Leaders & Commanders

British High Command

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Leaders and Commanders
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churchillWinston Churchill 1874 - 1965

First Lord of the Admiralty in Chamberlain's government then Prime Minister and Minister of Defence from May 1940. Probably the greatest British hero of this century. His defiance of Nazi Germany, spirit and his superb leadership and oratory skills were a positive inspiration to British and Allied morale.




chamberlainNeville Chamberlain 1869 - 1940

Prime Minister from May1937 until May 1940. During his time as Prime Minister he had followed a policy of appeasement of the Nazis in an attempt to avert war. By May 1940 he had lost the confidence of the British people and Parliament and surrendered the leadership to Churchill. He remained a member of the Cabinet, but died in November 1940.

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AtleeClement Atlee 1883 - 1967

Deputy Prime Minister in Churchill's coalition government. He became Prime minister following the defeat of Churchill's Conservative Party in the general election of July 1945.





EdenAnthony Eden 1897- 1977

Appointed Foreign Secretary in the Churchill government. Eden was a tough and stubborn negotiator for the British and was against giving territiorial concessions to the Soviets in Eastern Europe.




DillField Marshal John Dill 1881 - 1944

Chief of the Imperial General Staff from May 1940 until December 1941 when he was replaced due to poor health. Subsequently he became Head of the British Joint Staff Mission to Washington.



BrookeField Marshal Alan Brooke 1883 - 1963

Brooke replaced Dill as the Chief of the Imperial General Staff at the end of 1941. He had a reputation as a fine strategist and was good at turning plans into practical operations.



PortalAir Chief Marshal Charles Portal 1893 - 1971

Chief of the Air Staff from 1940 onwards. Portal was wise and diplomatic head of the RAF. He was an advocate of strategic area bombing for most of the war, however he later changed his views to that of bombers supporting offensive action



poundAdmiral Dudley Pound 1877 - 1943

Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord from 1939 until he was taken ill and died in October 1943.





cunninghamAdmiral Andrew Cunningham 1883 - 1963

Became Admiral of the Fleet and First Sea Lord in October 1943 following the death of Pound. Prior to this appointment, Cunningham had been a highly successful naval commander in the Mediterranean.