Allegiance United Kingdom Battles and wars World War II Battles/wars World War II Service/branch British Army | Name Ernest Down Rank Lieutenant-general Died 1980 | |
 | ||
Commands held 2nd Parachute Brigade
1st Airborne Division
9th Indian Airborne Division
44th Indian Airborne Division
2nd Indian Airborne Division
4th Infantry Division
British Troops in Greece
53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division
Southern Command Awards Order of the British Empire, Order of the Bath | ||
Lieutenant-General Sir Ernest Edward Down KBE CB (1902–1980) was a senior officer of the British Army, who saw active service during World War II.
Military career
Ernest Down was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Dorset Regiment in February 1923.
He served in the Second World War, being appointed Commander of the 2nd Parachute Brigade, then serving in North Africa in 1942. He went on to be General Officer Commanding (GOC) 1st Airborne Division, taking over from Major-General George F. Hopkinson who had been killed in action, in September 1943, in the early stages of the Allied invasion of Italy. He was then GOC of 9th Indian Airborne Division which itself became the 44th Indian Airborne Division in 1944 and GOC of 2nd Indian Airborne Division in 1945.
After the War he was appointed GOC of 4th Infantry Division in Greece before becoming GOC of all British Troops in Greece. Then in 1948 he became head of the British Military Mission to Greece. Returning to the United Kingdom he was appointed District Officer Commanding Mid-West District and GOC 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division in 1950 and GOC-in Chief of Southern Command in 1952, a post from which he retired in 1955.
He was also Colonel of the King's Shropshire Light Infantry from 1955 to 1957.