Brian Kimmins

Military career

Born in North London, Kimmins was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1917 during the latter phases of World War I.

After the War he served in India and Egypt and became Aide-de-Camp to the High Commissioner for Egypt and the Sudan in 1928. He became Adjutant at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich in 1930 and Brigade Major for 147 Infantry Brigade in 1935.

He served in World War II initially as a General Staff Officer with the British Expeditionary Force in France before becoming an Instructor at the Staff College, Camberley in 1940. He was appointed Deputy Director of Military Training at the War Office in 1941 and became a Brigadier on the General Staff of Southern Command in 1942. He became Commander Royal Artillery for the Guards Armoured Division in 1943 and Director of Plans for South East Asia Command in 1944. He was finally Assistant Chief of Staff at the Headquarters of the Supreme Allied Commander South East Asia in 1945.

After the Second World War he became Chief of Staff at Headquarters Combined Operations in 1946 and Director of Quartering at the War Office in 1947. He was appointed General Officer Commanding Home Counties District and GOC 44th (Home Counties) Infantry Division in 1950 and Director of the Territorial Army and Cadets in 1952. His last appointment was as General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland District in 1955; at around the same time an Irish Republican Army border campaign was underway.

Kimmins retired in 1958. He died at the Somerset Nuffield Hospital in Taunton on 15 November 1979, leaving a wife and three children.