Years of service 1915 - 1957 Rank Lieutenant-general Name Colin Callander Allegiance United Kingdom | Role British Army Officer Service/branch British Army | |
Born 13 March 1897
Ilminster, Somerset, England ( 1897-03-13 ) Commands held 4th Division
2nd Division Battles/wars World War I
World War II Died 1979, Ashford, United Kingdom Awards Order of the Bath, Order of the British Empire, Military Cross | ||
Battles and wars World War I, World War II | ||
Lieutenant-General Sir Colin Bishop Callander KCB KBE MC (13 March 1897 – 1979) was a senior British Army officer who went on to be Military Secretary.
Military career
Educated at Ilminster Grammar School, Callander was commissioned into the Royal Munster Fusiliers in 1915 during the First World War. He transferred to Leicestershire Regiment in 1922 and went to the North West Frontier in India in 1938. He served during the Second World War. During this time, he commanded the 76th Infantry Division, before being assigned General Officer Commanding 4th Division in Greece in December 1944. In 1945 he took the unconditional surrender at Knossos of German Forces serving in Crete under General Benthag.
He became General Officer Commanding 2nd Division in the British Army of the Rhine in 1949 and Director General of Military Training at the War Office in 1948. He was appointed Military Secretary in 1954 and retired in 1957. From 1954 to 1963 he was Colonel of the Royal Leicestershire Regiment.