar steps satisfactory explanation second world war enduring tradition horses great difficulty going steps ramp provided horse return members staff time included close friends relinquished appointment adjutant april promoted major following pattern tours duty away regiment alternated sent course posted guards workload light allowing plenty time sports competed championships failed olympic selection olympic man team brake man injury incurred training accident prevented participation winter olympics competed winter olympics switzerland team finished tenth keen sailor competing harbour purchased motor boat foot cabin cruiser named read novel loving spirit impressed graphic depictions coastline set left boat moored winter returned april collect heard author book impressed appendix operation invited boat short romance proposed rejected believe marriage smith went explained living marriage disastrous career proposed accepted married simple ceremony july marriage produced children daughters son christian known kits promoted lieutenant colonel february appointed commanding officer guards battalion deployed egypt returned december term commander ended august removed guards regimental list remained pay september promoted colonel february second world war airborne troops mid given command hampshire infantry brigade consisting battalions rank brigadier 43rd brigade preparing join france pre june division assumed defensive posture february commander 24th mission defend london attack south november promoted major general appointed commander new role instrumental adopting assigned artist major design famous emblem warrior riding winged horse designed uniform false style incorporating opening neck reveal regulation shirt tie worn medal collar patches rank capped grey kid gloves highly polished belt stick worn field qualified pilot henceforth wore wings designed supervised newly formed division underwent prolonged period expansion intensive training new brigades raised assigned division new equipment tested considered airborne warfare visionary proved adept dealing demonstrated overcoming bureaucratic obstacles airborne forces expanded size major difficulty getting 1st ready operations shortage aircraft royal_air_force neglected air transport war available aircraft airborne troops conversions obsolete bombers like air chief marshal sir particular felt worth drain resources prime minister winston_churchill united_states_army chief staff general visited april treated demonstration involving available aircraft wing raf general aircraft meeting chaired churchill asked required stated needed aircraft 1st battle ready churchill directed air chief marshal sir find required aircraft portal agreed supply halifax bombers tow new larger general july travelled united_states toured airborne training facilities american counterpart tendency lecture americans airborne warfare friends americans felt british americans equipment particularly transports returning united_kingdom arranged joint exercise conducted mid september coming close reaching strength informed allied invasion north_africa place november found argued larger airborne force utilised vast distances comparatively light opposition provide opportunities airborne operations commander chief general sir won arguments agreed 1st place command general command allied troops participating invasion brought operational strength partly cross posting personnel newly formed provided sufficient equipment resources brigade departed north_africa beginning november results british airborne operations north_africa mixed subject detailed report airborne troops operated including shortages photographs maps troop carrier american lacked familiarity airborne operations dealing british troops equipment felt inexperience handling airborne operations extended resulting felt employed aggressively greater strength shortened tunisia campaign months called red german troops fought pointed brigade honour given enemy seldom won battle finest fighting troops title officially confirmed general sir henceforth applied british airborne troops january appointed companion order bath relinquished command march new post major general soon clashed commander major general asked plans allied invasion sicily replied available scrutiny approved commander lieutenant general protested backed chief staff supported forced dealings british_army successor commander sold commander general sir landing seize road bridge south syracuse objections operation ignored attempts discuss airborne operations corps commanders directive montgomery discussion concluded effective airborne advisor equal rank army commanders september travelled india inspected 50th met major general commander airborne special force held series meetings general sir commander chief india air chief marshal sir air officer commander chief lieutenant general sir general officer commanding eastern army discussed plans improving airborne establishment india expanding airborne force division result discussions subsequent report 44th formed october sent experienced airborne commander india command replacement commander montgomery selection major general officer airborne experience choice 1st controversial saw ruthless manipulative empire builder opposition brigadier general assistant division commander recalled travelled england november cautioned general senior british airborne officer major general told empire builder assessment came agree operation market garden assumed new command december directive announced title force correspondence bear official title verbally known referred corps commander promoted lieutenant general january december officially commander april commanded august retaining command corps deputy commander army despite poor relationship disliked american officers including commander preparations cancelled operations disagreement risky operation caused threaten resignation differences military culture regarded order forced committed action operation market garden september rift severe repercussions concerned forward drop days drops day restricted number combat troops available day disagreed british drop zones proposed air vice marshal group raf felt distant bridge felt unable challenge airmen evidence brought intelligence officer major 9th division 10th division area confident led subordinates believe according commander informed airborne troops hold bridge days responded hold added think going bridge far boy landed tactical headquarters near use aircraft corps headquarters lift criticised half carried signal equipment operation contact british 1st major general taylor headquarters envisaged unit signals section hastily assembled weeks lacked training experience pack carried bears framed print praying hands major general commanding critical writing diary september lacks standing influence judgement comes proper troop experience staff superficial british units apparent tops lack know dirt learn hard way war staff criticised decision secure high ground attempting capture bridge took responsibility noting personally gave order effort effect capture grave bridges soon possible essential capture hold battle awarded order class polish government exile critical evaluation contribution polish forces led removal commanding officer polish 1st writers later claimed failure market garden field marshal montgomery attached blame subordinates acknowledged failure told chief imperial general staff sir like event connor transferred theatre events took different course admiral lord supreme allied commander need new chief staff owing poor health lieutenant general turned initial request lieutenant general lieutenant general offered post accepted considered qualified post staff college training held staff job noted reservation believe highly services corps commander mentioned despatches second time awarded legion merit degree commander united_states government served december july soon came regard american deputy brought staff europe headquarters headquarters developed relationship lieutenant general sir matters came head attempted replace victorious commander lieutenant general sir resulting relieved instead slim took replaced commander friend general sir services created knight commander order british empire january major military post military secretary september january later life january treasurer royal princess elizabeth edinburgh officially retire army april appointment recommendation lord nephew duke edinburgh head princess personal staff duties involved summer olympics deputy chairman commandant british team commodore stepping elected admiral death king george inherited throne queen elizabeth_ii staff redundant queen served large staff monarch domestic staff remained continued serve queen mother remainder reorganised treasurer head office moving new larger office buckingham palace like duke served office constitutional role followed sporting cultural scientific interests involved set preserve famous ship administration duke edinburgh award june attended coronation queen elizabeth_ii drinking war chronic led severe nervous breakdown july forcing resignation position palace known taking mistress breakdown brought light london confessed wartime affair services knight commander advanced royal victorian order retreated mansion inspired novel leased restored appointed deputy lieutenant cornwall caused scandal influence drugs alcohol involved automobile accident people injured fined forced pay court medical costs died heart attack march legacy portrayed film bridge far based events operation market garden copy uniform measurements original opened years located built named remained depot museum moved sold housing development
Frederick Browning