Gerald Lloyd-Verney

Major-General Gerald Harry George Lloyd-Verney DSO & Bar MVO (10 July 1900 – 3 April 1957) was a senior British Army officer who commanded the 7th Armoured Division ("The Desert Rats") during World War II. He changed his name by Deed poll from Gerald Lloyd Verney to Gerald Lloyd-Verney in 1941.

Early life

He was the son of Sir Harry Lloyd Verney and Lady Joan Elizabeth Mary Cuffe. Educated at Eton College, Verney was Page of Honour to King George V between 1914 and 1917.

Military career

He was commissioned into the Grenadier Guards in 1919. He became Aide-de-camp to the Governor of South Australia in 1928 and then, after attending the Staff College, Camberley from 1938 to 1939, transferred to the Irish Guards in 1939.

He served in World War II as instructor at the Staff College in 1940 before becoming Commanding Officer of 2nd Bn Irish Guards during their conversion to tanks in the UK later that year. He was appointed Commander of 32nd Guards Brigade in the UK in 1942, Commander of 6th Guards Tank Brigade in the UK (before being deployed to Normandy) in January 1943 and General Officer Commanding 7th Armoured Division in North West Europe in August 1944. He was personally appointed by Bernard Montgomery to the 7th Armoured Division. He went on to be Commander of 1st Guards Brigade in Italy and Austria from 1944 to 1945 when he became Military Commander in Vienna.

His last appointment was as General Officer Commanding 56th (London) Armoured Division in 1946 before retiring in 1948.

Personal life

In 1926 he married the Hon Joyce Sybil Vivian Smith, daughter of Vivian Smith, 1st Baron Bicester; they had one son and one daughter. Lloyd-Verney died on 3 April 1957 at Enniskerry, Ireland, aged 56.