John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton

Infobox Military Person
name= John Harding
lived=10 February 1896 - 20 January 1989


caption= Field Marshal Lord Harding
nickname=
placeofbirth= South Petherton, Somerset
placeofdeath= Nether Compton, Dorset
allegiance=flagicon|United Kingdom United Kingdom
branch=
serviceyears=1914 - 1955
rank=Field Marshal
unit=
commands=7th Armoured Division
VIII Corps
XIII Corps
British Forces in the Mediterranean
battles=World War I
World War II
awards= GCB, CBE, DSO, MC
relations=
laterwork=
Field Marshal Allan Francis John Harding, 1st Baron Harding of Petherton, GCB, CBE, DSO, MC (10 February 1896 - 20 January 1989) was a British Army officer and governor of Cyprus from 1955 to 1957.

Army career

Educated at Ilminster Grammar School, Harding joined the Territorial Army in 1914. During the First World War was called to the regular armed forces as a lieutenant in the Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) and assigned to the Middle East theatre of operations. [Heathcote, Anthony pg 170]

During the Second World War, Harding saw action in North Africa and Italy in command of 7th Armoured Division, VIII Corps and XIII Corps. [Heathcote, Anthony pgs 169 - 170]

In 1946 he succeeding General Alexander as commander of British forces in the Mediterranean; in 1948 he went on to be Commander-in-Chief, Far East Land Forces and in 1951 he became Commander-in-Chief of the British Army of the Rhine.Heathcote, Anthony pg 170]

From 1952 to 1955 he was Chief of the Imperial General Staff. He became a Field Marshal in 1953.

Cyprus

On 3 October, 1955, was assigned military governor of Cyprus. As governor of Cyprus, Harding sought to restore security by negotiating with both the Greek and Turkish factions on the island as well as the Greek and Turkish governments. He also attempted to improve the security situation by halting the actions of EOKA. To this end, he instituted a number of measures including curfews, closures of schools, the opening of concentration camps and the imposition of the death penalty for offences such as carrying weapons, incendiary devices or any material that could be used in a bomb. A number of such executions took place often in controversial circumstances (e.g. Michalis Karaolis) leading to resentment. [ [http://www.time.com/time/printout/0,8816,808483,00.html "Deepening Tragedy"] Time Magazine, 21 May 1956]

Harding also attempted to use negotiations to end the Cyprus crisis, however negotiations with Archbishop Makarios III were unsuccessful and, eventually, Harding exiled Makarios. On 21 March 1956 EOKA made an assassination attempt on Harding's life which failed as the time bomb under his bed failed to go off. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,862064,00.html?iid=chix-sphere "The Field Marshal's Pea"] Time Magazine, 2 April 1956]

Sir John Harding resigned as Governor of Cyprus on 22 October, 1957 and was replaced by Sir Hugh Foot. [ [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,867862,00.html?promoid=googlep "Time for a change"] Time Magazine, 4 November 1957]

Retirement

On his return to England, Harding was made a peer. In retirement he became the first Chairman of the Horse Race Betting Levy Board.

References

Further reading

* Heathcote, T.A. (1999). "The British Field Marshals 1736-1997". Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-696-5

External links

* [http://www.generals.dk/general/Harding_of_Petherton/Allan_Francis_John_Baron/Great_Britain.html War service]