William Gentry
| Sir William George Gentry | |
|---|---|
General Bernard Montgomery and Brigadier William Gentry (right) in Tunisia during the Second World War
|
|
| Born |
20 February 1899 London, England |
| Died | 13 October 1991 (aged 92) Lower Hutt, New Zealand |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Service/branch | New Zealand Military Forces |
| Years of service | 1919–55 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held |
Chief of the General Staff (1952–55) 9th Infantry Brigade (1945) 6th Infantry Brigade (1942–43 |
| Battles/wars |
North-West Frontier |
| Awards |
Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order & Bar Mentioned in Despatches (2) Military Cross (Greece) |
North-West Frontier
Second World War
Major General Sir William George Gentry, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar (20 February 1899 – 13 October 1991) was a professional soldier in the New Zealand Military Forces who served during the Second World War. He was Chief of the General Staff of the New Zealand Military Forces from 1952 to 1955.
Born in 1899 in London, United Kingdom, Gentry's family emigrated to New Zealand in 1910. He joined the New Zealand Military Forces in 1916 as a cadet. Following graduation from the Royal Military College in 1919, he was posted to the New Zealand Staff Corps and held a number of staff positions in New Zealand and abroad. He saw active service during the Second World War as part of the 2nd New Zealand Division, initially as a staff officer but later on as a brigade commander. After the cessation of hostilities in 1945 he held senior staff positions in the New Zealand Military Forces. From 1952 Gentry served as Chief of the General Staff until his retirement in 1955. He died in 1991 in Lower Hutt.
Gentry was born in London on 20 February 1899 to a leather salesman and his wife. When he was 11 years old, his family emigrated to New Zealand. Educated at Wellington College, he was one of the limited number of New Zealand entrants in 1916 who enrolled in the Royal Military College in Duntroon, Australia.
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