Senior Military Leaders Nicknames During WW2

I was ready the other day that General Montgomery was refered to by men in the BEF in 1940 as the 'Love' General due to him encouraging men to visit brothels whilst in France, even to the point I believe of having an official list of recommended 'clean' brothels to reduce the risk of SDI's as we know them today.

This got me thinking earlier today what other nicknames Generals, Air Marshalls, Admirals and all other manor of leaders from all sides had and the reasons why they had the nicknames?

Anyone?

 

I've just read a biography of Bomber Harris, cant think who its by. It describes how to his friends Harris was known as Bert, and to his Bomber crews he was Butch. It was only after the war when he received the freedom of High Wycombe, where the Mayor referred to him as 'Bomber Harris', that the tag stuck.

Interesting, given how hes automatically referred to as Bomber nowadays.

 

Bimbo Dempsey (2 Army)
Windy Gale (6 Abn Div)
Jumbo Wilson (C-in-C Middle East)

It's getting harder now...

Ooh: Strafer Gott (8th Army, briefly)

 

Gort was referred to in the press as 'Tiger' Gort but apparently he was known amongst his officers by his public school nickname of 'Fat Boy'

 

Lightning Joe Collins (US VII Corps on D-Day)

 

Don't forget the reasons chaps

 

Boy Browning... can't say I've ever heard why he was called Boy. Apparently later in life his wife Daphne du Maurier called him Moper due to his moods

Mary Conningham... apparently as he was a New Zealander he was known as Maori, which evolved into Mary over time

Shan Hackett... apparently when young his Irish nanny called him Sean instead of John, and the name stuck

 

Air Chief Marshall Sir William Mitchell - Ginger Mitch to his colleagues.
(Photo does not show the reason Andy but he had a certain colour of hair:p)

 

Major General Lashmer Whistler, commander of 3rd British Infantry Division for much of its campaign after D-Day, was nicknamed 'Bolo,' because he had fought with Allied forces against the Bolsheviks in Russia after the 1917 Revolution. Apparently, he had other nicknames, but these are not recorded.

 

Lieutenant-General Sir Leslie James Morshead, KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED, KC of Tobruk fame was called Ali Baba and Ming the Merciless.

Ali Baba (and his 20,000 thieves) by Lord Haw Haw and the Germans. His insistence on discipline and hard work brought him the nickname, 'Ming the Merciless' from his men, which in time became 'Ming'

 

Major General David Tennant Cowan, commander of 17th Indian Division had nickname "Punch", so-called because of his resemblance to the puppet character.

Major General Thomas Wynford Rees, commander of 19th Indian Division was known as "Pete", to Welsh troops of his division as "The Docker", "General Sahib Bahadur" to indians and, probably the most famous, as "Napoleon" to all 14th Army.

Lieutenant General Dudley Russell , commander of 8th Indian Division, was comonly known as "The Pasha".

Major General Dermot Frederick Warren, commander of 161st Indian Brigade at Kohima and latter of 5th Indian Division until his death, had three nicknames: "Bunny" (because of red heir), "Daddy" (among his troops) and "Freddie".

Lieutenant General Francis Ivan Simms Tuker, commander of 4th Indian Division had nickname "Gertie".

Lieutenant General Harold Rawdon Briggs, commander of 5th Indian division, was known as "Briggo".

 

FeldMarschall Albert Kesselring was "Smiling Albert"

Colonel General Gotthard Heinrici was known as "Our tough little B*stard"

SS Obergruppenfuhrer Theodor Eicke was known as "Papa Eicke" because of his popularity with his troops.

General Feldmarschall Fedor Von Bock was know as "the Holy Fire of Kustrin" due to his volatile nature.

 

FeldMarschall Albert Kesselring was "Smiling Albert"

Colonel General Gotthard Heinrici was known as "Our tough little B*stard"

SS Obergruppenfuhrer Theodor Eicke was known as "Papa Eicke" because of his popularity with his troops.

General Feldmarschall Fedor Von Bock was know as "the Holy Fire of Kustrin" due to his volatile nature.

I wondered when some Axis chaps would get mentioned....Do you know why they were called those names? I think I can figure out Kesselring's ---->

 

MacArthur was known as "Dugout Doug." He had a penchant for showing up late to battle, always with a photographer nearby, but just in time to claim the glory. (See Max Hastings' book Retribution

 

Herman Goering had a few,according to German sources,

Meyer.....from his boasts relating to....Call me Meyer...if Allied aircraft bomb Berlin.
Fatty......disrespectful term used because of his his considered war time failures.

 

I wondered when some Axis chaps would get mentioned....Do you know why they were called those names? I think I can figure out Kesselring's ---->
Heinrici's nickname came from his troops. They said he only retreated when the air had turned to lead and only then after some thought!

 

Lt. Gen HORROCKS Commander XXX Corps.
Nickname JORROCKS; after his pre-war fox-hunting days.
Rob


Lieutenant-General Horrocks, March 1945

 

Lt. Gen. Eedson Louis Millard ‘Tommy’ Burns was known by the troops as "Smiling Sunray" because he was so deadly serious about everything and loath to laugh about anything according to Horn and Wyzcynski in their work on him called Canada's Intellectual General.

 

I wondered when some Axis chaps would get mentioned....Do you know why they were called those names? I think I can figure out Kesselring's ---->

Fast Heinz - Guderian - For his sucsess in commanding the Blizkreig.
Papa - Hausser - After retirement from the regular Army, he became the "father" (thus the nickname “Papa”) of the Waffen SS.


Heinz Wilhelm Guderian 17 June 1888 - 14 May 1954 (aged 65) Paul (Papa) Hausser


Nickname - Schneller Heinz

Rob