Note

  • Reference
    • GB 133 RRP/7
  • Dates of Creation
    • [1960s]

Scope and Content

A note composed by Ridgway in the 1960s describing what he did after leaving the War Office on 11 Feb 1940. He joined IV Corps as a staff officer and on 14 February first met Auchinleck, the commander of IV Corps. They were based at Alresford, Hampshire, but then moved to Farnborough and for a time it appeared they might be sent to Finland. At this time, he met the artist Ted Seago who was serving as an officer.

Freddie de Guingand went to head the staff college at Haifa and was later chief of staff to Eighth Army and 21st Army Group. Ridgway became acquainted with Maj General George Giffard, the then Military Secretary, who later commanded 11th Army Group, and saw a good deal of him post-war. It was Giffard who got Ridgway his staff job with IV Corps through Sir James Grigg who knew Auchinleck. Also describes the arrangement of British Army Corps at the time, IV Corps mainly engaged in training.