Charles Loewen General Sir Charles Falkland Loewen GCB , KBE , DSO ( 1900 – 1986 ) was a Canadian born and educated soldier who became Adjutant - General to the Forces in the United Kingdom . Military career . Educated at the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston , Ontario , where he enrolled in 1916 , Charles Loewen joined the Royal Field Artillery in 1918 during the close of the First World War as he was too young for active service with the Canadian Army . He was promoted to lieutenant on 17 March 1920 , and to captain on 17 September 1931 . He was a student at the Staff College in Quetta in 1933 , and was promoted to brevet major on 2 July 1937 . Promoted to major the following year , he served in India with the local rank of lieutenant - colonel ( from 1 November 1938 ) . Loewen was promoted to brevet lieutenant - colonel on 1 July 1939 . Promoted to war substantive lieutenant - colonel in 1941 , in the Second World War he served as Commander Royal Artillery in 55th Division , then 6th Division , then 1st Division and finally I Corps . He saw active service during the Norwegian campaign and took part in planning in the War Office . He was promoted to colonel on 30 June 1943 ( seniority from 1 July 1942 ) . In 1943 , he drafted Operation Skyscraper to occur on the beaches of Normandy . The plan was shelved as it was thought to need too many resources . It was re - used and re - expanded in Operation Overlord back to the original ten divisions - which Skyscraper had recommended in the first place . He was also involved in the Italian Campaign where he later served as General Officer Commanding 1st Infantry Division from 1944 . As a temporary brigadier by 1944 , he was appointed a CBE ( Mil . ) in the 1944 New Year Honours . He was promoted to the acting rank of major - general on 24 July 1944 , appointed a Companion of the DSO for his distinguished service in Italy on 28 June 1945 , appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath ( CB ) on 5 July and received a mention in despatches on 19 July . He was promoted to temporary major - general on 24 July . After the war , Loewen was promoted to the permanent rank of major - general on 6 May 1946 ( seniority from 30 August 1944 ) . He took a number of commands including 6th Armoured Division in 1946 and 50th Division in 1948 . He was awarded the U . S . Legion of Merit in the degree of Commander on 14 May 1948 . He was appointed General Officer Commanding - in - Chief of Anti - Aircraft Command on 27 May 1950 , with a promotion to lieutenant - general from the same date . Knighted with the KBE in the 1951 King ' s Birthday Honours , he was appointed General Officer Commanding - in - Chief of Western Command on 23 April 1953 . He became Commander - in - Chief Far East Land Forces on 13 October 1953 . Appointed a KCB in the 1954 New Year Honours , following his promotion to general on 16 April , he went on to be Adjutant - General to the Forces in 1956 . He retired from the British Army in 1959 . He was Aide - de - Camp General to the Queen from 1956 to 1959 . Retirement . Loewen moved with his wife to be with his sons , Charles Bernard Loewen and John Falkland Loewen , and retired at The Boyne River Mill near to Mansfield . He was the author of a book entitled " Fly fishing flies " . Honours & Legacy . Loewen , a graduate of the Royal Military College of Canada , is listed on the Wall of Honour in Kingston , Ontario . References .