Sir

Basil Eugster
Born(1914-08-15)15 August 1914
Died5 April 1984(1984-04-05) (aged 69)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1935–1974
RankGeneral
Service number65413
UnitIrish Guards
Commands heldUK Land Forces
Southern Command
British Forces in Hong Kong
London District
4th Division
3rd Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion Irish Guards
3rd Battalion Irish Guards
Battles/warsArab revolt in Palestine
Second World War
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross & Bar
Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star (Austria)

General Sir Basil Oscar Paul Eugster, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO, MC & Bar (15 August 1914 – 5 April 1984) was a senior British Army officer who served as Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1972 to 1974.

Army career

A British soldier of Swiss descent,[1] Basil Oscar Paul Eugster attended Beaumont College.[2] In 1935 he joined the Irish Guards.[3] He served with his regiment through the Second World War and fought in the Narvik Campaign in Norway in 1940.[3] He was commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion Irish Guards in 1945, and again in 1947, and of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards from 1951 to 1954.[3]

Eugster served as commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade in Cyprus from 1959 to 1962 and was then General Officer Commanding 4th Division in Germany from 1963 to 1965.[3] He went on to become Major-General commanding the Household Brigade and General Officer Commanding London District from 1965 to 1968 and Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong from 1968 to 1970.[3] In 1966, Eugster was awarded the Austrian Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star.[4] He was then General Officer Commanding Southern Command from 1971 to 1972.[3] He served as the Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1972 to 1974 when he retired.[3]

Later career

Eugster was Colonel of the Regiment of the Irish Guards until his death in 1984, aged 69.[5]

References

  1. ^ Beat de Fischer, 2000 Ans De Presence Suisse En Angleterre: L'etonnante epopee Des Suisses D'Outre-Manche, De L'epoque Romaine a La Communaute Europeenne
  2. ^ "Sir Basil Oscar Paul Eugster". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
  4. ^ "Reply to a parliamentary question" (PDF) (in German). p. 26. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
  5. ^ Irish Guards: History

External links

Military offices Preceded byJean Allard General Officer Commanding the 4th Division 1963–1965 Succeeded byMichael Forrester Preceded bySir John Nelson GOC London District 1965–1968 Succeeded byMichael Fitzalan-Howard Preceded bySir John Worsley Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong 1968–1970 Succeeded bySir Richard Ward Preceded bySir Michael Carver GOC-in-C Southern Command 1971–1972 Command disbanded New title Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces 1972–1974 Succeeded bySir Roland Gibbs
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