Richard Howard-Vyse

Major-General Sir Richard Granville Hylton Howard-Vyse, (27 June 1883 – 5 December 1962) was a cavalry officer in the British Army.

Howard-Vyse served in the First World War commanding the 10th Cavalry Brigade, and in the Second World War as the Head of British Military Mission to French High Command from 1939 to 1940. He was invested as a Knight Commander Order of St Michael and St George and awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He also held the office of Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire, and was a Justice of the Peace.

Early life Richard Granville Hylton Howard-Vyse was born on 27 June 1883, the son of Howard Henry Howard-Vyse and Mabel Diana Howard-Vyse of Stoke Poges Buckinghamshire. He had two siblings, George Cecil Howard-Vyse died, and Lilly Eleanor Howard-Vyse.

Military career Howard-Vyse was commissioned as a second-lieutenant in the Royal Horse Guards in December 1902. Five years later, in 1907, he was a lieutenant and made regimental adjutant in September that year. In March the following year he relinquished being adjutant, and in April was promoted to captain.

Howard-Vyse attended the British Army's Staff College, Camberley, from January 1911. After Staff College he became a brigade major for the 5th Cavalry Brigade, still ranked as a captain, in May 1914. By July 1915 he was a General Staff officer 2nd Grade, still with the 5th Cavalry Brigade.

In 1917, following a request from General Sir Edmund Allenby, Howard-Vyse was sent to the Middle East as the Chief Staff Officer for the Desert Mounted Corps, with the brevet rank of lieutenant colonel and the temporary rank of brigadier general. Then in July 1918 he assumed the command of the 10th Cavalry Brigade. until 11 August 1934 when he relinquished the assignment. While serving in this role, he was promoted to major general on 10 November 1933. Upon ceasing to be employed, he was placed on half-pay.

He was then made the chief of staff to Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester for his tour of Australia, being awarded a knighthood.

Later career Howard-Vyse retired from the army in 1935, He became the Honorary Colonel of the 99th (Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Yeomanry) Field Regiment, Royal Artillery from 1938. He was recalled to military service, with a special appointment, in August 1939, becoming the head of British Military Mission to the French High Command On 14 June 1940, Howard-Vyse was told by General Sir Alan Brooke to fly home to London to explain to John Dill (CIGS) that the proposed Brittany Defence Scheme (Redoubt) was quite impossible, and all British troops should be evacuated from France as quickly as possible. Later that day at Le Mans (the Lines of Communications Headquarters) Brooke had a difficult phone call from Dill and then Churchill before Churchill agreed.

In June 1950 Howard-Vyse was removed from the reserve list by reason of age, and became the honorary colonel of the Royal Horse Guards in July 1951. As such, for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II he was the Gold Stick in Waiting. Sir Richard Granville Hylton Howard-Vyse died on 5 December 1962.