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{{Short description|British Army general (1894–1952)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2021}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = [[Sir]]
| name = Harold Rawdon Briggs
| birth_place = [[Pipestone, Minnesota]], United States
| death_place = [[Limassol]], [[Cyprus]]
| birth_date = 24 July 1894
| death_date = 27 October 1952 (aged 58)
| image = 
| caption =
| nickname = "Briggo"{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=69}}{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=39}}
| allegiance = {{flag|United Kingdom}}
| branch = {{army|United Kingdom}} {{army|British India}}
| serviceyears = 1915–1948
| rank = [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]]
| commands = 2nd Battalion, [[Baloch Regiment|10th Baluch Regiment]] (1937–40) [[7th Indian Infantry Brigade]] (1940–42) [[5th Infantry Division (India)|5th Indian Infantry Division]] (1942–44) [[Burma Command]] (1946–48)
| unit = [[King's Regiment (Liverpool)]] [[16th Punjab Regiment]]
| battles = [[World War I]] [[World War II]] [[Malayan Emergency]]
| awards = [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]] [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] [[Companion of the Order of the Bath]] [[Distinguished Service Order]] & [[Medal bar|Two Bars]] [[Mentioned in dispatches]] (3)
| laterwork =
}}
[[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] '''Sir Harold Rawdon Briggs''', {{postnominals|country=GBR|size=100%|sep=,|KCIE|KBE|CB|DSO**}} (24 July 1894 – 27 October 1952) was a senior [[British Indian Army]] officer, active during [[World War I]] and [[World War II]] and the [[Malayan Emergency]].

Briggs was highly regarded by his superiors, among them being Field Marshal [[William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim|Sir William Slim]], who is perhaps most famous as being the commander of the [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|British Fourteenth Army]] during the [[Burma campaign (1944)|Burma campaign]]. Of Briggs, who commanded the [[5th Infantry Division (India)|5th Indian Infantry Division]] during the campaign, Slim wrote: "I know of few commanders who made as many immediate and critical decisions on every step of the ladder of promotion, and I know of none who made so few mistakes."{{sfn|Slim|1972|p=145}}

==Early life and military career==
Born in [[Pipestone, Minnesota]], to English parents who returned to England a few years after his birth, Briggs was an American citizen until receiving British naturalisation papers in 1914.<ref name="Officers of the Indian Army">{{cite web|url=https://www.unithistories.com/officers/IndianArmy_officers_B01.html#Briggs_HR|title=Indian Army officer histories|publisher=Unit Histories|access-date=2022-07-09}}</ref> Educated at [[Bedford School]], he then became a cadet at the [[Royal Military College, Sandhurst]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=28892 |date=4 September 1914 |page=7030}}</ref> In 1915, several months after the [[British entry into World War I]], and after an initial appointment to the [[British Indian Army]] was cancelled,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=28902 |date=15 September 1914 |page=7300 }}</ref> he was [[Officer (armed forces)|commissioned]] into the [[King's Regiment (Liverpool)]] of the [[British Army]] and fought with the regiment in France.

In 1916, he transferred to the Indian Army, joining the [[31st Punjabis]] (which in 1922 became the 2nd Battalion, [[16th Punjab Regiment]]), fighting in Mesopotamia and later in [[Palestine (region)|Palestine]].<ref name="ABXIII">Antony Brett-James, [http://ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fire07.html#ch13 Chapter XIII]</ref> In September 1917 he was appointed to command one of the 31st Punjabi's companies in the rank of acting captain,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=31123|date=14 January 1919 |page=721}}</ref> and was attached to the 152nd Punjabis in May 1918 in the same role.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=31501 |date=12 August 1919 |page=10238 }}</ref>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=39}}

In 1924, he transferred to the 1st Battalion, [[10th Baluch Regiment]] with whom he saw two periods of action in the [[North-West Frontier Province (1901–1955)|North West Frontier]] of India in the 1930s. After attending the [[Pakistan Command and Staff College|Staff College, Quetta]] from 1927 to 1928, Briggs was promoted to major in August 1932<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33866|date=23 September 1932 |page=6025 }}</ref> (having been made a brevet-major in January<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=33786 |date=1 January 1932 |page=49 }}</ref>) and then lieutenant colonel in September 1937<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34454 |date=12 November 1937 |page=7091 }}</ref> when given command of the 2nd Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment (now the 7th Battalion, [[Baloch Regiment]]).<ref name="ABXIII"/>{{sfn|Smart|2005|p=39}}<ref name="Officers of the Indian Army" />

==Second World War==
At the start of the [[Second World War]] Briggs was in India commanding the 2nd Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment. In September 1940 he was promoted to brigadier and given command of [[7th Indian Infantry Brigade]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=69}}<ref name="Officers of the Indian Army" /><ref name="Generals of World War II">{{cite web|url=https://generals.dk/general/Briggs/Harold_Rawdon/Great_Britain.html|title=Biography of Lieutenant-General Harold Rawdon Briggs (1894−1952), Great Britain|website=generals.dk}}</ref>

===Western Desert===
The brigade was shipped to join [[4th Infantry Division (India)|Indian 4th Infantry Division]] which was forming in Egypt to face the Italian threat from [[Libya]]. The brigade was not involved in the fighting during [[Operation Compass]] but in December 1940 was detached from the division and sent to Port Sudan near the border with northern [[Eritrea]] while the rest of the division (plus one battalion of 7th Brigade) was sent to join [[5th Infantry Division (India)|Indian 5th Infantry Division]] on Eritrea's western border with Sudan.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=69}}

===East Africa===
During the [[East African campaign (World War II)|East African Campaign]], Briggs commanded ''Briggsforce'' - a brigade group composed of two battalions from the 7th Indian Infantry Brigade, one Senegalese battalion officered by [[Free French]] officers and a [[French Foreign Legion]] battalion from [[Chad]] together with a battery of field artillery and a company of engineers. Operating independently from the main force, ''Briggsforce'' advanced from Sudan and, under the direct orders of Lieutenant General [[William Platt]], entered [[Eritrea]] from the north through the border town of [[Karora]]. The force then continued southwards and fought its way to the defences of [[Keren, Eritrea|Keren]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=69}}

During the [[Battle of Keren]] in March 1941, ''Briggsforce'' drew off a significant part of the Italian garrison of Keren even though it lacked the artillery for a major offensive action itself. The attacks by ''Briggsforce'' aided Platt's main offensive from the west. Briggs also posed a threat to [[Massawa]], Eritrea's main port, on the coast to the east. This obliged the Italians to maintain reserves on the coast which could have been better employed at Keren.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=69}}

Following Keren's capture ''Briggsforce'' cut across country to play a significant role in the capture of Massawa on 9 April.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=69}}

For his action in East Africa Briggs was awarded his first [[Distinguished Service Order]] (DSO) on 30 December 1941.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35396 |date=26 December 1941 |page=7333 |supp=y}}</ref><ref name="Officers of the Indian Army" />

===Return to the Western Desert===
By the end of 7 April Indian Brigade had rejoined 4th Indian Division and returned to Egypt. Owing to lack of transport the brigade took no part in [[Operation Battleaxe]] in June but in August was detached once again as the ''Oasis Group'' to hold the Siwa and Jarabub Oases, some {{convert|150|mi|km}} south of the Mediterranean coast on each side of the Egypt - Libya border.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=69−70}}

Handing over the Oases responsibilities to Indian 29th Infantry Brigade, the 7th Brigade next took part in [[Operation Crusader]] in November 1941 when Briggs was given the task of taking the Omars, three fortress strongholds some {{convert|20|mi|km}} from the coast and forming part of the Axis defenses on the Libyan border. Omar Nuovo was taken on 21 November, the first day of fighting, but it took a week to clear Libyan Omar completely. The third fortress held firm. When the [[Afrika Korps]], under [[Erwin Rommel]] ("The Desert Fox"), heavily defeated the British armour at Sidi Rezegh he made his "dash for the wire" to destroy Eighth Army's rear echelons. On 25 November the Axis armour reached 7th Infantry Brigade dug into its newly captured positions and was severely mauled by the divisional artillery and forced to withdraw to the main Axis positions around [[Tobruk]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=70}}

Briggs's brigade took part in Eighth Army's advance to and through the Axis defensive line at Gazala, ending the year at [[Benghazi]]. When Rommel counterattacked in late January from his position at [[El Agheila]] Briggs found his brigade, still at Benghazi, threatened with being cut off. Dispersing into battalion groups the brigade made its way south across the Axis rear lines into the desert and then turned eastwards to reach [[Mechili]], still in British hands, with almost no losses. For his leadership during this period Briggs was awarded a second DSO.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35532 |date=21 April 1942 |page=1795 |supp=y}}</ref>{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=70}}<ref name="Officers of the Indian Army" />

As the front line stabilised at the Gazala line 7th Indian Brigade was sent to [[Cyprus]] as one of the units relieving Indian 5th Infantry Division which had organised its defenses. However, in May 1942 Briggs was promoted to command Indian 5th Infantry Division which had been placed in reserve behind the Eighth Army's Gazala position. At this time Briggs still only had the substantive rank of lieutenant-colonel, although he was promoted to full colonel in September 1942 with seniority backdated to September 1940.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35962 |date=30 March 1943 |page=1511 |supp=y}}</ref>{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=70}}<ref name="Generals of World War II"/>

During the [[Battle of Gazala]] in June Briggs narrowly avoided capture when his tactical HQ was overrun. His division took heavy casualties in the unsuccessful ''Operation Aberdeen'' and was forced to withdraw from Knightsbridge and El Adem to [[Sallum|Sollum]] on the Egypt - Libyan border to reform. The division was at [[Mersa Matruh]] involved in the delaying action as Eighth Army withdrew to [[El Alamein]] and again was severely mauled. The division's 29th Infantry Brigade was overrun and destroyed at Fuka, east of Mersa Matruh, but the two remaining depleted brigades were able to make it back to Alamein.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=70−71}}

At Alamein the division was reinforced with the [[161st Indian Infantry Brigade]] and took part in various engagements in July around the Ruweisat Ridge, part of the [[First Battle of El Alamein]].

During the [[Battle of Alam el Halfa]] in late August and early September the division was engaged on the Ruweisat Ridge but saw only relatively light action as the main Axis attack developed to the south. Briggs was [[mentioned in despatches]] for activities in the Middle East during the period May to October 1942.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36065 |date=22 June 1943 |page=2863 |supp=y}}</ref>

===Persia===
In the autumn of 1942 5th Indian Division was sent to Persia to form part of [[XXI Corps (United Kingdom)|XXI Corps]] within the [[Tenth Army (United Kingdom)|Tenth Army]]. The Tenth Army was in place to defend against the threat of a German breakthrough in the [[Caucasus]]. The Soviet victory at the [[Battle of Stalingrad]], however, made this only a very remote possibility and so Briggs, together with his division, was sent in June 1943 to India to join [[XV Corps (India)|Indian XV Corps]] then commanded by [[William Slim]], who was shortly to be promoted to command the [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|Fourteenth Army]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=71}} Briggs was [[mentioned in despatches]] in August 1943 for his service in Persia-Iraq.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36120 |date=3 August 1943 |page=3526 |supp=y}}</ref>

===Burma campaign===
In early 1944 Briggs was with Indian 5th Infantry Division in the [[Rakhine State|Arakan]] in [[Burma]]. XV Corps' offensive in January was held by the Japanese who went on the offensive in February, attempting to cut off 5th and [[7th Infantry Division (India)|7th Indian Infantry Division]]s. Briggs' 9 Indian Brigade, cut off but supplied by air, held off the Japanese during the [[Battle of the Admin Box]] and the two divisions were able to turn the tables on the Japanese and with the help of [[26th Infantry Division (India)|Indian 26th Infantry Division]] and [[36th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 36th Infantry Division]] to the north, inflict a heavy defeat on the Japanese.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=71}}

In March 1944 the bulk of Briggs' division was airlifted north to [[Imphal]] while 161st Indian Brigade was sent to [[Kohima]] to become heavily involved in the [[Battle of Kohima]]. At [[Battle of Imphal|Imphal]] the division was heavily involved in fighting from the end of March until late June when it made contact with [[2nd Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|British 2nd Infantry Division]] advancing from Kohima. Following this Briggs was rested and posted to administrative jobs in India, having been awarded a second bar to his DSO in May 1944.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=36518 |date=16 May 1944 |page=2270 |supp=y}}</ref> He was [[mentioned in despatches]] in April 1945<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37015|date=3 April 1945 |page=1819|supp=y}}</ref> and appointed as a [[Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] in May 1945 for services in Burma.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37151 |date=26 June 1945 |page=3373 |supp=y}}</ref>{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=72}}

Having commanded a division since May 1942 as an acting major general, Briggs was only promoted substantive major general in July 1945, after he had relinquished command. Unusually, he never held the substantive rank of brigadier, being promoted from colonel directly to major general.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37294 |date=2 October 1945 |page=4890 |supp=y}}</ref>

==Post War and retirement==
He was appointed lieutenant-general in 1946 when he became Commander in Chief, [[Burma Command]] and retired in January 1948 to live in [[Cyprus]] having been made [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]] in August 1948.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38161 |date=30 December 1947 |page=8 |supp=y}}</ref> Although only a substantive major general on retirement, he was given the honorary rank of lieutenant general in July 1948.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38383 |date=17 August 1948 |page=4619 }}</ref>{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=72}}

==Malaya==
In 1950, Briggs was recalled to active duty by Slim, who was by that time [[Chief of the Imperial General Staff]] (CIGS), to become Director of Operations in [[Federation of Malaya|Malaya]] where the [[Malayan Emergency]] was in progress. The implementation of the [[Briggs Plan]] is considered an important factor in the authorities' victory over the [[Malayan Communist Party]] rebels.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=72}} The Briggs Plan called for the creation of a type of internment camps known as a [[New village]] and for many of these villages to hold populations of largely ethnic [[Malaysian Chinese]] villagers against their will. This was done with the intention of cutting off contact between the civilian population and the communist guerrillas which lived in the rural areas of Malaya.{{cn|date=December 2022}}

In 1951, Briggs once again retired to Cyprus but, his health destroyed by his period in Malaya, he died in 1952. The role of Director of Operations in Malaya was assumed by [[Gerald Templer|Sir Gerald Templer]] who oversaw the successful implementation of Briggs' plan.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=72}}

==Summary of military career==
* Commissioned into [[King's Regiment (Liverpool)|Kings (Liverpool) Regiment]], France - 1915
* Transferred to 31st Punjabis, Mesopotamia - 1916
* Transferred to 1st Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment - 1923
* Commanding Officer 2nd Battalion, 10th Baluch Regiment - 1937 to 1940
* Commander 7th (Poona) Brigade, 4th Indian Infantry Division, North Africa, East Africa - 1940 to 1942
* GOC 5th Indian Infantry Division, North Africa, Iraq, Burma - 1942 to 1944
* GOC-in-C Burma Command - 1946 to 1948
* Director of Operations, Malaya - 1950 to 1951

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

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book| first=Antony| last=Brett-James| author-link = Antony Brett-James | title=Ball of fire - The Fifth Indian Division in the Second World War| url=http://ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fireTC.html#TC| publisher=[[Gale & Polden]]| location=Aldershot, UK| year=1951| access-date=4 December 2007| archive-date=27 March 2020| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327021347/http://www.ourstory.info/library/4-ww2/Ball/fireTC.html#TC| url-status=dead}}
* {{cite journal| url=http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KNN/is_32/ai_105853016| last=Hamby| first=Major Joel E.| title=Civil-military operations: joint doctrine and the Malayan Emergency| journal=Joint Force Quarterly| issue=Autumn 2002| year=2002| access-date=2 December 2007| format=Reprint| publisher=National Defense University Press| archive-date=9 July 2012| archive-url=https://archive.today/20120709093155/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0KNN/is_32/ai_105853016/| url-status=dead}}
* {{Cite book| first=Richard| last=Mead| title=Churchill's Lions: A Biographical Guide to the Key British Generals of World War II| year=2007| publisher=Spellmount| location=Stroud (UK)| isbn=978-1-86227-431-0| page=544 pages}}
* {{cite book|last=Slim| first=Field Marshal Viscount| author-link=William Slim| title=Defeat into Victory|publisher=Cassell| location=London| isbn=0-304-29114-5| year=1972| orig-year=1956}}
* {{Cite book|title=Biographical Dictionary of British Generals of the Second World War| first=Nick| last=Smart| location=Barnsley, U.K.| publisher=Pen & Sword Military| year=2005| isbn=1-84415-049-6}}

==External links==
*[https://generals.dk/general/Briggs/Harold_Rawdon/Great_Britain.html Generals of World War II]
* [http://www.unithistories.com/officers/IndianArmy_officers_B01.html#Briggs_HR Indian Army Officers 1939-1945]

{{s-start}}
{{s-mil}}
{{s-bef|before=[[Mosley Mayne]]}}
{{s-ttl|title=[[5th Infantry Division (India)|GOC 5th Indian Infantry Division]]|years=1942–1944}}
{{s-aft|after=[[Geoffrey Charles Evans|Geoffrey Evans]]}}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Briggs, Harold Rawdon}}
[[Category:1894 births]]
[[Category:1952 deaths]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of the Malayan Emergency]]
[[Category:British Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Companions of the Distinguished Service Order]]
[[Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst]]
[[Category:Indian Army generals of World War II]]
[[Category:British Indian Army generals]]
[[Category:King's Regiment (Liverpool) officers]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the British Empire]]
[[Category:Knights Commander of the Order of the Indian Empire]]
[[Category:People educated at Bedford School]]
[[Category:Indian Army personnel of World War I]]
[[Category:Graduates of the Staff College, Quetta]]
[[Category:People from Pipestone, Minnesota]]
[[Category:American emigrants to England]]
[[Category:Naturalised citizens of the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:American people of English descent]]
[[Category:Malayan Emergency]]
[[Category:Military personnel from Minnesota]]

Harold Rawdon Briggs - Revision history

Bot at 00:50, 16 December 2022