Tim Massy-Beresford

Brigadier Tristram Hugh "Tim" Massy-Beresford, (10 April 1896 – 21 July 1987) was a British Army officer who fought in the Second World War. He created "Massy Force", an unorthodox military unit to fight against the Japanese prior to the Fall of Singapore and to conduct a guerrilla campaign afterwards; he also led the funeral procession at the funeral of King George V.

Military career Massy-Beresford was educated at Eton College before entering the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, from which he was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own). He served in France during the First World War, but was wounded badly in 1915 and was not able to rejoin his regiment until 1918; he earned a Military Cross, but was wounded again when a bullet passed through his chest, killing the man behind.

After the end of the war, Massy-Beresford was posted to the Dardanelles during the Chanak Crisis, a confrontation between Britain and Turkey in 1920. Afterwards, he was posted to the North-West Frontier (the border between British India and Afghanistan). In 1935, Massy-Beresford led the funeral procession of King George V, marching alone, ahead of the main column. He went on to serve at the Royal Military College of Canada, before returning to Britain early in the Second World War. He was promoted to permanent brigadier in June 1948, and served as aide-de-camp to King George VI in 1948, and retired in 1949.