Field Marshal The Lord Harding of Petherton. GCB. CBE. DSO. MD. Born.1896. Died 1989 aged 93yrs. Born in South Petherton, christened Allan Francis, later known as John. Educated at Ilminster Grammer School leaving at the age of 15yrs. Became a Post Office Clerk in London, commissioned into Finsbury Rifles in 1914 and during WW1 saw service with this Regiment in Gallipoli where he was wounded.

Later in the Gaza battles he was awarded the MC. In 1918 he was appointed, at the age of 22yrs. to Command the 54 Machine Gun Battalion. With the reduction of Army strength after the war he reverted to rank of Captain. He joined Som.LI. in 1921 at Lucknow, appointed Adjutant 2nd.Bn. at the time of the riots in Agra. In the 30's he held various staff appointments and Regimental duties. In 1939 at the age of 43 he became CO.of !st.Bn.Som.LI based on the North West Frontier. In 1940 posted to Gen.Wavell's staff at GHQ.Middle East. Temporary rank of Brig. At the successful conclusion of Gen O'Connor's campaign, in which he served as Chief of Staff he was appointed CBE.

In 1942 at end of "Crusader" battles, he was awarded a Bar to the DSO awarded earlier in the campaign. Autumn of 1942 given command of 7th.Armoured Div ( Desert Rats ) The Div. made a vital breakthrough in the October Battle of Alamein. In 1943 he was severely wounded by a shell when standing up in a tank conferring with his senior officers. His recovery took 3 months he had lost 3 fingers of his left hand. On return to duty given command of 8 Corps, but within 6 weeks posted to Italy as Chief of Staff to Gen. Alexander. He was much valued and respected. After the fall of Rome ( when he was appointed a Knight Commander of the Bath ) he was Knighted in the field by King George VI, who was visiting Alexander's HQ.

He was described as the " Cats Whiskers " by Churchill when visiting Alexander's HQ. a month later. In the final stage's of the campaign he was given command of 13 Corps. In 1946 the 8th.Army and 13 Corps
merged and he was given overall command. He returned to England in 1947 as CinC Southern Command. In 1949 he succeeded Gen.Ritchie as CinC FELF.just at the time when the Malayan Emergancy began to look dangerous. He persuaded the W.Off.to allow the re-created SAS to be brought in to destroy the deep jungle bases of the Communist terrorists.

In 1951 appointed GCB. also made CinC BAOR. This period saw the signing of the peace treaty with West Germany and also the reorganisation of BAOR from an army of occupation to an operational formation. He was later appointed by Churchill as Chief of the Imperial General Staff. His responsibilities were now world-wide, and ranged over the establishment of NATO, the Malayan Emergancy, the Mau Mau situation in Kenya and the crises in the Middle East, notably Egypt.

He was appointed Field Marshal in 1953. In 1955 he was persuaded by Eden to become Governor and CinC of Cyprus, now at the height of the Enosis crisis. He survived several assassination attempts. In appreciation for his efforts and the success he had whilst in Cyprus he was created Baron Harding of Petherton in 1958. He was Colonel of Two Somerset Regiments. The Somerset & Cornwall Light Infantry and the North Somerset Yeomanry. In 1962 he presented the New Colours to 1 SCLI. who at that time were stationed in Gibraltar.
It is said that nobody ever spoke ill of him. A truly great west countryman, albeit a man of only 5' 2" in height.

 

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This page has been collated entirely by the efforts of Lawrie Hodges with material gathered from The Light Infantry Office, Taunton.