Bernard Paget

Sir Bernard Paget

Born	15 September 1887 Oxford, Oxfordshire, England
Died	16 February 1961 (aged 73) Petersfield, Hampshire, England
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1907–1946
Rank	General
Unit	Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry
Commands held	4th Quetta Infantry Brigade Staff College, Camberley 18th Infantry Division South-Eastern Command GHQ Home Forces 21st Army Group Middle East Command
Battles/wars	First World War Second World War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Mentioned in despatches Silver Medal of Military Valor (Italy) Grand Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland) Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold with Palm (Belgium) Croix de guerre with Palm (Belgium) Chief Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States) Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Order of St. Olav (Norway)
Relations	Tony Paget (Son)
Other work	Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Southampton (March 1960)

General Sir Bernard Charles Tolver Paget GCB, DSO, MC (15 September 1887 – 16 February 1961) was a senior British Army officer who served both in the First World War and the Second World War. In the Second World War he commanded the 21st Army Group from June to December 1943 and was Commander-in-Chief, Middle East Command from January 1944 to October 1946.

Paget was born in Oxford, Oxfordshire, the son of the Right Reverend Francis Paget, second son of Sir James Paget, 1st Baronet, and was educated at Shrewsbury School and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst from 1905–1907. Paget was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, British Army, in November 1907 and was promoted to lieutenant in 1910. On the outbreak of the First World War (1914–1918) in August 1914 he was appointed adjutant of the new 5th (Service) Battalion, composed mainly of volunteers for Kitchener's Army, with which he went to the Western Front in May 1915. The battalion was serving as part of the 42nd Brigade, itself part of the 14th (Light) Division. Paget was awarded the Military Cross in November 1915, and the Distinguished Service Order in January 1918. He was four times mentioned in despatches and wounded five times during the First World War.