Raymond Briggs (British Army officer)

Briggs served in the First World War with the British Army's Machine Gun Corps, receiving his commission in 1915.{{cite web|url=http://www.kcl.ac.uk/lhcma/locreg/BRIGGS1.shtml|title=King's Collections: Archive Catalogues: Military Archives|website=kcl.ac.uk}}{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=39}}

Briggs remained in the army during the interwar period, transferring to the Tank Corps (later the Royal Tank Regiment) and attended the Staff College, Camberley from 1925 to 1926.{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=40}} He was appointed Deputy Assistant Director for Mechanized Warfare at the War Office in 1936, and from 14 October 1937 became a GSO2 at the War Office.{{London Gazette|issue=34446|page=6511|date=22 October 1937}} He was promoted to brevet major on 1 January 1933{{London Gazette|issue=33899|date=3 January 1933|page=51}} brevet lieutenant-colonel on 1 July 1938,{{London Gazette|issue=34527|page=4244|date=1 July 1938}}{{cite web|url=https://www.generals.dk/general/Briggs/Raymond/Great_Britain.html|title=Biography of Major-General Raymond Briggs (1895–1985), Great Britain|website=generals.dk}} and returned to the Staff College to become an instructor in armoured warfare.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=73}}

He served in the Second World War as a General Staff Officer (GSO), before being promoted to acting brigadier and becoming the commander of the 2nd Armoured Brigade, part of the 1st Armoured Division in December 1940. He was promoted to colonel on 12 August 1941, with seniority backdated to 1 July 1941.{{London Gazette|issue=35250|supp=y|page=4789|date=15 August 1941}} As commander of this brigade he participated in the First Battle of El Alamein. He was then awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 13 August 1942{{London Gazette|issue=35665|page=3543|date=11 August 1942}} and promoted to acting major-general on 21 August{{London Gazette|issue=35708|page=4055|date=15 September 1942|supp=y}} and appointed General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the 1st Armoured Division. He commanded the division during the Second Battle of El Alamein and was mentioned in despatches.{{London Gazette|issue=35821|supp=y|page=5437|date=11 December 1942}} He also received the Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) for his role in the battle.{{London Gazette|issue=36120|supp=y|page=3521|date=3 August 1943}}

His rank of major-general was made temporary on 21 August 1943.{{London Gazette|issue=36153|page=3877|date=27 August 1943|supp=y}} He continued to command the division throughout the Tunisian campaign, which ended in May 1943, and he was again mentioned in dispatches on 24 June 1943.{{London Gazette|issue=36065|page=2853|date=22 June 1943|supp=y}} With the conclusion of the campaign, he was dismissed by his superior, General Sir Bernard Montgomery, the Eighth Army commander. This was followed by an appointment, in July, to become the Director of the Royal Armoured Corps at the War Office. He continued in this role until he retired from the army, with the honorary rank of major-general on 25 March 1947.{{London Gazette|issue=37915|supp=y|page=1391|date=21 March 1947}}

{{reflist|30em}}

• {{Cite book| first=Richard| last=Mead| title=Churchill's Lions: a biographical guide to the key British generals of World War II| year=2007| publisher=Spellmount| location=Stroud (UK)| isbn=978-1-86227-431-0}}
• {{cite book| first=Nick| last=Smart| title=Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War| isbn=1844150496| year=2005| location=Barnesley| publisher=Pen & Sword}}

• [http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80000784 Imperial War Museum Interview]
• [http://www.generals.dk/general/Briggs/Raymond/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]

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{{s-bef|before=Herbert Lumsden}}

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Category:1895 births

Category:1985 deaths

Category:Academics of the Staff College, Camberley

Category:British Army major generals

Category:British Army generals of World War II

Category:British Army personnel of World War I

Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order

Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath

Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley

Category:King's Own Royal Regiment officers

Category:Liverpool Scottish soldiers

Category:Machine Gun Corps officers

Category:Military personnel from Merseyside

Category:People educated at Bedford School

Category:Royal Tank Regiment officers

Category:War Office personnel in World War II

Category:Territorial Force soldiers