T. B. Henderson Brooks

{{Infobox military person

| honorific_prefix = Lieutenant General

|name=T B Henderson Brooks

| honorific_suffix = PVSM

|image=

|alt=

|caption=

|birth_date={{Birth date|df=yes|1909|01|11}}

|death_date={{Death date and age|df=yes|1997|01|05|1909|01|11}}

|birth_place=

|death_place=

|placeofburial=

|placeofburial_label=

|nickname=

|allegiance={{flag|British India}} (1929–1947)
{{flag|India}} (1947–1964)

|branch={{army|British India}}
{{army|India}}

|serviceyears=1929–1964

|rank= 22px Lieutenant-General

| unit = 5/5 Mahratta Light Infantry

|commands= 20px Eastern Army
XI Corps
20 Infantry Division
161 Infantry Brigade (India)

|battles=World War II
Indo-Pakistani War of 1947

|awards=

|relations=

|laterwork=

|signature=

}}

Thomas Bryan Henderson Brooks PVSM (11 January 1909 – 5 January 1997) was a General Officer in the Indian Army. He is best known for authoring the still-classified{{Cite news|url = http://www.thehindu.com/opinion/lead/publish-the-1962-war-report-now/article3591887.ece|title = Publish the 1962 war report now|last = Noorani|first = A. G.|date = 2 July 2012|access-date = 15 May 2014|newspaper = The Hindu}} Henderson Brooks-Bhagat Report, along with Brigadier P S Bhagat (later lieutenant general).{{Cite book|title = Leadership in the Indian Army: Biographies of Twelve Soldiers|last = Singh|first = V. K|publisher = Sage Publication|year = 2005|isbn = 0761933220}}

At the time, Henderson Brooks was the commander of XI Corps, based in Jalandhar.{{cite news|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/1962-war-report-When-Nehru-stepped-on-the-Dragons-tail/articleshow/32274881.cms|title= 1962 war report: When Nehru stepped on the Dragon's tail|first=Rajat|last=Pandit|newspaper=The Times of India|date=19 March 2014|agency=Times News Network}} The report is an internal operational analysis of the Indian Army after the Indian defeat in the 1962 Sino-Indian War. He was an Anglo-Indian and a second-generation Indian Army officer. He was also an excellent sportsman and reached the 3rd round of the men's singles at the 1938 Wimbledon Tennis Championships.

Early life

Thomas Bryan Henderson Brooks was born in Burma, the son of Captain Thomas Henderson Brooks, Indian Medical Department (1872-1943).January 1939 Indian Army List

Military career

He attended the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and was commissioned a second lieutenant on to the Unattached List for the Indian Army on 29 August 1929. Arriving in India on 13 October 1929, he was attached on 14 October 1929, to the 2nd Battalion of the Duke of Wellington's Regiment of the British Army stationed in India.

He was accepted into the Indian Army and posted to the 5th battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry on 5 November 1930. He was promoted lieutenant 29 November 1931.July 1938 Indian Army List He was appointed an Assistant Recruiting Officer from 1 January 1935 to 14 October 1936.January 1941 Indian Army List supplement He was promoted Captain 29 August 1938 (the date of promotion was later antedated to 1 August 1938).London Gazette 10 March 1939

He was appointed acting major 15 September to 14 December 1941, then temporary major from 15 December 1941January 1946 Half Yearly Army List By October 1942, he was serving with the 3rd battalion 5th Mahratta Light Infantry.October 1942 Most Secret edition, Indian Army List He was promoted substantive major 29 August 1946 (the date of promotion was later antedated to 1 July 1946).

After the 1947 Partition, he opted for the Indian Army. As a temporary lieutenant colonel (acting brigadier), he was appointed Commander, 161 Infantry Brigade based in Uri during the Kashmir War General Officer Commanding Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU) Forces on 6 December 1949, with the local rank of major general.{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=285 |date=25 February 1950 |publisher=The Gazette of India}} He was promoted to colonel on 1 January 1950{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=70 |date=24 June 1950 |publisher=The Gazette of India}} and to major-general on 29 August 1954.{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 4: Ministry of Defence (Army Branch) |page=37 |date=25 February 1956 |publisher=The Gazette of India}} As a major general, he would later command the 20th Infantry Division.

As a lieutenant general, he commanded Eastern Army from 8 November 1963 to 14 March 1964. He was awarded the Vishisht Seva Medal I on 5 March 1964,{{cite news |title=Part I-Section 1 |page=96 |date=14 March 1964|url=https://egazette.gov.in/(S(l2kkm5bemqsnonwneqqgyr5x))/ViewPDF.aspx|publisher=The Gazette of India}} which was subsequently renamed the Param Vishisht Seva Medal (PVSM) in 1967.