23 Facts About Percy Hobart

Percy Hobart was responsible for many of the specialised armoured vehicles that took part in the invasion of Normandy and later actions.

Percy Hobart's mother was born in County Tyrone and lived at Roughan Park, near Newmills, between Cookstown and Dungannon.

Percy Hobart married Robert Hobart in Tullaniskin Parish Church, Dungannon, on 7 October 1880.

Percy Hobart was educated at Temple Grove School and Clifton College, and in 1904 he graduated from the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich and was commissioned into the Royal Engineers.

Percy Hobart was first sent to India, but during the First World War he served in France and Mesopotamia.

Percy Hobart was appointed as an instructor at the Staff College, Quetta, in 1923 where he served until 1927.

In November 1928, Hobart married Dorothea Field, the daughter of Colonel C Field, Royal Marines.

In 1934, Percy Hobart became brigadier of the first permanent armoured brigade in Britain and Inspector, Royal Tank Corps.

Percy Hobart had to fight for resources for his command because the British Army was still dominated by conservative cavalry officers.

German General Heinz Guderian kept abreast of Percy Hobart's writings using, at his own expense, someone to translate all of Percy Hobart's articles being published in Britain.

In 1937, Percy Hobart was made Deputy Director of Staff Duties and later Director of Military Training.

In 1938, Percy Hobart was sent to form and train "Mobile Force " although a local general resisted his efforts.

Percy Hobart joined the Local Defence Volunteers as a lance corporal and was charged with the defence of his home town, Chipping Campden.

Liddell Hart criticised the decision to retire Percy Hobart and wrote an article in the newspaper Sunday Pictorial.

Winston Churchill was notified and he had Percy Hobart recalled into the army over Chief of the Imperial General Staff Alan Brooke's objections in 1941.

Percy Hobart was assigned to train the 11th Armoured Division, a task which was recognised as extremely successfully achieved.

Percy Hobart's detractors tried again to have him removed, this time on medical grounds but Churchill rebuffed them.

Percy Hobart was relatively old for active command and he had been ill.

Once again, Percy Hobart was assigned to raise and train a fresh armoured division, this time the 79th Armoured Division.

Percy Hobart was reputedly suspicious at first and conferred with Liddell Hart before accepting, with the assurance that it would be an operational unit with a combat role.

Percy Hobart returned to retirement in 1946 and died in 1957 in Farnham, Surrey.

Percy Hobart Barracks has since been handed back to the German government and no longer functions as a barracks.

In 1943, Percy Hobart was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire.