Basil Eugster
General Sir Basil Oscar Paul Eugster, KCB, KCVO, CBE, DSO, MC & Bar (15 August 1914 – 5 April 1984) was a senior British Army officer who served as Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1972 to 1974.
Sir Basil Oscar Paul Eugster | |
|---|---|
| Born | 15 August 1914 |
| Died | 5 April 1984 (aged 69) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | British Army |
| Years of service | 1935–1974 |
| Rank | General |
| Service number | 65413 |
| Unit | Irish Guards |
| Commands held | UK Land Forces Southern Command British Forces in Hong Kong London District 4th Division 3rd Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion Irish Guards 3rd Battalion Irish Guards |
| Battles/wars | Arab revolt in Palestine Second World War |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross & Bar Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star (Austria) |
Army career
A British soldier of Swiss descent,[1] Basil Oscar Paul Eugster attended Beaumont College.[2] In 1935 he joined the Irish Guards.[3] He served with his regiment through the Second World War and fought in the Narvik Campaign in Norway in 1940.[3] He was commanding officer of the 3rd Battalion Irish Guards in 1945, and again in 1947, and of the 1st Battalion Irish Guards from 1951 to 1954.[3]
Eugster served as commander of the 3rd Infantry Brigade in Cyprus from 1959 to 1962 and was then General Officer Commanding 4th Division in Germany from 1963 to 1965.[3] He went on to become Major-General commanding the Household Brigade and General Officer Commanding London District from 1965 to 1968 and Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong from 1968 to 1970.[3] In 1966, Eugster was awarded the Austrian Grand Decoration of Honour in Gold with Star.[4] He was then General Officer Commanding Southern Command from 1971 to 1972.[3] He served as the Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1972 to 1974 when he retired.[3]
Later career
Eugster was Colonel of the Regiment of the Irish Guards until his death in 1984, aged 69.[5]
References
- Beat de Fischer, 2000 Ans De Presence Suisse En Angleterre: L'etonnante epopee Des Suisses D'Outre-Manche, De L'epoque Romaine a La Communaute Europeenne
- "Sir Basil Oscar Paul Eugster". National Portrait Gallery. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
- Liddell Hart Centre for Military Archives
- "Reply to a parliamentary question" (PDF) (in German). p. 26. Retrieved 4 October 2012.
- Irish Guards: History