Messervy as the GOC of the 7th Indian Infantry Division during the Second World War
Nickname(s)
"The Bearded Man"[a]
Born
(1893-12-09)9 December 1893 Trinidad
Died
2 February 1974(1974-02-02) (aged 80) Heyshott, West Sussex, England
Allegiance
United Kingdom
Service/branch
British Indian Army
Years of service
1913–1948
Rank
General
Unit
9th Hodson's Horse
Commands held
Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army (1947–48) Northern Command, India (1946–47) Malaya Command (1945–46) IV Corps (1944–45) 7th Indian Infantry Division (1943–44) 43rd Indian Armoured Division (1942–43) 7th Armoured Division (1942) 1st Armoured Division (1942) 4th Indian Infantry Division (1941–42) 9th Indian Infantry Brigade (1941) Gazelle Force (1941) 13th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers (1938–39)
Battles/wars
First World War Second World War
Awards
Knight Commander of the Order of the Star of India[1] Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order[2] & Bar[3] Mentioned in Despatches (3)[4][5][6] Order of the Nile (Egypt)[7] Legion of Merit (United States)
Other work
Honorary Colonel, 16th Light Cavalry (1945–48)[8][9] Honorary Colonel, The Jat Regiment (1947–55)[10] Deputy Chief Scout (1949–50) Berkshire County Councillor (1953–56)
General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, KCSI, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar (9 December 1893 – 2 February 1974) was a British Indian Army officer in the First and Second World Wars. Following its independence, he was the first commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army from August 1947 to February 1948.[11] Previously, he had served as General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Northern Command, India in 1946 and 1947.
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^"No. 37977". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June 1947. p. 2574.
^"No. 35396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 December 1941. p. 7333.
^"No. 36477". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 April 1944. p. 1815.
^"No. 35396". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 December 1941. pp. 7339–7353.
^"No. 37015". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 April 1945. p. 1819.
^"No. 37184". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 July 1945. pp. 3746–3753.
^"No. 31736". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 January 1920. pp. 698–700.
^"No. 37238". The London Gazette. 24 August 1945. p. 4299.
^"No. 38431". The London Gazette. 15 October 1948. p. 5447.
^"No. 40738". The London Gazette. 23 March 1956. p. 1736.
^A letter catalogued by MJF[who?], dated 23 March 1948, refers to Sir Douglas David Gracey as Commander-in-Chief, Pakistan Army at that date; but the International Who's Who states that Messervy was Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army until August the same year.
General Sir Frank Walter Messervy, KCSI, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar (9 December 1893 – 2 February 1974) was a British Indian Army officer in the First and Second...
Messervy is a surname. Notable people with the surname include: FrankMesservy (1893–1974), British soldier, first Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army...
became a makeshift, rectangular defensive position for Major-General FrankMesservy and his staff after their divisional headquarters was overrun on 7 February...
the division was reassigned to the Burma campaign and Major General FrankMesservy, a veteran of the fighting in North Africa, was appointed to command...
which was quite a large number, under the command of Lieutenant-General FrankMesservy, the first commander-in-chief of the Pakistan Army.: 70 Eminent fears...
temporary command of the IV Corps in Burma while Lieutenant-General FrankMesservy took leave for a month, taking part in the defeat of the Japanese at...
Chief of Staff in the newly created GHQ, Pakistan before succeeding FrankMesservy as the Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army in 1948. When the Pakistani...
receiving permission from the Chief of Staff of Pakistan Army General Sir FrankMesservy, he organised his men to form the nucleus of an Infantry Regiment, the...
dispersing it and capturing a number of officers including the commander, FrankMesservy, who pretended to be a batman and escaped. The "inexcusable" lapse in...
next day, 1 March, Cowan had the Corps commander (Lieutenant General FrankMesservy) and General Slim watching anxiously over his shoulder at his headquarters...
Kuala Lumpur. On 8 November he handed over to Lieutenant-General Sir FrankMesservy, and replaced Slim, who returned to the UK, as Commander-in-Chief of...
British forces with General Itagaki surrendering his sword to General FrankMesservy at Kuala Lumpur, British Malaya, on 22 February 1946. Japan portal Aftermath...
personality, he was wounded twice in 1942 (having to hand over his command to FrankMesservy from January to March), received a Bar to his DSO and on his return...
philosopher of mathematics and science, died of a heart attack. Sir FrankMesservy, KCSI, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar, 80, British Indian Army general who was the...
arrived. The 7th Indian Infantry Division, commanded by Major General FrankMesservy, was arriving piecemeal by road and rail from the Arakan. Its 33rd Indian...
training program for women but such attempts were dismissed by General FrankMesservy. In 1949, the first lady Ra'ana Liaquat Ali Khan took personal initiatives...
(the nickname he preferred over "Stormin' Norman") "The Bearded Man" – FrankMesservy, British Army general (because he tended not to shave in battle) "Beauty"...
1944. It was composed of four corps: IV Corps (Geoffry Scoones, later FrankMesservy and Francis Tuker), Indian XV Corps (Philip Christison), Indian XXXIII...
Merewether General Sir Gordon Messenger General Sir FrankMesservy Major-General Graham Gerald Messervy-Whiting MBE, Intelligence Corps Major-General Vincent...
break-out but had no detailed information, so Stopford ordered General FrankMesservy the IV Corps commander to spread the corps over more than a hundred...
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