Christopher Woolner

Major-General Christopher Geoffrey Woolner, (18 October 1893 – 10 January 1984) was a senior British Army officer who served in the First World War and Second World War.

Military service Born on 18 October 1893 in Kensington, London, England, Christopher Woolner was educated at Marlborough College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Royal Engineers on 21 December 1912. Among his fellow graduates were Ivor Thomas, William Morgan, Douglas McConnel and William Mirrlees, all future generals.

He first saw active service in the First World War, which began in August 1914, on the Western Front. Over the course of the war he was mentioned in despatches twice, wounded once and received the Military Cross and two Bars for gallantry and leadership. The citation for his MC reads:

From October 1917 to July 1918 Woolner, promoted on 4 December 1914 to lieutenant, was Commanding Officer (CO) of the 64th Field Company, Royal Engineers. He was promoted to the acting rank of major general on 30 November 1940. His major general's rank was made permanent on 1 October 1941. From 1941 to 1943, he was General Officer Commanding (GOC) Sierra Leone & Gambia and in June 1942 was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1942. Between March and August 1943 he served as GOC of the 81st (West Africa) Division. He then served as commander of the West Midlands District in the United Kingdom until the end of the war.

In 1947, Woolner was GOC 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division until his retirement in November 1947 with the rank of major general.