Richard Howard - Vyse Major - General Sir Richard Granville Hylton Howard - Vyse KCMG , DSO , JP ( 27 June 1883 – 5 December 1962 ) was a cavalry officer in the British Army . Howard - Vyse served in the First World War commanding the 10th Cavalry Brigade , and in the Second World War as the Head of British Military Mission to French High Command between 1939 – 1940 . He was invested as a Knight Commander Order of St Michael and St George and made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order . He also held the office of Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire , and was a Justice of the Peace . Early life . Richard Granville Hylton Howard - Vyse was born on 27 June 1883 , the son of Howard Henry Howard - Vyse and Mabel Diana Howard - Vyse of Stoke Poges Buckinghamshire . He had two siblings , George Cecil Howard - Vyse died , and Lilly Eleanor Howard - Vyse . Military career . Howard - Vyse was commissioned as a second - lieutenant in the Royal Horse Guards in December 1902 . Five years later , in 1907 , he was a lieutenant and made regimental adjutant in September 1907 . In March the following year he relinquished being adjutant , and in April was promoted to captain . Now a captain Howard - Vyse attended the British Army ' s Staff College , Camberley from January 1911 . After Staff College he became a Brigade Major for the 5th Cavalry Brigade , still ranked as a captain , in May 1914 . By July 1915 he was a General Staff officer 2nd Grade , still with the 5th Cavalry Brigade . On 1917 , following a request from General Edmund Allenby Howard - Vyse was sent to the Middle East as the Chief Staff Officer , for the Desert Mounted Corps , with the brevet rank of lieutenant - colonel and the temporary rank of brigadier - general . In April 1918 , he was For his service he was made a Companion for the Order of St Michael and St George in April 1918 . Then in July 1918 he assumed the command of the 10th Cavalry Brigade . Post war . Howard - Vyse next became the Commandant , Zeitoun School of Instruction , in Cairo . Which was followed by command of his regiment the Royal Horse Guards from 1922 – 1926 . Where he married Phyllis Hermione Drury , daughter of Francis Saxham Elwas Drury , on 15 October 1925 . He returned to the War Office in 1927 as a Grade 1 General Staff Officer . Then returned to Egypt in 1928 as the commander of the Cairo Cavalry Brigade . His next appointment was the Inspector of Cavalry and Commandant of the Equitation School from 1930 – 1934 . He was then made the Chief of Staff to Prince Henry , Duke of Gloucester for his tour of Australia , being awarded a knighthood . Latter career . Howard - Vyse retired from the army in 1935 , and in November 1937 was admitted to the King ' s Bench Division of the High Court of Justice and became the High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire . He became the Honorary Colonel of the 99th ( Buckinghamshire and Berkshire Yeomanry ) Field Regiment , Royal Artillery from 1938 . He was called back to military service , with a special appointment , in August 1939 . Becoming the Head of British Military Mission to the French High Command . Returning to the reserve list when he relinquished his special appointment in July 1940 . In June 1950 he was removed from the reserve list by reason of age , and became the Honorary Colonel , of the Royal Horse Guards in July 1951 . As such for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II he was the Gold Stick in Waiting . Sir Richard Granville Hylton Howard - Vyse died on 5 December 1962 .