Colin Gubbins
| Sir Colin McVean Gubbins | |
|---|---|
Sir Colin Gubbins c.1940s
|
|
| Born |
2 July 1896 Japan |
| Died | 11 February 1976 (aged 79) Stornoway |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 British Army
|
| Years of service | 1914–1946 |
| Rank | Major-General |
| Commands held | Special Operations Executive (1943–1946) |
| Battles/wars |
First World War North Russia Campaign Anglo-Irish War Second World War |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George Distinguished Service Order Military Cross |
Major-General Sir Colin McVean Gubbins KCMG, DSO, MC (2 July 1896 – 11 February 1976) was the prime mover of the Special Operations Executive (SOE) in the Second World War.
Gubbins was also responsible for setting up the secret Auxiliary Units, a commando force based around the Home Guard, to operate on the flanks and to the rear of German lines if the United Kingdom were invaded during Operation Sea Lion, Germany's planned invasion.
Gubbins was born in Japan on 2 July 1896, the younger son and third child of John Harington Gubbins (1852–1929), Oriental Secretary at the British Legation. In the 1901 census he is shown living with his grandparents and four siblings at Killiemore House on the Isle of Mull. He was educated at Cheltenham College and at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich where he graduated 56th out of 70 cadets.
Gubbins was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery in 1914. On the outbreak of war he was visiting the German city of Heidelberg in order to improve his German language skills and had to make a perilous journey back to Britain via Belgium, arriving in Dover the day before Britain entered the conflict. Gubbins served as a battery officer on the Western Front - initially with the 126th Battery as part of the British Army's 3rd Corps. He first saw action on 22 May 1915 in the Second Battle of Ypres and on 9 June was promoted to lieutenant.
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