'Uncle' Bill Slim

geoff501 · 16-09-2008, 08:29 PM

Great little program on R4 this afternoon, worth checking on Listen again:

16:30

Great Lives

16 September 2008

Series of biographical discussions with Matthew Parris.

General Sir Mike Jackson, former Head of the British Army, nominates Field Marshal Bill Slim, leader of the Burma Campaign. Military historian Julian Thompson lends weight to the argument that Slim, less well known today than other Second World War Generals, was perhaps the greatest commander of the 20th century.

Tom Canning · 16-09-2008, 08:46 PM

Geoff -
I would go along with that notion of Bill Slim being the greatest Commander in ww2 when you think that he came from being a successful Brigadier in Ethiopia to Field Marshal - with a lowly background - little to work with - and in spite of Mountbatten and Leese ganging up on him - defeated a very strong Japanese Army to show how it could be done in the most adverse conditions...we don't credit him enough with what he did...for all of us !
Cheers

geoff501 · 16-09-2008, 10:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Canning

Geoff -
in spite of Mountbatten and Leese ganging up on him

Cut his teeth in the filth of WW1, like Monty, which I think helped a lot.
Interesting comment from Mountbatten on the program - spoken after he'd died.

Glad I missed the Lord Longford program, would make my blood boil......

von Poop · 16-09-2008, 11:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by geoff501

Glad I missed the Lord Longford program, would make my blood boil......

He tended to have that effect on me too...

Owen · 16-09-2008, 11:30 PM

Was listening to it driving around town in my van, chap in cab with me made a stupid comment regards the death of Moutbatten so I smacked him in the arm as we drove up Vic Hill, tosser!

Back to the radio prog, loved it.

Really must read Slim's book.

lancesergeant · 16-09-2008, 11:32 PM

He led the forgotten army. If he had been in North Africa or the Home Front it would have been a different story. The Far East with the loss of Singapore was not high up on the list of priorities. F/Marshal Slim has not got the recognition he deserves in some small way the program helps to redress the balance.

His troops looked on him as a soldier's soldier who was concerned with their welfare. He started his service with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment now 2RRF - the same as Monty. They both had a thorough grounding of the attrition of the first war and Slim was sympathetic to what his troops were going through.

It would be interesting to think who of the known generals, one could put on a parallel with Slim - in the Far East theatre of operations. That if at all.

Herakles · 16-09-2008, 11:36 PM

I would completely agree that Slim was No.1.

He was I think the first to fully appreciate the importance of the health of his troops. When he took over the 14th Army, more men were dying of disease than Japanese bullets. That was immediately reversed.

He cut his teeth at Gallipoli, leading his beloved Gurkhas. And he excelled in Syria with them.

And he made an excellent Gov. Gen. of Australia.

He was the man who, when asked by a photographer to smile for the camera, said: "I am."

spidge · 17-09-2008, 01:04 AM

Quote:
There is a difference between leadership and management. The leader and the men who follow him represent one of the oldest, most natural and most effective of all human relationships. The manager and those he manages are a later product with neither so romantic nor so inspiring a history. Managers are necessary, leaders are essential.
Field Marshal, Sir William Slim
Australian Army Journal, November 1957[i]
Field-Marshal, The Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GRE, DSO, MC.
Slim was the epitome, or if you like the quintessential professional soldier. His charisma and energy for the job at hand was admired by those who fought with and for him.

Commissioned as an officer (2nd Lieutenant) in the Royal Warwichshire Regiment in 1914, he was badly wounded at Gallipoli and fought in France & Mesopotamia.

He commanded all levels from platoon to army group in combat with the exception of battalion. His career was one of selfless service and devotion to duty.

In the early days of WW2 he was always leading the action commanding the 10th Indian Infantry Brigade against the Italians in Eritrea and the Sudan (1940-1941), then the 10th Indian Division against Iraqis and Vichy French in Syria (1941).

He was appointed commander of Burma Corps, and then XV Corps. Slim assumed command of the Fourteenth Army in February 1944 with an offensive toward Arakan. By June 1944, Slim's "Forgotten Army" had decisively won the Imphal / Kohima battle restoring allied prestige, and proceeded to recaptured Burma. At war’s end, Slim was commanding Allied Land Forces, South East Asia.

His humble background, and lead from the front attitude inspired his troops and gained him unreserved respect. His Military career was fulfilled when his appointment in 1948 as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the first Indian Army officer ever to serve as the professional head of the British Army.

He was also Governor General of Australia whilst still being a serving Field Marshal and a Knight.

Union464 · 02-10-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tom Canning

Geoff -
I would go along with that notion of Bill Slim being the greatest Commander in ww2 when you think that he came from being a successful Brigadier in Ethiopia to Field Marshal - with a lowly background - little to work with - and in spite of Mountbatten and Leese ganging up on him - defeated a very strong Japanese Army to show how it could be done in the most adverse conditions...we don't credit him enough with what he did...for all of us !
Cheers

I'd agree that Slim was a great soldier and probably the best British general of the 2nd World War; indeed, he was quite possibly the best Allied general of the War for all the reasons outlined above by Tom Canning. And Defeat into Victory is deservedly a great military standard since its first publication in 1961. Regrettably, the CBI was both during and after the War, a neglected theater of the operations and Slim (together with "Vinegar Joe" Stilwell) have been overlooked by history much too often. If one were to be objective and did not play personal favorites, Slim would have to rate very highly as a commander, stratetgist, tactician, and logistics planner; indeed, to repeat my opinion, he was arguably the best Allied general of the War given the limitations and constraints placed upon his command and operations. Bill Slim was also very popular with the Australian public as governor-general during his term in the 1950s.

Herakles · 03-10-2008, 11:21 AM

A memory I will never forget.

As G-G, he appeared at the RMC on Queen's Birthday to inspect us cadets prior to us parading the Queen's Colour.

It was snowing and as he came down the steps to the dais, he lifted his sword to avoid tripping on it - exposing a brilliant scarlet lining to his greatcoat. The sight of that and the craggy face glaring at us all, was quite something.

He later said that it was only at his wife's insistence that he wore the greatcoat. After all, us cadets weren't.

16-09-2008, 08:29 PM	#1 (permalink)
geoff501 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 204	'Uncle' Bill Slim Great little program on R4 this afternoon, worth checking on Listen again: 16:30 Great Lives 16 September 2008 Series of biographical discussions with Matthew Parris. General Sir Mike Jackson, former Head of the British Army, nominates Field Marshal Bill Slim, leader of the Burma Campaign. Military historian Julian Thompson lends weight to the argument that Slim, less well known today than other Second World War Generals, was perhaps the greatest commander of the 20th century. __________________ The WW2 Commonwealth Casualty Search Engine: http://www.hut-six.co.uk/cgi-bin/search39-47.php

17-09-2008, 01:04 AM	#8 (permalink)
spidge Legendary Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 8,055	Field-Marshal, The Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GRE, DSO, MC. Quote: There is a difference between leadership and management. The leader and the men who follow him represent one of the oldest, most natural and most effective of all human relationships. The manager and those he manages are a later product with neither so romantic nor so inspiring a history. Managers are necessary, leaders are essential. Field Marshal, Sir William Slim Australian Army Journal, November 1957[i] Field-Marshal, The Viscount Slim, KG, GCB, GCMG, GCVO, GRE, DSO, MC. Slim was the epitome, or if you like the quintessential professional soldier. His charisma and energy for the job at hand was admired by those who fought with and for him. Commissioned as an officer (2nd Lieutenant) in the Royal Warwichshire Regiment in 1914, he was badly wounded at Gallipoli and fought in France & Mesopotamia. He commanded all levels from platoon to army group in combat with the exception of battalion. His career was one of selfless service and devotion to duty. In the early days of WW2 he was always leading the action commanding the 10th Indian Infantry Brigade against the Italians in Eritrea and the Sudan (1940-1941), then the 10th Indian Division against Iraqis and Vichy French in Syria (1941). He was appointed commander of Burma Corps, and then XV Corps. Slim assumed command of the Fourteenth Army in February 1944 with an offensive toward Arakan. By June 1944, Slim's "Forgotten Army" had decisively won the Imphal / Kohima battle restoring allied prestige, and proceeded to recaptured Burma. At war’s end, Slim was commanding Allied Land Forces, South East Asia. His humble background, and lead from the front attitude inspired his troops and gained him unreserved respect. His Military career was fulfilled when his appointment in 1948 as Chief of the Imperial General Staff, the first Indian Army officer ever to serve as the professional head of the British Army. He was also Governor General of Australia whilst still being a serving Field Marshal and a Knight. __________________ Spidge, ------------------------------------------------------- My Avatar is the memorial to the 22 Commonwealth Coastwatchers at the Temakin Cemetery on Betio (Tarawa Atoll) who were beheaded by the Japanese on 15th October 1942. http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat...mem_beito.html "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war." (Winston Churchill made this prophetic pronouncement in a House of Commons speech in 1938, just after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement with Hitler. Chamberlain returned from Germany with the signed agreement in hand, proclaiming that "peace in our time" had been achieved. Churchill attacked Chamberlain's "politics of appeasement" in this and many other speeches.) What did the Australians do in ww2 and other conflicts? Check out this site: http://www.diggerhistory.info/00-pag...ster-index.htm

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode

16-09-2008, 08:46 PM	#2 (permalink)
Tom Canning WW2 Veteran Join Date: May 2004 Posts: 657	Geoff - I would go along with that notion of Bill Slim being the greatest Commander in ww2 when you think that he came from being a successful Brigadier in Ethiopia to Field Marshal - with a lowly background - little to work with - and in spite of Mountbatten and Leese ganging up on him - defeated a very strong Japanese Army to show how it could be done in the most adverse conditions...we don't credit him enough with what he did...for all of us ! Cheers

16-09-2008, 11:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
Owen Grumpy Old Moose Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Under the stairs Posts: 9,485	Was listening to it driving around town in my van, chap in cab with me made a stupid comment regards the death of Moutbatten so I smacked him in the arm as we drove up Vic Hill, tosser! Back to the radio prog, loved it. Really must read Slim's book.

16-09-2008, 11:32 PM	#6 (permalink)
lancesergeant Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 778	He led the forgotten army. If he had been in North Africa or the Home Front it would have been a different story. The Far East with the loss of Singapore was not high up on the list of priorities. F/Marshal Slim has not got the recognition he deserves in some small way the program helps to redress the balance. His troops looked on him as a soldier's soldier who was concerned with their welfare. He started his service with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment now 2RRF - the same as Monty. They both had a thorough grounding of the attrition of the first war and Slim was sympathetic to what his troops were going through. It would be interesting to think who of the known generals, one could put on a parallel with Slim - in the Far East theatre of operations. That if at all.

16-09-2008, 11:36 PM	#7 (permalink)
Herakles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Thailand Posts: 130	I would completely agree that Slim was No.1. He was I think the first to fully appreciate the importance of the health of his troops. When he took over the 14th Army, more men were dying of disease than Japanese bullets. That was immediately reversed. He cut his teeth at Gallipoli, leading his beloved Gurkhas. And he excelled in Syria with them. And he made an excellent Gov. Gen. of Australia. He was the man who, when asked by a photographer to smile for the camera, said: "I am."

03-10-2008, 11:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
Herakles Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Thailand Posts: 130	A memory I will never forget. As G-G, he appeared at the RMC on Queen's Birthday to inspect us cadets prior to us parading the Queen's Colour. It was snowing and as he came down the steps to the dais, he lifted his sword to avoid tripping on it - exposing a brilliant scarlet lining to his greatcoat. The sight of that and the craggy face glaring at us all, was quite something. He later said that it was only at his wife's insistence that he wore the greatcoat. After all, us cadets weren't.

Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)