1945 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours

The 1945 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours were announced on 14 August 1945 to mark the resignation of Prime Minister Winston Churchill, following the success of the Labour Party in the 1945 General Election. ["The Times", 14 August 1945, p4.] [Official publication was in the LondonGazette|issue=37227|supp=yes|startpage=4183|endpage=4184|date=14 August 1945 Published on 17 August 1945. The Gazette listing does not include the Defence Medals awarded. Retrieved 2008-02-27.]

The list was particularly notable for four recommendations outside party politics which had the approval of the new Prime Minister, Clement Attlee. These were to the Chiefs of Staff of the armed services and the Ministry of Defence in World War II, honouring what "The Times" called "the most remarkable achievement of team work in British military history ... followed with conspicuous mastery to its consummation in the most absolute of all victories." ["The Times", 14 August 1945, p5. ]

Other nominations followed the usual convention of Prime Minister's Resignation Honours, rewarding loyal service to the Conservative Party and political and personal service to the retiring Prime Minister. Amongst these honours, "The Times" noted in particular the knighthood for A. P. Herbert, "who has his individual niche in the parliamentary temple as the doughty vindicator of the private member's rights, including not least the right to legislate." ["The Times", 14 August 1945, p5. ]

The list included the first awards of the newly inaugurated Defence Medal, intended to honour members of the Home Guard, Civil Defence, and troops serving in non-operational areas. However, these four awards were to people who went with Churchill into operational areas, and were noted as being in a special category. ["The Times", 14 August 1945, p4. ]

The recipients are displayed below as they were styled before their new honour.

Defence List

Baron

* Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke, Chief of the Imperial General Staff since 1941
* Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham, First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff since 1943
* Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Charles Portal, Chief of the Air Staff since 1940

Companion of Honour

*General Sir Hastings Ismay, Chief of Staff to the Minister of Defence since 1940

KBE

* Major General Millis Jefferis, for original work in connection with the development of special war weapons

CBE

* Colonel Kenneth Grant Post, for work in connection with defence against the V weapons

Knighthood

* Captain Richard Pike Pim, RNVR, lately supervisor of the Defence Map Room and head of the Upper War Room, Admiralty

Private Office List

Baronet

* George Watt, MP, Parliamentary Private Secretary to Winston Churchill

CB

* John Miller Martin, Principal Private Secretary to Winston Churchill

CMG

* Commander Charles Ralfe Thompson, RN, Personal Assistant to Winston Churchill

CBE

* George Donald Alastair MacDougall, Chief Assistant, Prime Minister's Statistical Branch

OBE

* Thomas Wilson, Assistant, Prime Minister's Statistical Branch

MBE

* Patrick Francis Kinna
* Sheila Allison Minto

Defence Medal

* Marian Lumley-Holmes; Elizabeth Shakespear Layton; Frank Sawyers; Nina Edith Sturdee

Political and Public Services List

Viscount

* James Gomer Kemsley, newspaper proprietor
* Frederick Penny, Baron Marchwood, treasurer of the Conservative Party

Baron

* Sir George Broadbridge, retired member of parliament
* Sir William Davison, retired member of parliament
* John Llewellin, defeated member of parliament, outgoing Minister of Food
* Sir Charles Lyle, defeated member of parliament

Privy Councillor

* Sir Cuthbert Headlam, Bt, MP
* Malcom McCorquodale, defeated member of parliament

Baronet

* Ralph Cokayne Assheton, "For public services in Lancashire over a period of fifty years" [He was the father of Ralph Assheton MP, Chairman of the Conservative Party]
* Harold Mitchell, defeated member of parliament, Vice-Chairman of the Conservative Party
* Walter Womersley, defeated member of parliament, outgoing Minister of Pensions
* Arthur Young, MP, outgoing Vice-Chamberlain of the Household (Junior government whip)

Knight

* Robert Cary, MP
* Alan Patrick Herbert, MP
* David Robertson, MP
* Brigadier-General Edward Riddell CMG DSO
* Basil Neven-Spence, MP

Order of the Companions of Honour

* Rt Hon Leopold Stennett Amery, MP, Secretary of State for India and Burma
* Rt Hon Alfred Ernest Brown, MP

ee also

*1951 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
*1955 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
*1976 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
*1979 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
*1990 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours
*1997 Prime Minister's Resignation Honours

References