Talbot, Dennis Edmund Blaquiere

Date of birth:: September 23rd, 1908 (Norwood/Middlesex, United Kingdom)
Date of death:: 1994
Service number:: 40742
Nationality:: British

Biography

Promotions:
24 November 1937: Captain
30 August 1945: Major
29 September 1956: Brigadier
7 June 1958: Temporary Major General
29 September 1958: Major General

Military career:
1928-1937: 1st Battalion Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
1940-1944: Staff college and operational appointments.
1944: 7th Battalion the Hampshire Regiment
1945-1946: 2nd Battalion the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
1946: Royal Naval Staff College
1947: Joint Services Staff College
?: Senior Army Liaison Officer in New Zealand
21 August 1952: Colonel
1953: 18th Infantry Brigade in Malaya
?: 99 Gurkha Brigade
?: Imperial Defence College
7 June 1958 - 18 March 1961: East Anglian District and 54th East Anglian Division (TA)
1959: Colonel of the Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment
?: Deputy Colonel of the Queen's Own Buffs the Royal Kent Regiment on the amalgamation of The Buffs and the Queen's Own
1 April 1969 - 31 March 1971: Honorary Colonel of the 8th Queen's Cadre
2 April 1961: Deputy Commander Rhine Army Troops and Commander British Army Group Troops
1963 - 25 March 1964: Chief of Staff BAOR and GOC Rhine Army Troops
17 May 1964: Retired

Civil career:
1964: civil servant in the Ministry of Defence
25 September 1964: Deputy Lieutenant of Kent
?: Chairman of The Queen's Own Regimental Committee, its regimental museum and officers' club
?: Chairman of the Kent Committee of the Army Benevolent Fund

Received the Sultan's Silver Jubilee Medal as commander of 99 Gurkha Brigade.

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Military Cross (MC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Captain
Unit:: HQ, Combined Operations Headquarters, War Office, British Government
Awarded on:: February 3rd, 1944

Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel
Unit:: 7th Battalion Hampshire Regiment, 130th Infantry Brigade, 43rd (Wessex) Infantry Division, British Army
Awarded on:: June 21st, 1945
Awarded for:: Operation Blackcock

This officer has been commanding a battalion since 12 July 1944. Throughout this time he has set a fine example to the officers and men under his command in action and I consider that his devotion to duty to be exemplary.
In January 1945 during the temporary absence of the Brigade Commander he planned the part to be taken by 120 Infantry Brigade in operation "BLACKCOK" and due to his careful and good planning the operation was a complete success, all objectives were captured with small casualties and a large number of prisoners were taken."

Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)

Rank:: Temporary Brigadier
Unit:: Headquarters, 18th Infantry Brigade, Malaya Command, British Army
Awarded on:: May 31st, 1955

General citation:
In recognition of distinguished services in Malaya during the period 1st July to 31st December, 1954.
Recommendation:
This officer assumed command of 18 Infantry Brigade in PAHANG in October 1953. Throughout this past year the success rate in eliminations of Communist Terrorists by kills, captures and surrenders has been well maintained in PAHANG when it has been dropping in all other States. Statistics show that in the past year it was twice as difficult to eliminate a Communist Terrorist as in the previous year and yet over this period his Brigade has kept up its elimination figures. During the period he has been in command the estimated strenght of the enemy in the State has been reduced from 1,000 to 625. This outstanding operation success has been largely due to his fine leadership and tactical skill combined with his persuasive though strong personality in dealing with Police and Civil officials during the framing plans and the conduct of operations.
He has had under his command during this period British, Malay and African battalions and in spite of their diverse characteristics and capacities he has welded his brigade into a homogeneous formation with a strong espirit-de-Corps. This spirit and the operational efficiency of the Brigade has remained undiminished in spite of the fact that the British and African battalions have both changed during the past year and a newly formed Malay battalion has joined the Brigade. The credit for this is due to Brigadier TALBOT's outstanding powers of leadership.
His devotion to duty, determination to outwit, track down and destroy the elusive enemy, and his personality have been an inspiration to all ranks and have made a conspicuous contribution to the successful operations conducted in PAHANG in the past year.