Noel Irwin was instrumental in some reforms to the training and equipment of British soldiers after the defeat in France in 1940, intended to meet the demands of modern warfare.
14 Facts About Noel Irwin
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Noel Irwin was the eldest son of William Stuart Irwin of Motihari, Bihar and Orissa, India.
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Noel Irwin was educated at Marlborough College, before entry into the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.
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Noel Irwin was married twice; first in 1918 to Margaret Maud Bavin who died in 1963, and in 1966 to Mrs Elizabeth Collier.
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Noel Irwin was again made an acting lieutenant colonel on 23 August 1917.
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Noel Irwin was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 6 April 1918, and again temporary lieutenant colonel on 1 July 1918.
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Noel Irwin was awarded the Military Cross on 3 July 1915, the Distinguished Service Order on 1 January 1918 with two bars, awarded respectively on 24 September 1918 and 11 January 1919, and was four times mentioned in despatches, on 1 January 1916, on 22 May 1917,21 December 1917, and 28 December 1918, in addition to the French Croix de guerre in November 1918.
8.
Noel Irwin later attended the Staff College, Camberley as a student from 1924 to 1925, his fellow students including Reade Godwin-Austen, Ivor Thomas, Douglas Graham, Noel Beresford-Peirse, Humfrey Gale, Archibald Nye and Willoughby Norrie, Daril Watson, Vyvyan Pope, Thomas Riddell-Webster and Otto Lund.
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At the start of the Second World War in September 1939, Noel Irwin, promoted to temporary brigadier on 15 March 1939, headed the 6th Infantry Brigade, part of the 2nd Division.
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On 7 November 1941 Noel Irwin, promoted to the acting rank of lieutenant-general, commanded the XI Corps, which was based in East Anglia and had substantial responsibilities for the defence of Britain in the event of a German invasion.
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Noel Irwin was transferred to the Middle East in 1942, to command of the IV Corps in Iraq.
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Noel Irwin became General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Eastern Army, India in July 1942.
13.
On 6 April 1943, Noel Irwin gave a press conference in which he criticised the equipment, training and motivation of the Allied armies in India.
14.
Noel Irwin was Mentioned in Despatches four times but significantly, he never received a knighthood, which would normally be expected for an officer of substantive lieutenant general rank.