William Alfred Dimoline Major - General William Alfred Dimoline CB CMG CBE DSO MC ( 1897 – 1965 ) was an officer in the British Army during World War I and World War II . His nickname was " Dimmo . " Early career . Dimoline was educated at Dean Close School , Cheltenham ( where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps ) and with the outbreak of World War I he was commissioned into the King ' s Regiment ( Liverpool ) ( Territorial Force ) as a second lieutenant in 1914 . In 1915 he was promoted to lieutenant , he was then seconded to the Divisional Artillery Signals on 15 March 1917 and promoted to captain . In 1920 he was given a backdated regular army commission in the East Surrey Regiment from July 1916 , as a second lieutenant , having transferred to the regiment as a lieutenant in 1918 . He was awarded the Military Cross . Between the World Wars he officially transferred to the Royal Signal Corps . He commanded a Divisional Signal Company as an acting captain for a period up to 1922 . He was then seconded to the West African Frontier Force as a temporary captain in 1923 . In 1925 he was seconded to the Colonial Office , promoted to substantive captain in 1927 ( with seniority back to 1920 ) , and returned to regimental duty to serve as adjutant from 1930 , and then attended Staff College in 1933 – 1934 , and in 1936 he was appointed a General Staff Officer , Grade 3 , holding the appointment until January 1937 . He was then seconded to be Commandant of the Northern Rhodesia Regiment , with the local rank of lieutenant - colonel , and appointed to the Northern Rhodesia Legislative Council . He was promoted to susbtantive lieutenant - colonel on 8 November 1938 . World War II . Dimoline was initially employed in the Middle East , and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( OBE ) in 1941 for his services there , He was promoted to substantive colonel on 19 December 1941 . and Mentioned in Despatches . Brigadier Dimoline commanded the 26th East African Brigade ( of the 12th African Division ) in Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia during the East African Campaign . His brigade acted independently of its division for the duration of the campaign . During the Battle of Madagascar in 1942 , Brigadier Dimoline commanded the 22nd East African Brigade . His brigade carried out an amphibious landing on 10 September at Majunga , in the north - west part of the island . He commanded a surprise attack on 18 October against forces based at Andriamanalina with such success that his troops suffered no casualties . He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) for his part in the battle . Later , he commanded a number of East African brigades in the Asian Theatre including in the Burma Campaign the 28th East African Brigade and then , on promotion to acting major - general in 1945 , the 11th ( East Africa ) Division . He was again Mentioned in Despatches for his performance there , and given the Distinguished Service Order ( DSO ) . Post war . Dimoline was made a substantive major - general on 6 September 1946 , and was appointed General Officer Commanding East Africa Command . He was made a Companion of the Bath ( CB ) in the 1947 King ' s Birthday Honours , and , in 1948 , was appointed General Officer Commanding Aldershot District ; he relinquished command of the Aldershot District on 1 September 1951 . On 29 September 1951 he was appointed " Head of The Service Advisers to The United Kingdom Delegation and United Kingdom Representative on , The Military Staff Committee of The United Nations " , and held the post until 13 October 1953 . He retired on 27 December 1953 , remaining a reserve officer until 1957 . He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George ( CMG ) in the 1958 New Year Honours for his work as " Secretary , British Group , Inter - Parliamentary Union . " Family . His younger brother was Brigadier Harry Kenneth Dimoline . External links .