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Part 20
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS.
37. I should like to place on record my appreciation of the invaluable assistance and wise advice given me by His Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General, the Marquess of Linlithgow, K.T., P.C., G.C.S.I., G.C.I.E., O.B.E., D.L., T.D.
38. I am greatly indebted to His Excellency Colonel Sir John Herbert, G.C.I.E., Governor of Bengal, and His Excellency Sir Andrew Clow, K.C.S.I., C.I.E., Governor of Assam, and to the civil officers of those Provinces; also to His Excellency Sir Reginald Dorman-Smith, G.B.E., Governor of Burma, and his officers, and to Vice-Admiral Sir Geoffrey Layttin, K.C.B., D.S.O., Commander-in-Chief, Ceylon.
39. I have received most valuable co-operation from Admiral Sir J. F. Somerville, K.C.B., K.B.E., D.S.O., Commander-in-Chief, Eastern Fleet, and Rear-Admiral A. F. E. Palliser, C.B., D.S.C., Flag Liaison Officer, Eastern Fleet, in connection with problems affecting the Royal Navy; and from Vice-Admiral Sir H. Fitzherbert, K.C.I.E., C.B., C.M.G., Flag Officer Commanding, Royal Indian Navy.
40. I have been in daily touch with Air Chief Marshal Sir R. E. C. Peirse, K.C.B., D.S.O., A.F.C., on Air Force questions, and have formed a very high opinion of his abilities and character. Under his direction the co-operation of the Air Force with Army and Navy-has been outstanding. I wish also to mention the services of the following R.A.F. officers: A.V.M. W. H. Stevenson and Air-Commodore T. M. Williams.
41. I am very grateful to General Sir Alan F. Hartley, K.C.S.I., C.B., D.S.O., my Deputy, who has given me most loyal support and assistance; his great experience of India and the Indian Army has been invaluable.
42. The work of my Chief of General Staff, Lieutenant-General E. L. Morris, C.B., O.B.E., M.C., has been of a very high order. He got through an immense amount of work without fuss or friction; and this sympathetic but firm personality promoted smooth and efficient working in the complex Indian military machine, which had not been geared to a major war on its immediate borders and required considerable working up.
43. I was ably assisted both by the Civilian Staff, C. Mad. G. . Ogilvie, Esq., C.S.I., C.B.E., L.-C.S., as Secretary, and his successor, C M. Trivedi, Esq., C.S.I., C.I.E., O.B.E., I.C.S, who took his place when the original Defence Department was divided into Defence and War Departments, and E. T. Coates, Esq., C.S.I., C.I.E., I.C.S., my Financial Adviser, and by the Principal Staff Officers (Lieutenant-General W. H. G. Baker, C.B., D.S.O., O.B.E., Adjutant-General, Lieutenant-General W. G. H. Vickers, C.B., O.B.E., Quarter-Master General, and Lieutenant-General Sir C. A. Bird, K.C.I.E., C.B., D.S.O., Master General of the Ordnance). I wish to record the services of these officers and also of my Engineer-in-Ghief, Major-General R. L. Bond, C.B.E., D.S.O., M.C., who directed the very large programme of airfield construction and other work; and of my Director of Medical Services, Major-General A. C. Campbell Monro, C..B., I.M.S., who effected a great improvement in the medical services in difficult conditions.
44. Command of the Eastern Army, which was responsible for the defence of the threatened frontier of India, was exercised first by Lieut.-General Sir C. N. F. Broad, K.C.B., D.S.O., and after August 1942 by Lieut.-General N. M. S. Irwin, C.B., D.S.O., M.C.; .both these officers carried out a most difficult task of command and administration with ability and energy.
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