1. Early Life and Education
Richard Nelson Gale's early life and education laid the foundation for his distinguished military career, despite initial challenges in meeting the academic requirements for officer training.
1.1. Childhood and Education
Richard Nelson Gale was born on 25 June 1896 in London, England. His father, Wilfred Gale, was a merchant from Kingston upon Hull, and his mother, Helen Webber Ann, was the daughter of Joseph Nelson from Townsville, Queensland, Australia. Due to his father's employment in insurance, Gale spent his early years in Australia and New Zealand. The family returned to England in 1906.
Gale received his education at Merchant Taylors' School, Northwood, a foundation school associated with the City of London. While his academic record was average, he developed into a prolific reader. He continued his education at Aldenham School in Hertfordshire and also spent time as a boarder at King Edward VI School, Stratford-upon-Avon.
1.2. Early Career
Upon leaving Aldenham, Gale aspired to become an officer in the Royal Artillery within the British Army. However, he initially lacked the necessary academic qualifications and physical standards for entry into the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Following in his father's footsteps, Gale took up employment as an insurance agent, a profession he quickly grew to dislike. Determined to join the British Army, he dedicated himself to regular physical training and rigorous study to improve his academic performance.
2. Military Career
Gale's extensive military career spanned both World Wars and the post-war period, showcasing his adaptability and leadership in various commands, particularly in the development of airborne forces.
2.1. First World War
When the First World War erupted in August 1914, Gale, having just turned 18, was initially unable to join a Territorial Force unit in London due to failing the required medical standards for recruits. He eventually gained entry to the Royal Military College, Sandhurst in the summer of 1915 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Worcestershire Regiment on 22 December, which he described as "the regiment of my choice."
Upon joining the regiment, Gale volunteered for a machine gun training course and was accepted, leading to his transfer to the Machine Gun Training Centre in Grantham, Lincolnshire. He later recounted that he had been sent not on a course but to a corps, marking the beginning of his secondment to the renowned Machine Gun Corps (MGC), with which he served until its disbandment in 1922. Appointed to the MGC on 13 March 1916, he was swiftly posted to the Western Front.
In the summer of 1916, Gale was assigned to the 164th Machine Gun Company, which supported the 164th (North Lancashire) Brigade of the 55th (West Lancashire) Division, a first-line formation of the Territorial Force. With his company, he participated in the brutal Battle of the Somme and later served in the Ypres Salient towards the end of the year. He was promoted to the temporary rank of lieutenant on 1 November 1916, and to the substantive rank on 1 July 1917. Gale was involved in the Capture of Wytschaete in June 1917, but missed the Passchendaele offensive as he was suffering from mental and physical exhaustion, and was sent to England on leave, where he was diagnosed with pyorrhoea.
He returned to service in January 1918, joining the 126th Machine Gun Company of the 126th (East Lancashire) Brigade, part of the 42nd (East Lancashire) Division. Among his fellow officers in this new company was Major Edwin Flavell, who would later serve with Gale again. On 23 February, the company merged into the 42nd Battalion, MGC. It was during his service as a subaltern in France that he earned the Military Cross (MC). During the German spring offensive launched by the German Army in mid-March 1918, Gale was awarded his MC for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty." The citation highlighted his actions in covering the infantry's retirement with his machine gun section, holding up the enemy attack and inflicting heavy casualties. It also noted that when a shell landed among gun limbers, he went out under heavy fire to unhitch killed and wounded horses, enabling the transport to move to cover. Soon promoted to captain, Gale continued to serve on the Western Front, participating in the Hundred Days Offensive until the war's end on 11 November 1918.
2.2. Inter-war Period
Following the end of the First World War in November 1918, Gale volunteered for service in India in 1919, where he joined the 12th Battalion, MGC. Here, Captain John Harding, who would also achieve the highest ranks in the army, was a fellow subaltern. In 1922, with the disbandment of the MGC, Gale reverted to serving with the Worcestershire Regiment, first with its 3rd Battalion, which was also subsequently disbanded, and then transferring to the Machine Gun School in India. In 1924, he married Ethel Maude Larnack Keene. By 1928, he had joined the 1st Battalion, Worcesters.
During his time in India, Gale gained entry to the Staff College at Quetta, attending from 1930 to 1931. After two years at the institution, he graduated as a staff officer. Promotion prospects during the interwar years were limited, and despite consistently receiving above-average grades in his annual reports, he remained a subaltern for fifteen years until his promotion to the rank of captain in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry (DCLI) on 26 February 1930.
In February 1932, Gale was seconded for service as a General Staff Officer Grade 3 (GSO3) in India. He was appointed a brigade major on 1 January 1934. Gale left India in January 1936 and returned to England to serve with the DCLI, receiving a brevet promotion to major on 1 July. In February 1937, he was transferred to the War Office as a GSO2, where he was responsible for the creation of training pamphlets and publications. He transferred to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 13 October. By December 1938, he was promoted to major and moved to the Staff Duties (Planning) section of the General Staff at the War Office.
2.3. Second World War
Gale's service during the Second World War was marked by his crucial involvement in the establishment and operational deployment of British airborne forces, playing a key role in major Allied campaigns.
2.3.1. Formation and Command of 1st Parachute Brigade
By December 1940, Gale, who had not seen service with the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France and Belgium, had been promoted to the acting rank of lieutenant-colonel. Seeking a field command, he was given command of the 2/5th Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment. This was a second-line Territorial Army (TA) unit, part of Brigadier Gerard Bucknall's 138th Infantry Brigade, which in turn was part of the 46th Infantry Division, then commanded by Major-General Charles Hudson. The battalion, along with the rest of the division, was stationed in Scotland, undergoing reorganization after suffering heavy casualties in France, before moving to East Anglia in January 1941.
In the summer of 1941, the 1st Parachute Brigade was formed as part of the expansion of the British Army's newly created airborne forces. Gale was offered command of the brigade by General Sir Alan Brooke, then Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces and soon to be Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS), who was impressed by the high morale and standards within Gale's battalion; Gale accepted the command. In late October, the 1st Airlanding Brigade, under Brigadier George Hopkinson, along with Gale's 1st Parachute Brigade, were assigned to the newly established 1st Airborne Division, whose first General Officer Commanding (GOC) was Major-General Frederick "Boy" Browning.
February 1942 saw Operation Biting, also known as the Bruneval Raid, take place. Major John Frost's 'C' Company of the 2nd Parachute Battalion, part of Gale's 1st Parachute Brigade, was selected to participate. Gale himself described the raid as "a model of a combined operation on a minor scale," which proved highly successful in achieving its objective: seizing equipment from a German radar station in France, despite some casualties. Frost would later famously command the battalion during the Battle of Arnhem as part of Operation Market Garden in September 1944.
The subsequent months were dedicated to organizing the brigade, selecting officers, and developing new training schemes. Gale articulated his philosophy for the brigade, emphasizing the unique characteristics of parachute soldiers: their volunteer status, their need to overcome fear with every jump, and their reliance on personal skill and limited resources upon landing. He stressed that airborne soldiers operate without immediate artillery or tank support, potentially alone or injured, making their battle inherently personal. Gale believed that this experience instilled something in them that they never lost. He sought the best officers for this "splendid material," prioritizing initiative as the most crucial quality. He tested this by posing scenarios where officers had to act decisively without relying on superiors, stressing that in airborne operations, action was paramount.
In April 1942, Gale, by then a war-substantive lieutenant-colonel, was ordered to hand over his brigade to Edwin Flavell, his former company commander from over twenty years prior. Much to his displeasure, he was posted back to the War Office as Deputy Director of Staff Duties (DDSD), and subsequently promoted to Director of Air. In this role, Gale was tasked with formulating a clear policy for the use of airborne forces between the army and the Royal Air Force (RAF), and addressing the persistent aircraft shortages that hindered further airborne operations. This period was marked by significant rivalry between the two services, as the RAF, convinced that large-scale bombing would win the conflict, was reluctant to transfer aircraft for army airborne use.
2.3.2. Command of 6th Airborne Division
In May 1943, Gale was promoted to the acting rank of major-general and assumed command as GOC of the newly formed 6th Airborne Division. Gale had just under a year to organize and train the division before its scheduled participation in Operation Tonga, the codename for the British airborne landings in Normandy, in June 1944. The division was initially understrength, as trained British airborne troops had been transferred to North Africa and the Allied invasion of Sicily to replace the heavy losses sustained by the 1st Airborne Division (then commanded by Hopkinson, who had succeeded Browning). However, the 6th Airborne Division was soon reinforced with the arrival of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, which joined the 3rd Parachute Brigade under Brigadier James Hill. Additionally, the 5th Parachute Brigade, under Brigadier Nigel Poett, and the 6th Airlanding Brigade, under Brigadier Hugh Kindersley, were formed. No British airborne division had ever been deployed into battle entirely through aerial means, and the task of devising plans and formulating tactics for such an operation placed immense pressure on Gale.
2.3.3. Operation Tonga and the Normandy Campaign
Gale's meticulous planning and thorough training proved successful when the 6th Airborne Division landed in Normandy in June 1944. For his crucial role in planning and executing Operation Tonga, Gale was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 29 August 1944. Earlier, in May, he had been promoted to colonel (war-substantive) and also to the temporary rank of major-general.
The plan for the Allied invasion of Normandy involved five Allied divisions (two US, two British, and one Canadian) landing on designated beaches between Varreville in the west, on the Cotentin Peninsula, and Ouistreham, by the mouth of the river Orne, in the east. Airborne troops were tasked with securing each flank of the beachhead. The US 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions were to land on the western flank, while the British 6th Airborne Division, under Gale, was assigned to the eastern flank. The 6th Airborne Division's specific objectives included capturing several bridges over the river Orne and the Caen Canal and holding the surrounding areas, destroying bridges over the river Dives, and neutralizing the formidable Merville Gun Battery near the coast.
Shortly after midnight on 6 June 1944, known as D-Day, men of Major John Howard's 'D' Company of the 2nd Battalion, Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry (2 OBLI), a glider infantry unit forming part of the 6th Airlanding Brigade, landed by glider and successfully captured the Caen Canal and Orne River bridges (now famously known as Pegasus Bridge and Horsa Bridge) through a swift coup de main operation, achieving this with light casualties. The two parachute brigades, the 3rd and 5th, landed soon after, largely on their intended drop zones, although some paratroopers landed in the flooded countryside. The Merville Gun Battery also fell, albeit with heavy losses to Lieutenant-Colonel Jock Pearson's 8th Parachute Battalion. At dawn, Gale himself landed in Normandy by a glider piloted by Billy Griffith. By midday on D-Day, elements of Brigadier Lord Lovat's 1st Special Service Brigade had landed at Sword Beach, followed by the British 3rd Infantry Division, and began to relieve the airborne troops at the bridges. The arrival of the remainder of the 6th Airlanding Brigade in the evening, during Operation Mallard, completed the 6th Airborne Division's concentration in Normandy.
The following week saw the 6th Airborne Division, serving as part of Lieutenant-General John Crocker's I Corps, engaged in almost constant fighting, particularly at Bréville, in an effort to prevent the Germans from driving the Allies back into the sea. After mid-June, when German counterattacks ceased, the division, reinforced by the 1st and 4th Special Service Brigades, spent the next two months in a static defensive role, holding a front of 9.00 K yd southward from the sea. In mid-August, as the situation in Normandy turned against the Germans, forcing their withdrawal to Falaise, the division was ordered to go on the offensive. It pursued the Germans to the Seine, advancing some 45 mile in nine days, capturing 400 mile2 of enemy territory and taking over 1,000 prisoners. This was achieved despite the belief of both Crocker, the corps commander, and Gale himself, that the division was poorly equipped for a rapid pursuit.
2.3.4. Later War Service
On 5 September, after almost exactly three months since landing in Normandy, the 6th Airborne Division was withdrawn from the front lines and returned to the United Kingdom for rest and recuperation, having sustained nearly 4,500 casualties. Soon after the 6th Airborne Division's return to England, its sister formation, the 1st Airborne Division, then under Major-General Roy Urquhart, participated in the highly ambitious Operation Market Garden, which Gale believed was destined to fail from the outset.
In December, Gale handed over command of the division to Major-General Eric Bols, formerly an infantry brigade commander, who would soon lead the division in a ground role during the Battle of the Bulge. Gale was then appointed to the headquarters of the First Allied Airborne Army (FAAAA), becoming deputy to the American commander, Lieutenant General Lewis H. Brereton. Planning then commenced for Operation Varsity, the airborne landings designed to support Operation Plunder, the Allied crossing of the river Rhine. The operation was carried out in late March 1945 by the US XVIII Airborne Corps, under Major General Matthew Ridgway, with the British 6th and US 17th Airborne Divisions participating. Despite the operation's success-Gale called it "the most successful of all airborne operations"-both divisions suffered very heavy casualties, and the necessity of the entire operation was questioned both at the time and in later analyses.
In the final months of the war in Europe, Gale was given command of I Airborne Corps. He was promoted to the permanent rank of major-general on 7 January 1945, and received the acting rank of lieutenant-general from 24 May. In July, after Victory in Europe Day (VE-Day), Gale, along with the corps headquarters, was sent to India, where the Japanese forces were still engaged in fighting. In India, Gale took elements of his old 6th Airborne Division, still led by Bols, under his command, alongside the 44th Indian Airborne Division. Planning began for airborne operations in the Far East, particularly the recapturing of Bangkok. However, the surrender of Japan cancelled these plans, and after almost six years, the war finally came to an end.
2.4. Post-War Service
Gale's post-war career involved significant commands and contributions to security and strategic planning in the early Cold War era.
2.4.1. Palestine and Egypt
On 4 December 1946, Gale was promoted to the substantive rank of lieutenant-general. In January 1946, shortly after I Airborne Corps was disbanded, Gale became GOC of the 1st Infantry Division, succeeding Major-General Charles Loewen. The division was then stationed in Egypt before being dispatched to Palestine in March, where tensions were escalating between the Jews and the Arabs. Gale commanded the division throughout the Palestine Emergency. His division, operating under British Forces in Palestine and Trans-Jordan, commanded by Lieutenant-General Sir Evelyn Barker (later replaced by Lieutenant-General Sir Gordon MacMillan), was responsible for northern Palestine, while his old 6th Airborne Division, then commanded by Major-General James Cassels, was responsible for southern Palestine. Gale relinquished command of the 1st Infantry Division to Major-General Horatius Murray in December 1947. In January 1948, he was appointed GOC British Troops in Egypt, succeeding Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Allfrey. In 1949, after handing over this command to Lieutenant-General George Erskine, he was transferred and became Director-General of Military Training.
2.4.2. NATO Service
Gale was promoted to general on 6 June 1952, eight years after his landing in Normandy. On 24 September, he was appointed Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C), Northern Army Group, Allied Land Forces Europe and British Army of the Rhine (BAOR), succeeding General Sir John Harding. He held this post until his initial retirement in 1957, in turn handing over BAOR to General Sir Dudley Ward.
Although he initially retired in 1957, Gale was recalled to service with NATO in September 1958. He replaced Field Marshal Sir Bernard Montgomery as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe. He served in this significant role for two years, retiring permanently in September 1960, and was succeeded by General Sir Hugh Stockwell. During the post-war years, Gale also held a number of ceremonial and non-military appointments. He served as aide-de-camp (general) to Queen Elizabeth II between 1954 and 1957, was Colonel of the Worcestershire Regiment between 1950 and 1961, and held the position of Colonel-Commandant of the Parachute Regiment between 1956 and 1967.
3. Military Thinking
Gale's strategic philosophy was profoundly shaped by his experiences in the First World War and his subsequent engagement with military theory, emphasizing mobility, surprise, and the quality of elite forces.
3.1. Influences on Military Thought
Gale's approach to military affairs was deeply rooted in his personal history and character. Described as a "tall, bluff, ruddy" individual with a reputation as "a bit of a buccaneer" but also possessing a "hectoring manner and a loud voice," Gale was among a generation of First World War veterans who challenged the military status quo that had led to the devastating losses on the Western Front. Events such as the immense casualties suffered in the Battle of the Somme in 1916 heavily influenced Gale's thinking, leading him to emerge from the war with a strong suspicion of operations predominantly reliant on firepower. Looking back, Gale vividly recalled the "wonderful panorama" of infantry successfully advancing using modern infiltration tactics on a clear day in the spring of 1918. This experience contributed significantly to his embrace of interwar manoeuvrist theorists during his time at the Staff College, Quetta in the early 1930s. Gale perceived a clear progression from the new infantry tactics of 1918 to the tanks and airborne forces of the 1940s, all of which, in his view, demonstrated the "fundamental necessity of mobility on the battlefield" and the critical importance of surprise at all levels of warfare.
3.2. Core Tenets
During the Second World War, Gale directly applied these principles to the development of airborne forces. He was a staunch advocate of shock manoeuvre executed by elite forces, stressing the importance of extensive training, the integration of the latest battlefield technologies, and strong personal leadership. For Gale, the quality of military forces was as crucial as their numerical strength. He drew additional lessons from the operations of his own 6th Airborne Division in Normandy, observing the disproportionate effect that surprise manoeuvre had on a "demoralised or unprepared enemy," in contrast to a "well-trained opposition." Later in his life, Gale extended his examination to the challenges of warfare in the nuclear age. Remaining an advocate of manoeuvre and high-quality forces, he emphasized the critical importance of achieving mobility and flexibility in the face of the Soviet threat. His ideas in this area, in many ways, foreshadowed the evolution of the AirLand battle doctrine of the 1980s.
4. Personal Life
4.1. Marriages
Richard Nelson Gale was married twice. In 1924, he married Ethel Maude Larnack Keene, who passed away in 1952. On 7 April 1953, he married his second wife, Daphne Mabelle Eveline, daughter of Francis Blick, of Stroud, Gloucestershire.
5. Death
5.1. Final Years and Death
General Sir Richard Nelson Gale died at his home in Kingston upon Thames on 29 July 1982, just four days after his 86th birthday. His widow, Daphne, later resided in a grace and favour apartment at Hampton Court Palace. She tragically died during a major fire at the palace in March 1986, which was caused by a lighted candle she habitually used in her bedroom at night. The fire necessitated an extensive restoration program for the palace, which was completed in 1990.
6. Honours and Awards
Throughout his distinguished career, Richard Nelson Gale received numerous military decorations and honours, recognizing his exceptional service and leadership.
6.1. Military Decorations
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) - 1954 (previously Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1953; Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 2 August 1945)
- Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) - 1950 (previously Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 11 July 1940)
- Distinguished Service Order (DSO) - 31 August 1944
- Military Cross (MC) - 1918
- Mention in Despatches - 22 March 1945, 7 January 1949
- Commander of the Legion of Merit (USA) - 16 January 1948 (previously Officer on 20 June 1944)
- Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur (France) - 28 December 1956
- Croix de Guerre with Palm (France) - 28 December 1956
- Grand Officier de la Couronne (Belgium)
7. Publications
Richard Nelson Gale authored several notable books and writings, offering insights into his military experiences, strategic thinking, and historical analyses.
7.1. Books and Writings
- With the 6th Airborne Div in Normandy (Sampson Low, Marston & Co, London, 1948)
- Infantry in Modern Battle: Its Organization and Training (Canadian Army Journal 8, no. 1, 1955: 52-61)
- Generalship and the art of Command in this Nuclear Age (RUSI Journal 101, no. 603, 1956: 376-384)
- Call to arms. An autobiography (Hutchinson, London, 1968)
- Great battles of biblical history (Hutchinson, London, 1968)
- The Worcestershire Regiment, the 29th and 36th Regiments of foot (Leo Cooper, London, 1970)
- Kings at arms: The Use and Abuse of power in the Great Kingdoms of the East (Hutchinson, London, 1971)
8. Assessment and Legacy
Richard Nelson Gale's legacy is defined by his innovative military leadership, particularly in the realm of airborne warfare, and his enduring influence on modern military doctrine.
8.1. Military Leadership and Doctrine
Gale's effectiveness as a commander stemmed from his deep understanding of military strategy and his commitment to developing highly capable forces. His emphasis on manoeuvre, surprise, and the quality of elite units, coupled with rigorous training and strong personal leadership, proved instrumental in the success of the operations he commanded. His strategic ideas, shaped by the lessons of the First World War and refined through his experience with airborne forces, significantly influenced military doctrine, particularly in the areas of rapid deployment and independent operations.
8.2. Contribution to World War II
Gale's role in the Second World War was crucial, especially in the success of British airborne operations. His leadership in forming and training the 1st Parachute Brigade and, more significantly, the 6th Airborne Division, directly contributed to the Allied war effort. His meticulous planning for Operation Tonga and the subsequent D-Day landings ensured the vital capture of key objectives on the eastern flank of the Normandy beachhead, which was essential for securing the Allied invasion. His contributions were a testament to the effectiveness of airborne forces in modern warfare and played a significant part in the defense of democratic ideals against Axis aggression.
8.3. Post-War Influence
After the Second World War, Gale continued to exert influence on military strategy. His commands in Palestine and Egypt addressed complex post-colonial security challenges. His appointment as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander, Europe, within NATO underscored his importance in shaping Cold War defence strategies. Gale's continued advocacy for mobility, flexibility, and high-quality forces, even in the nuclear age, demonstrated a forward-thinking approach that resonated with later developments in military doctrine, such as the AirLand battle concept. His legacy endures through his writings and the lasting impact of his leadership on airborne warfare and broader military thought.