MCNEILL, Maj Gen John Malcolm (1909-1996)

Papers relating to McNeill's career, 1942-1946, notably on Army-Air collaboration, 1942-1945, including typescript 'Eighth Army training memorandum No 1' by Lt Gen Bernard Law Montgomery, General Officer Commanding 8 Army, Middle East Forces [1942]; typescript memorandum by McNeill 'Recommendations for reorganisation of AASC (Army-Air Support Control)', 1942; printed 'Middle East training pamphlet No 3B (Army and RAF). Direct air support', issued by General Headquarters, Middle East Forces and Headquarters, RAF, Middle East, 1943; typescript war diary of Detachment A, Air Support Control, 5 Corps, Italy, Mar-Jun 1944; typescript report produced by Headquarters 21 Army Group, British Liberation Army, North West Europe, entitled 'Notes on air support, June-October 1944', Nov 1944; typescript notes by McNeill entitled 'Offensive air support in the Burma campaign, 1944-1945'; two typescript draft chapters for a projected book entitled 'Air support in North Africa, Pantellaria, and Sicily, 1942-1943' and 'Air support in the Italian campaign, 1943-1945' [1946]; typescript account by Roy Smith entitled 'Air support in the desert: an account of the use of air forces in support of the Army from the Gazala battles in 1942 to the end in Tunisia', 1988.

Born 1909; educated at Imperial Service College, Windsor, Berkshire and Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; commissioned into the Royal Artillery, 1929; service in India with 47/27 Field Bde, Royal Artillery, 34/16 Field Bde, Royal Artillery and G Battery, Royal Horse Artillery, 1929-1936; Lt, 1932; Instructor, School of Signals, Catterick, North Yorkshire, 1936-1940; Capt, 1938; served in World War Two in Western Desert, Sicily, Italy, North West Europe and Burma, 1939-1945; graduated from Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, 1940; appointed General Staff Officer 1, No 1 Close Support Bomber Control, 1941; temporary Maj, 1941-1943; awarded MBE, 1942; served in General Headquarters 8 Army and Headquarters 18 Army Group and 15 Army Group, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy, 1943-1944; temporary Lt Col, 1943-1945; General Staff Officer 1 (Air), Headquarters 21 Army Group, North West Europe, 1944-1945; Col General Staff (Air), Headquarters South East Asia Command, 1945; Instructor, School of Air Supply, Old Sarum, Wiltshire, 1945-1948; Commanding Officer, 1 Regt Royal Horse Artillery, 1948-1951; substantive Lt Col, 1951; Imperial Defence College, 1952; Col, 1953; Secretary, Joint Planning Staff, Ministry of Defence, 1953-1954; Deputy Secretary, Chiefs of Staff Committee, Ministry of Defence, 1954-1955; temporary Brig, 1955-1957; Commander Royal Artillery, 2 Div, 1955-1958; Brig, 1957; Commandant, School of Artillery, Larkhill, Wiltshire, 1958-1960; Aide de Camp to HM Queen Elizabeth II, 1958-1960; awarded CBE, 1959; Commander, British Army Staff, and Military Attach, Washington DC, USA, 1960-1963; retired and awarded CB, 1963; Col Commandant Royal Artillery, 1964-1974; Principal Staff Officer to Secretary of State for Commonwealth Relations, 1964-1969; died 1996.

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Presented to the Centre by the family in 1992.

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