Michael Forrester
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Born | 31 August 1917 Portsmouth, Hampshire, England |
Died | 15 October 2006 (aged 89) Alton, Hampshire, England |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service/ | ![]() |
Years of service | 1938−1970 |
Rank | Major-General |
Service number | 69349 |
Unit | Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) Parachute Regiment |
Commands held | 1/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment 16th Parachute Brigade Group 4th Division |
Battles/wars | Arab revolt in Palestine World War II Mau Mau Uprising |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order & Bar Military Cross & Bar Mentioned in dispatches |
Major-General Michael Forrester CB CBE DSO & Bar MC & Bar (31 August 1917 – 15 October 2006) was a British Army officer who served with distinction in World War II and later commanded the 4th Division.
Educated at Haileybury,[1] Forrester was commissioned into the Queen's Royal Regiment (West Surrey) in 1938[2] and, serving with the 2nd Battalion of his regiment, then commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Robert Ross, took part in the response to the Arab revolt in Palestine in 1939.[1]
He served in World War IIinGreece and in the Western Desert before becoming Commanding Officer of the 1/6th Battalion, Queen's Royal Regiment in 1943; in that role he secured the key bridge at ScafatiinItaly and then took part in the Normandy landings before being wounded there in October 1944.[1]
He was appointed CO of the 2nd Battalion, Parachute Regiment and served in Cyprus and Egypt during 1951 and 1952.[2] He was made Director of Staff at the Staff College, Camberley in 1953, a General Staff Officer at General Headquarters East Africa in 1955 during the Mau Mau Uprising[1] and Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion, Parachute Regiment in 1957.[2] He went on to be Colonel, Military Operations at the War Office in 1960, Commander of 16th Parachute Brigade Group in 1961 and General Officer Commanding 4th DivisioninGermany in 1965.[2] His last appointment was as Director of Infantry at the Ministry of Defence in 1968 before he retired in 1970.[2]
In 1947 he married Pauline Fisher (the marriage was dissolved in 1960); they had two sons.[1]
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by | GOC 4th Division 1965−1967 |
Succeeded by |