Godwin Michelmore

Godwin Michelmore was born in Exeter, Devon, and educated at Rugby School. During the First World War, Michelmore was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the British Army's Royal Engineers and fought in the Battle of Passchendaele, where he was wounded. By the end of the war, Michelmore had been promoted to acting major and had been awarded the Military Cross (MC){{London Gazette|date=30 May 1919|issue=31370|page=6819}} and had been twice mentioned in despatches.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=216}}

From 1920 to 1929 he commanded the Exeter-based 43rd (Wessex) Divisional Signals in the Territorial Army (TA), first as a Major, then as Lieutenant-Colonel.Monthly Army List, various dates.Nalder, p. 597.

At the beginning of the Second World War, Michelmore commanded 134th Infantry Brigade, a second-line TA brigade raised in Devon. From 30 October 1941 to the end of the war he commanded the Devon and Cornwall County Division (later re-designated successively as the 77th Infantry Division, 77th Infantry (Reserve) Division, 77th Holding Division, and finally the 45th Holding Division).Joslen, pp. 73, 100, 108, 320. Michelmore also served as Aide-de-camp (ADC) to King George VI between 1942 and 1947.{{London Gazette|issue=36866|page=4|date=29 December 1944|supp=y}}

In retirement he served as Lord Mayor of Exeter from 1949 to 1950.{{cite web|url=http://www.exetermemories.co.uk/em/exetersmayors.php|title=Eight Hundred Years of Exeter's Mayors and Lord Mayors|publisher=Exeter Memories|accessdate=29 June 2020}}

Michelmore was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1945 and created a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1953.{{London Gazette|issue=39863|page=2953|date=26 May 1953|supp=y}}

In early 1971 he married Winsome Montgomery, one of Bernard Montgomery's sisters.Montgomery, p. 357.

{{Reflist}}

• Obituary of Major-Gen Sir G. Michelmore, The Times, Saturday, 30 October 1982 (pg. 10; Issue 61376; col F)
• 1911 UK census
• {{Joslen-OOB}}
• {{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cSTOAwAAQBAJ&dq=Godwin%2520Michelmore&pg=PA357|title=A Field Marshal in the Family|last=Montgomery|first=Brian|date=2010-11-22|publisher=Pen and Sword|isbn=9781848844254|location=|pages=|language=en|via=}}
• Maj-Gen R.F.H. Nalder, The Royal Corps of Signals: A History of its Antecedents and Developments (Circa 1800–1955), London: Royal Signals Institution, 1958.
• {{cite book| first=Nick| last=Smart| title=Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War| isbn=1844150496| year=2005| location=Barnsley| publisher=Pen & Sword}}

• [https://generals.dk/general/Michelmore/William_Godwin/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]

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{{succession box | title=Mayor of Exeter | before=William Slade | after=John Geoffrey Rowe Orchard | years=1949}}

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Category:1894 births

Category:1982 deaths

Category:British Army generals of World War II

Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath

Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire

Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order

Category:Recipients of the Military Cross

Category:British Army personnel of World War I

Category:Mayors of Exeter

Category:Royal Engineers officers

Category:Royal Corps of Signals officers

Category:People educated at Rugby School

Category:British Army major generals

Category:Military personnel from Exeter