Bot at 02:21, 19 February 2022

2022-02-19T02:21:23Z

New page

{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}}
Brigadier '''Charles Joseph Weld''' {{post-nominals|country=GBR|size=100%|CIE|MC}} (4 February 1893 – 1962) was an officer in the [[British Indian Army]] during [[World War I]], the [[Interwar period|interwar years]] and [[World War II]].

Weld graduated from the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]] on 24 August 1912 and was commissioned second lieutenant on the unattached list of the Indian Army.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=28638| date=23 August 1912|page=6287}}</ref> After a years attachment to a British regiment in India, he was posted to the [[56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force)]] on 8 November 1913 and was promoted lieutenant 24 November 1914.<ref>January 1915 Indian Army List</ref><ref>{{London Gazette| issue=29086| date=2 March 1915|page=2110}}</ref>

During World War I he saw service in Egypt 30 November 1914 to 10 August 1915, Aden 15 August to 9 October 1915, Egypt again 14 October 1915 to 20 November 1915, Mesopotamia 4 December 1915 to 15 March 1916 when he was wounded. He returned to duty back in Mesopotamia 31 July 1916 to 30 December 1917. His final campaign was in Palestine 13 January 1918 to 31 October 1918.<ref>War Services of British and Indian officers of the Indian Army 1941</ref>

He was Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette 27 August 1918 and awarded the Military Cross (MC) in 1919 by which time he had been promoted captain.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=31371|page=6929| date=30 May 1919| supp=y}}</ref> In 1929, after attending the [[Pakistan Command and Staff College|Staff College, Quetta]] from 1927 to 1928,<ref>Smart, p. 328</ref> he was promoted major<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=33538| date=27 September 1929|page=6169}}</ref> and after two staff postings (as Deputy Assistant Quartermaster General<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=33604| date=9 May 1930|page=2870}}</ref> and Assistant Military Secretary<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=33852| date=5 August 1932|page=5064}}</ref>) he was appointed second in command of the 2nd battalion [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]] (which is what the 56th Punjabi Rifles (Frontier Force) he been renamed in the 1922 reforms) on 22 April 1934.<ref>January 1935 Indian Army List</ref>

He was promoted lieutenant-colonel 22 January 1936<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=34266| date=20 March 1936|page=1821}}</ref> and was appointed the commanding officer of the 2nd battalion [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]].<ref>April 1936 Indian Army List</ref>

For his services in Waziristan on the North West Frontier of India during 1936-37 he was [[mention in despatches|mentioned in despatches]].<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=34485| date=18 February 1938|page=1074}}</ref>

He was appointed officiating General Staff Officer, 1st grade for Waziristan District on 9 March 1938, an appointment that was made permanent on 17 September 1938.<ref>July 1938 Indian Army List</ref><ref>January 1939 Indian Army List</ref> It was a post he was to hold until 22 April 1940.<ref>War Services of British and Indian officers of the Indian Army 1941</ref>

He was promoted brevet Colonel 17 September 1938 and to full colonel in December 1939, with seniority from 17 September 1938.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=34748| date=5 December 1939|page=8155| supp=y}}</ref>

Appointed temporary brigadier 23 April 1940.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=35059| date=28 January 1941|page=616| supp=y}}</ref> Weld commanded the 21st Indian Brigade of the [[Indian 10th Infantry Division]] (part of [[Iraqforce]]) during the [[Anglo-Iraqi War]] and the [[Syria–Lebanon campaign]]. 21st Indian Brigade was attached to ''Hazelforce'' during the [[Anglo-Soviet invasion of Persia]] and Weld was [[mention in despatches|mentioned in despatches]] for his services in Persia and Iraq.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=35862| date=12 January 1943|page=321| supp=y}}</ref>

On 18 May 1942, Weld was promoted to local Major-General.<ref>The half-yearly Army List January 1946</ref> He was appointed General Officer Commanding, [[Cyprus]] from 18 May to 28 August 1942.<ref>The half-yearly Army List January 1946</ref>

From 23 October 1943 to 14 August 1945 Weld held the honorary appointment of [[Aide-de-camp]] to the King.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=36861| date=26 December 1944|page=5936| supp=y}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette| issue=37586| date=28 May 1946|page=2617| supp=y}}</ref>

Weld was appointed a Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire (CIE) in January 1945 when commanding the Rawalpindi Area as a temporary brigadier<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=36866| date=29 December 1944|page=7| supp=y}}</ref> and retired from the army 15 August 1946 with the substantive rank of colonel<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=37723| date=13 September 1946|page=4586}}</ref> but was accorded the honorary rank of brigadier.<ref>{{London Gazette| issue=37809| date=3 December 1946|page=5953| supp=y}}</ref>

==Command history==
* 1938–1940: General Staff Officer 1, [[Waziristan|Waziristan District]], [[India]]
* 1940–1942: Commanding Officer, 21st Indian Brigade, [[Indian 10th Infantry Division]], [[Middle East]]
* 1942: General Officer Commanding, [[Cyprus]]
* 1942: General Officer Commanding, [[XXV Indian Corps]]{{fact|date=February 2022}}
* 1943: District Officer Commanding, [[Meerut District]], India
* 1943–1945: Commanding Officer, [[Rawalpindi District|Rawalpindi Area]], India
* 1945–1946: Indian Army Liaison Officer to Indian Office
* 1946: Retired with honorary rank of Brigadier

==See also==
* [[Iraqforce]]

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{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}}

==External links==
*[https://generals.dk/general/Weld/Charles_Joseph/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]

{{DEFAULTSORT:Weld, Charles Joseph}}
[[Category:1893 births]]
[[Category:1962 deaths]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Indian Army generals of World War II]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Quetta]]
[[Category:British Indian Army generals]]

Charles Joseph Weld - Revision history

Bot at 02:21, 19 February 2022