Major-General Sir Peter Aldcroft Downward KCVO CB DSO DFC (10 April 1924 – 18 October 2014) was a British Army officer.

Sir Peter Downward
Born10 April 1924
Douglas, Isle of Man
DiedOctober 18, 2014(2014-10-18) (aged 90)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
RankMajor-General
Commands1st Battalion the Lancashire Regiment
Berlin Infantry Brigade
School of Infantry
Wales and Western District
Battles / warsSecond World War
Berlin Airlift
Korean War
Aden Emergency
AwardsKnight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Companion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Flying Cross

Military career

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Educated at King William's College, Downward was commissioned into the South Lancashire Regiment in 1943 and served in North West Europe during the Second World War.[1] He also took part in the Berlin Airlift in 1949 and later saw action in the Korean War.[1] He became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion the Lancashire Regiment in 1966 and in that role was deployed to Aden during the Aden Emergency.[1] He went on to be commander of the Berlin Infantry Brigade in 1971, commandant of the School of Infantry in 1974 and General Officer Commanding West Midlands District in 1976 before retiring in 1979.[2]

In 1953, he married Hilda Hinckley Wood; they had two sons.[1] Following the death of his first wife, he married Mary Boykett Proctor (née Allwork).[1]

In retirement he was Lieutenant Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, and then Governor of the Military Knights of Windsor.[1] He died on 18 October 2014.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f Who's Who 2010, A & C Black, 2010, ISBN 978-1-4081-1414-8
  2. ^ "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 2 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Major-General Sir Peter Downward - obituary". The Telegraph. 4 November 2014. Retrieved 8 January 2019.
Military offices
Preceded by GOC West Midlands District
1976−1979
Succeeded by