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{{Short description|British army officer during World Wars 1 and 2}}
{{Use British English|date=November 2013}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Sir Dudley Russell
| birth_date = {{birth date|1896|12|1|df=yes}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|1978|2|4|1896|12|1|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Bexleyheath]], [[Kent]], [[England]]
| death_place = [[Nassau, Bahamas]]
| placeofburial =
| placeofburial_label =
| image = File:The British Army in Italy 1944 NA11749.jpg
| image_size = 250px
| caption = A motorcycle despatch rider watches as the message he has brought to 8th Indian Division HQ is handed to the GOC, Major General Dudley Russell, by his ADC, Captain D. A. Sconce, early 1944.
| nickname = "Pasha"{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=278}}{{#tag:ref|Historian Richard Mead suggests the nickname was because of his huge moustache, which made him look like a Turkish military governor.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=402}}|group="nb"}}
| allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch = {{army|United Kingdom|23px}} {{army|British India}}
| serviceyears = 1915–1954
| servicenumber = 8991
| rank = [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]]
| commands = 6th Royal Battalion (Scinde), [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]] [[5th Indian Infantry Brigade]] [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th Indian Infantry Division]] [[5th Infantry Division (India)|5th Indian Infantry Division]] [[Western Command (India)|Delhi and East Punjab Command]] Chief British Advisor to the Indian Army
| unit = [[Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment|Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)]] [[97th Deccan Infantry]] [[19th Hyderabad Regiment]] [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]
| battles = [[World War I]] [[World War II]]
| awards = [[Order of the British Empire|KBE]](1950)<ref name="KBEGaz">{{London Gazette |issue=38799 |date=30 December 1949 |page=39|supp=y }}</ref> [[Order of the Bath|CB]] (5 July 1945)<ref name="CBGaz">{{London Gazette |issue=37161 |date=3 July 1945 |page=3490|supp=y }}</ref> [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]] (31 August 1944)<ref name="CBEGaz">{{London Gazette |issue=36679 |date=29 August 1944 |page=4043|supp=y }}</ref> [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]] (30 December 1941)<ref name="OBEGaz"/> [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]] (9 July 1942)<ref name="DSOGaz"/> [[Military Cross|MC]] (8 March 1919)<ref name="MCgaz"/> [[Mentioned in despatches|MID]] (24 June 1943)<ref name="MIDGaz43"/> MID (19 July 1945)<ref name="MIDGaz45">{{London Gazette |issue=37184 |date=17 July 1945 |page=3742|supp=y }}</ref> [[Legion of Merit|LM (Commander)]] (31 July 1945)<ref name="LMgaz">{{London Gazette |issue=37204 |date=31 July 1945 |page=3962|supp=y }}</ref>
| laterwork =
}}
[[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant General]] '''Sir Dudley Russell''' [[Order of the British Empire|KBE]], [[Order of the Bath|CB]], [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]], [[Military Cross|MC]] (1 December 1896{{snd}}4 February 1978) was a senior [[Officer (armed forces)|officer]] of both the [[British Army]] and the [[British Indian Army]], and served during [[World War I]] and [[World War II]], where he commanded the [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th Indian Infantry Division]] during the [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italian Campaign]] from late 1943 until the end of the war in 1945.

==Early career==
Russell received a temporary [[Officer (armed forces)|commission]] in 1914 and in 1915 joined the 7th (Service) Battalion, [[Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment|Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment)]] with whom he served during [[World War I]]. In October 1917 he transferred to the [[British Indian Army]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=30397 |date=23 November 1917 |page=12283|supp=y }}</ref> and in November was commissioned as a lieutenant into the [[97th Deccan Infantry]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=30759 |date=21 June 1918 |page=7332}}</ref> serving in Egypt. In March 1919, as an acting captain he was awarded the [[Military Cross|MC]],<ref name="MCgaz">{{London Gazette |issue=31219 |date=7 March 1919 |page=3246 |supp=y }}</ref> the citation for which read {{quote|In the attack on the Tabsor system of trenches on the 19th September, 1918, he displayed conspicuous gallantry and leadership. His personal example of coolness, the marked skill with which he led his company under very heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, and his initiative in locating the objective, enabled the two attacking companies to capture the position with promptness and very few casualties<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=31583 |date=3 October 1919 |page=12322 |supp=y }}</ref>}}

Russell's promotion to substantive captain did not come until 1923 but was antedated to June 1919.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=32860 |date=7 September 1923 |page=6057}}</ref>

In the 1922 reorganisation of the Indian Army his regiment became the 3rd Battalion of the [[19th Hyderabad Regiment]]. During the period between the world wars he attended the [[Pakistan Command and Staff College|Staff College, Quetta]]. In 1935 he transferred to the 6th Royal (Scinde) battalion [[13th Frontier Force Rifles]]. In 1936 he qualified as a higher standard interpreter in [[Pashto language|Pashto]] which resulted in his widely used nickname of "Pasha". He was promoted [[Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|lieutenant colonel]] in April 1938<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34547 |date=2 September 1938 |page=5610}}</ref> and commanded the 6th Battalion from 1938 to 1940.

==World War II==
===East Africa===
In August 1940 his battalion joined [[9th Indian Infantry Brigade]], part of the newly formed [[5th Infantry Division (India)|5th Indian Infantry Division]] and was shipped to the [[Sudan]]. Here he was appointed the division's GSO1 (senior headquarters staff officer), replacing [[Frank Messervy]] who took command of ''Gazelle Force'' which was being formed as a mobile strike force to operate against the Italians along the border with [[Eritrea]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=402}}

From October 1940 to August 1941 during the [[East African campaign (World War II)|East African Campaign]] Colonel Russell continued in this role performing a key function in the campaign fought by 4th and 5th Indian Infantry Division in Eritrea. He negotiated the surrender of the Italian forces commanded by [[Amadeo, 3rd Duke of Aosta]] at [[Amba Alagi]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=402}} For his services in East Africa Russell was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]].<ref name="OBEGaz">{{London Gazette |issue=35396 |date=26 December 1941 |page=7328|supp=y }}</ref>

===North Africa===
The 5th Indian Division moved to [[Cairo]] in June 1941 and then [[Iraq]] in August, returning to Egypt in October more or less coincidental with Russell's promotion to [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|brigadier]] and assuming command of the [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4th Indian Infantry Division]]'s [[5th Indian Infantry Brigade]], part of [[XIII Corps (United Kingdom)|XIII Corps]] in the newly created [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|British Eighth Army]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=402}}

On 18 November 1941 Eighth Army launched [[Operation Crusader]]. Initially Russell's brigade, short of transport, was delegated to protect lines of communication. By 26 November it was moving to the front. By mid December the brigade was involved in intense fighting against the armour of [[Erwin Rommel]]'s ''[[Afrika Korps]]'' at Alem Hamsa where the 1st Battalion, [[Buffs (Royal East Kent Regiment)]] were destroyed as a fighting unit and were temporarily replaced by 1st Battalion, [[6th Rajputana Rifles]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=403}}

In March 1942 [[4th Infantry Division (India)|4th Indian Division]] was dispersed and the brigade was sent to [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]] but hastily summoned back to the western desert after Rommel's breakthrough at the [[Battle of Gazala]]. Initially attached to 5th Indian Division, the brigade was transferred to [[10th Indian Infantry Division]] as it withdrew from Libya to the defensive position at [[Mersa Matruh]] in Egypt. On 28 June the brigade found its line of withdrawal from Metrsa Matruh cut and was forced to break out southwards into the desert in small parties before turning east and reforming behind the defensive position at [[El Alamein]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=402}} For his leadership of the brigade in the period from November 1941 to April 1942 Russell was awarded in September 1942 the [[Distinguished Service Order|DSO]].<ref name="DSOGaz">{{London Gazette |issue=35697 |date=8 September 1942 |page=3948 |supp=y }}</ref>

Having reorganised, the brigade was once more attached to 5th Indian Division and during mid July fought in the battles of Ruweisat Ridge, part of series of engagements now called the [[First Battle of El Alamein]]. The brigade continued to hold positions on or near the Ruweisat Ridge up to November and the [[Second Battle of El Alamein]]. By this time 5th Indian Division had been relieved and the brigade was once more part of 4th Indian Division.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=402}} For his services between May and October Russell was [[mentioned in dispatches]].<ref name="MIDGaz43">{{London Gazette |issue=36065 |date=22 June 1943 |page=2864|supp=y }}</ref>

4th Indian Division's initial role in the second Alamein battle was to make diversionary displays from Ruweisat Ridge while the main offensive went into the north. In early November the [[2nd New Zealand Division]] had made a salient into the [[Axis powers|Axis]] lines and 5th Indian Brigade were attached to the exhausted [[51st (Highland) Division|51st (Highland) Infantry Division]] to complete the breakthrough. By dawn on 4 November the brigade had secured its objectives opening the way for the British armour.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=403}}

===Iraq and Syria===
In January 1943 Russell was appointed [[Acting rank|acting]] [[Major-general (United Kingdom)|major-general]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35935 |date=9 March 1943 |page=1179 |supp=y }}</ref> and appointed to command [[8th Infantry Division (India)|8th Indian Infantry Division]] in [[Iraq]]. When the German defeat at the [[Battle of Stalingrad]] removed the threat to Iraq and [[Persia]] from the [[Caucasus]] the division was moved to [[Syria]] for training. In June 1943 the division was ordered to seize the island of [[Rhodes]] but the [[Armistice of Cassibile|armistice with Italy]] forestalled the operation.

===Italy===
In September 1943 the division landed in [[Taranto]] in southern Italy, destined to become engaged for the rest of the war fighting on the [[Italian campaign (World War II)|Italian Front]]. For the next three months the division fought up the eastern side of Italy as part of [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|Eighth Army]]'s [[V Corps (United Kingdom)|V Corps]], making crossings of the rivers Biferno, Trigno and in late November the Sangro. By mid-December they had [[Moro River Campaign|crossed the Moro]] but [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Bernard Montgomery|Sir Bernard Montgomery]], the Eighth Army commander, called off offensive operations as deteriorating winter weather and conditions underfoot made further attacks impractical and 8th Indian Division were tasked to hold the front between Orsogna and the [[Apennine Mountains]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=404}}

At the beginning of May 1944, 8th Indian Division had been attached to [[XIII Corps (United Kingdom)|XIII Corps]] and switched in secrecy across the Apennines to the mouth of the Liri valley beneath [[Monte Cassino]] for the fourth [[Battle of Monte Cassino]], ''[[Operation Diadem]]''. 8th Indian and [[4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 4th Division]] were given the job to get across the fast-flowing Rapido river and establish bridgeheads. The attack went in on the night of 11 May and by 09.00 the next morning Russell's divisional engineers had erected a [[Bailey bridge]] to allow supporting armour into the bridgehead to repel German armoured counterattacks. By 13 May the Germans fell back and [[1st Canadian Division|1st Canadian Infantry Division]] passed through the [[bridgehead]] to lead the advance. 8th Indian Division now came under [[X Corps (United Kingdom)|X Corps]] for a 150-mile advance before being rested at the end of June.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=404}} In August 1944 Russell was awarded the [[Order of the British Empire|CBE]].<ref name="CBEGaz"/>

After three weeks' rest the division re-joined XIII Corps, which by this time formed the right wing of the [[United States Army North|U.S. Fifth Army]], under [[Mark W. Clark|Mark Clark]], to liberate [[Florence]] before moving into the central Apennines and advance north east to confront the [[Gothic Line]]. Monte Citerna on the Gothic line was taken on 9 September but this only heralded another two and a half months fighting, making slow progress in poor conditions and wild terrain.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=404}}

In late 1944, as Eighth Army ground its way forward across the division's front from the right, the Germans withdrew from 8th Indian Division's sector to shorten their front line and lines of communication. In late December Russell was ordered to take two brigades to the far western wing of the Fifth Army where the inexperienced [[92nd Infantry Division (United States)|U.S. 92nd Infantry Division]] was thought by the new Fifth Army commander, Lieutenant General [[Lucian Truscott|Lucian K. Truscott]], to be very vulnerable. On 26 December the Germans broke through towards Russell's rearguard positions but the attack was not carried through and 8th Indian Division recovered the lost ground. The division was then withdrawn to rest at [[Pisa]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=405}}

On 8 February Indian Division was moved to the Adriatic front once more to join Eighth Army's V Corps once again and take up positions on the river [[Senio]]. The [[Spring 1945 offensive in Italy|main attack on the Senio]] started on 9 April 1945. By the evening 8th Indian Division, with the [[2nd New Zealand Division|New Zealanders]] on their left, had in furious fighting against desperate defence created a bridgehead one and a half miles deep. On 11 April they made a strongly opposed crossing of the river [[Santerno]] before allowing the [[78th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 78th Division]] to pass through into the Argenta Gap. After a brief pause for rest, during which time 78th Division and [[56th (London) Infantry Division|British 56th Division]] had [[Battle of the Argenta Gap|forced the Argenta Gap defences]], 8th Indian Division were put back in the front line to take [[Ferrara]] and be the first Eighth Army formation to reach the [[river Po]]. After crossing the Po the division crossed the river [[Adige]] on 28 April and was ordered to halt.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=405}}

Following the formal cessation of hostilities on 2 May, 8 Indian Division was repatriated to [[British Raj|India]] during June. Russell's temporary rank of major-general was made substantive in November<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37462 |date=8 February 1946 |page=895|supp=y }}</ref> and he was appointed [[Order of the Bath|Companion of the Bath (CB)]].<ref name="CBGaz"/> He was also mentioned in despatches<ref name="MIDGaz45"/> and received the [[United States]] [[Legion of Merit]], Degree of Commander.<ref name="LMgaz"/>

==Post war==
The 8th Indian Division was disbanded in April 1946 and Russell was appointed to command 5th Indian Division. In 1947 Russell became C-in-C Delhi and East Punjab Command in the acting rank of lieutenant-general before in 1948 becoming Chief Advisor to the Indian Army. He was [[knight]]ed [[Order of the British Empire|KBE]] in the 1950 New Year's honours list at the request of the Indian government<ref name="KBEGaz"/> and retired in July 1954<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=40243 |date=30 July 1954 |page=4444 }}</ref> retaining the honorary rank of lieutenant-general.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=40244 |date=30 July 1954 |page=4503 |supp=y }}</ref>

==Personal==
He married Elizabeth Birket in 1929.

==Honours and decorations==
:[[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] 2 January 1950 (CBE 31 August 1944, OBE, 30 December 1941)
:[[Companion of the Order of the Bath]] 5 June 1945
:[[Distinguished Service Order]] 9 September 1942
:[[Military Cross]] 8 March 1919
:[[Mention in Despatches]] 24 June 1943, 23 June 1945
:[[Legion of Merit|Commander, Legion of Merit]] (United States) 2 August 1945

==References==
===Notes===
{{reflist|group=nb}}
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
*{{cite book | author=Anon| title=''One More River: The Story of The Eighth Indian Division''| publisher=H.W. Smith, Times of India Press| year=1946 |location=Bombay }}
*{{cite book | author=Anon | title=The Tiger Triumphs: The Story of Three Great Divisions in Italy| publisher=HMSO | year=1946 }}
*{{cite book | first=Compton|last=Mackenzie |author-link=Compton Mackenzie| title=Eastern Epic| publisher=Chatto & Windus| location=London | year=1951 | oclc=1412578}}
*{{cite book| first=Richard| last=Mead| title=Churchill's Lions: A Biographical Guide to the Key British Generals of World War II| location=Stroud| publisher=Spellmount| year=2007|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}}

==External links==
*[https://www.generals.dk/general/Russell/Dudley/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]
*[http://www.unithistories.com/officers/IndianArmy_officers_R01.html#Russell_D Indian Army Officers 1939−1945]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Charles Harvey (Indian Army officer)|Charles Harvey]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[8th Infantry Division (India)|GOC 8th Indian Infantry Division]]|years=1943–1946}}
{{s-aft|after=Post disbanded}}
|-
{{s-bef|before=??}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[5th Infantry Division (India)|GOC 5th Indian Infantry Division]]|years=1946–1947}}
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{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Russell, Dudley}}
[[Category:1896 births]]
[[Category:1978 deaths]]
[[Category:Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment officers]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Indian Army generals of World War II]]
[[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Military Cross]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Commanders of the Legion of Merit]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Quetta]]
[[Category:People from Bexleyheath]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:British Indian Army generals]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Kent]]

Dudley Russell - Revision history

Bot at 03:40, 5 July 2022