Frederick Witts

The son of the Rev. Francis Edward Broome Witts,^[1] he was educated at Radley College.^[2][3] He was commissioned into the Royal Engineers after graduating from the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, on 23 July 1907.^[4][2] He served in the First World War and was awarded the Military Cross, as well as the Distinguished Service Order (DSO),^[5] and was mentioned in dispatches three times during the war.^[2] The citation for his MC reads:

For conspicuous gallantry and coolness. Under heavy rifle and machine gun fire he made a personal reconnaissance of the river bank, and subsequently led a party of his men carrying a pontoon across the open and down the bank. Although wounded himself, and in spite of casualties among his party, which made the task increasingly difficult, he succeeded, in full view of the enemy, in launching the pontoon.^[6]

Witts attended the Staff College, Quetta, from 1922−1923 and served at the War Office in London for the next four years.^[2] After serving on the directing staff at the Staff College, Camberley, from 1930−1932,^[2] Witts became Commander Royal Engineers for the 5th Infantry Division in 1933, Brigadier on the general staff of Western Command in India in December 1937 and commander of the 8th Indian Brigade in India in May 1938.^[7]

In the Second World War he served as General Officer Commanding 45th Infantry Division from September 1939, Deputy Chief of Staff for the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France from April 1940 and General Officer Commanding 59th (Staffordshire) Infantry Division from May 1940 until February 1941.^[8] After that he became General Officer Commanding Bombay District in India from July 1941. He was briefly appointed Acting Lieutenant-General as Acting General Officer Commanding Southern Command in India during May and June 1942 before retiring in 1943.^[9]