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Harry Willans

1892 – 1943

British Army general

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About Harry Willans

Lived 1892 – 1943 (aged 50). Harry Willans was a British military personnel.

Major-General Harry Willans (1892 – 5 February 1943) was a British Army officer.

Military career Born the son of James and Henrietta Willans and educated at Aldenham School, Willans was commissioned into the Bedfordshire Regiment on 23 May 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross in January 1917 and appointed a companion of the Distinguished Service Order in June 1918.

He became commanding officer of the Artists Rifles in 1933, commander of the 168th (2nd London) Infantry Brigade in May 1938 and General Officer Commanding (GOC) 47th (London) Infantry Division in August 1939. With this assignment came the rank of major general. He went on to be Director-General of Welfare and Education at the War Office in December 1940.

He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1943 New Year Honours.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Education
Aldenham School
Awards
Distinguished Service Order; Military Cross; Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Companion of the Order of the Bath; Territorial Decoration; Mentioned in dispatches

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Harry Willans's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Harry Willans?

British Army general

When was Harry Willans born?

Harry Willans was born on 30 December 1892 in Bedford.

When did Harry Willans die?

Harry Willans died on 5 February 1943 in Tobruk.

What was Harry Willans's occupation?

Harry Willans was a military personnel.

What nationality was Harry Willans?

Harry Willans was British.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Harry Willans

· Wikidata: Q12790782

· DBpedia: Harry Willans

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Harry Willans. https://biography.guide/harry-willans/

MLA: "Harry Willans." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/harry-willans/.

Chicago: "Harry Willans." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/harry-willans/.

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