Robert Urquhart (General)

Robert Elliott "Roy" Urquhart , CB , DSO ( November 28, 1901 - December 13, 1988 ) was a British general. Urquhart was best known as the commander of the British 1st Airborne Division during Operation Market Garden , for his achievements during this operation he was awarded the Dutch Bronze Lion , among other things .

Life

Urquhart outside UK Headquarters during Operation Market Garden

Urquhart was trained at St. Pauls and the Royal Sandhurst Military Academy and then assigned to the Highland Light Infantry. He remained stationed in India with his regiment until 1940 . From 1941 to 1943 he commanded the 2nd Battalion the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry of the 51st (Highland) Division , which was stationed in North Africa . He also acted as their chief of staff. After being promoted to brigadier, he commanded the 231st Brigade of the division.

Urquhart was Brigadier General Staff (roughly equivalent to a Chief of Staff ) in the XII Corps of the British Armed Forces until he was given command of the 1st Airborne Division in 1944 . The division's previous commander, Major General George F. Hopkinson , had died in Operation Slapstick in Italy in 1943 ; his successor, Brigadier Ernest "Eric" Down , temporarily led the 1st Airborne Division and took command of the 9th Indian Airborne Division in 1944.

Ironically, Urquhart was prone to air sickness and for that reason had never taken command of an airborne unit. His first leap into battle took him to the Battle of Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden . After the 1st Airborne Division lost three quarters of its soldiers in the Battle of Arnhem , it was no longer used in World War II . Urquhart, who was still active in many staffs, retired from active service in 1955.

Others

In the film The Bridge at Arnhem , Urquhart was played by Sean Connery .

Web links

• Literature by and about Robert Urquhart in the catalog of the German National Library
• detailed biography ( English )