16 Facts About William Platt

General Sir William Platt was a senior officer of the British Army during both the First and the Second World Wars.

On graduating from the latter, William Platt was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Northumberland Fusiliers in August 1905.

William Platt was promoted to lieutenant in June 1909 and captain in November 1914.

From 1914 to 1918, William Platt fought in France and Belgium on the Western Front during the First World War.

Between 1916 and 1917, William Platt was a General Staff Officer Grade 2 of the 21st Division, another Kitchener's Army formation.

In March 1924, William Platt received an appointment as brigade major, this time for two years in Egypt.

In late 1927, William Platt returned to the War Office in London, taking the post of Deputy Assistant Adjutant General on the Adjutant-General's staff.

On completion of this tour of duty in January 1933 William Platt was promoted full colonel, and appointed as the GSO1 of the 3rd Division, Bulford.

In October 1934, William Platt was given command of 7th Infantry Brigade in the rank of temporary brigadier.

From 1937 to 1938, he was aide-de-camp to the King and in late 1938 William Platt was promoted to major-general to take up the appointment as Commandant of the Sudan Defence Force.

William Platt was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1939.

William Platt commanded the forces invading Italian East Africa from Sudan during the East African Campaign.

William Platt's forces, advancing from the Sudan, met the forces of Lieutenant-General Alan Cunningham, advancing from Kenya, at Amba Alagi.

From 1941 to 1945, William Platt was the General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the East Africa Command, which although no longer a theatre of war was an important source of manpower.

William Platt raised seventeen new battalions of the King's African Rifles.

From 1942 to 1954, William Platt was the honorary colonel of the Wiltshire Regiment.