A good Senior Army Welfare Officer’s Birthday Honours 1957 Commander of the Order of the British Empire, and Second World War Indian Burma operations triple Mention in Despatches group awarded to Colonel J.F. “Jock” Carroll, C.B.E., Royal Norfolk Regiment. Carroll was born in Dublin, Ireland, and was originally commissioned in February 1926. He saw service as Adjutant of the 1st Battalion on the North West Frontier during the operations in Waziristan against the Fakir of Ipi during 1936 to 1937. With the Second World War, he briefly saw service in France during 1940, and then returned to India as a Staff Officer overseeing the building up of the Eastern Army during 1943 in the aftermath of the Japanese invasion of Burma, service for which he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in December 1943. With the 14th Army he then saw service in Burma, and briefly had command of the 2nd Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, being thrice Mentioned in Despatches, his awards being gazetted in July 1945, May 1946, and September 1946. He was latterly on the Staff of the 5th Indian Division during the liberation of Singapore, and then went on to see service in South East Asia during the post-war troubles that erupted in the aftermath of the Japanese wartime occupation. Carroll’s final posting from December 1953 to February 1957 was as Assistant Adjutant General (Colonel) at the War Office P.S.4, being in charge of the Army Welfare Department, service for which he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in June 1957. Carroll’s was a noted golfer, and had played for both his regiment and the British Army in his time.
Group of 7: The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire, Commander, C.B.E., 2nd type, Military Division, silver-gilt and enamels; India General Service Medal 1936-1939, 1 Clasp: North West Frontier 1936-37; (CAPT. J.F. CARROLL. R. NORF. R.); 1939-1945 Star; Burma Star; War Medal with Mention in Despatches Oakleaf; General Service Medal 1918-1962, GVI 1st type bust, 1 Clasp: S.E. Asia 1945-46; (LT. COL. J.F. CARROLL. O.B.E. NORFOLK.); Coronation Medal 1953. Last six court mounted as worn, bearing mounting tag for Spink & Son.
Condition: Good Very Fine or better.
Together with the Instructions for Wearing card for the insignia of the Order of the British Empire.
John Frederick Carroll, known as Jock to all his friends, was born on 13th June 1905 in Dublin, Ireland, the son of John William Vincent Carroll and Barbara Mary Woodruff. Educated at The Oratory School in Reading, Berkshire, followed by the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, he was then commissioned into his fathers old regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant (No.34600) with the Royal Norfolk Regiment on 4th February 1926, and then saw service out in Egypt, in China at Shanghai, and then in India. In this period he excelled in sports, playing rugby, cricket, and hockey for his battalion, and also competed in athletics. But the main game at which he excelled was golf, with a handicap of Plus 4, and he played for his regiment in the Inter Regimental Championships, and also for the British Army.
Carroll was Adjutant and Quartermaster of the Army Signal School at Poona from December 1932 to November 1935. Promoted to Captain in September 1936, he became Adjutant of the 1st Battalion in December of the same year, and remained as such until November 1939. During this period he saw service in India on the North West Frontier during the operations in Waziristan against the Fakir of Ipi during 1936 to 1937.
With the outbreak of the Second World War he was still the 1st Battalion’s Adjutant, but then returned home in advance of his battalion, and saw service as a General Staff Officer 3rd Grade from March to July 1940, being present during the fall of France in which his battalion was not a part, as it only arrived in the United Kingdom from India in July 1940. Carroll was then appointed Brigade Major until January 1941, most probably with the 165th Infantry Brigade. Carroll was and Acting Major from July 1940 to February 1943, when he was promoted to the substantive rank of Major, having held the rank of Acting Lieutenant Colonel since October 1942, and he was then a temporary Lieutenant Colonel from January 1943 through to October 1948.
Having returned to India, from circa January 1943 he was serving with the Headquarters of the Eastern Army out in India, which was rebuilding in the aftermath of the Japanese advances on Burma during 1942. Carroll was involved in the expansion of this force, which later in 1943 was renamed as the 14th Army. He was employed with the Staffing Department for the army, and it was for this work that he was recommended for an award, namely an appointment to become an Officer of the Military Division of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in a recommendation originally made by Lieutenant General Irwin.
The recommendation reads as follows: ‘For conspicuous industry in and good work in creating the important Supply Department Directorate in Army Headquarters during the most difficult period of expansion of Eastern Army. Carroll’s appointment as an Officer of the Military Division of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire was published in the London Gazette for 16th December 1943.
After the renaming of the Eastern Army as the famous “Forgotten Army”, the 14th Army, Carroll remained a General Staff Officer 1st Grade with headquarters through to May 1944. He was then appointed to command the 1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment during the fighting in Burma circa 1944 to 1945, having command for only a short time. The 2nd Battalion formed part of the 4th Infantry Brigade in the 2nd Division and during April to June 1944 had fought in the Battle of Kohima, and it remained on operations out there until the end of the war with Japan, Carroll had been serving from March to September 1945 as a General Staff Officer 1st Grade with the 5th Indian Division, and as such he took part in the liberation of Singapore. For his gallant and distinguished services in Burma, Carroll was thrice Mentioned in Despatches, the first award being published in the London Gazette for 19th July 1945, the second in the London Gazette for 9th May 1946, and the third in the London Gazette for 19th September 1946, he had in the meantime seen service in South East Asia during the post-war troubles that erupted in the aftermath of the Japanese wartime occupation.
From November 1946 to October 1948 he was the Assistant Director Public Relations, and having been appointed to temporary Colonel, was then Deputy Director Public Relation from October 1948 through to October 1953. In this period he was confirmed in the substantive rank of Lieutenant Colonel in May 1950. Carroll was then promoted to Colonel and appointed Assistant Adjutant General (Colonel) at the War Office P.S.4, and was in charge of that branch from 24th December 1953 through to 13th February 1957, for which work he was recommended for appointed to be a Commander of the Military Division of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The recommendation reads as follows: ‘For more than 3 years Colonel Carroll has been in charge of that branch of the War Office (P.S.4) which is concerned with the welfare of the Army. His task has comprised not only questions of policy, governing the welfare of Servicemen and their families throughout the world, but also a multitude of personal problems affecting the daily lives and future careers of a host of individual officers and men. Not only these men, but also the philanthropic bodies with whom he has worked in the closest concert, have cause to remember with gratitude his untiring and successful efforts to represent or solve their problems. His work has constituted a relentless battle for equity and he has never spared himself in the struggle to relieve distress. His resilience and cheerfulness in the face of unceasing demands upon his time have been an inspiration to all those with whom he has worked and whose difficulties he has shouldered. There is no doubt that this officer’s loyal and selfless service has proved a potent factor in the maintenance of confidence and morale throughout the Service. His work, by its inspiration alone, has exceeded the call and expectation of duty and is deserving of high recognition.’
Having been recommended for his award on 4th March 1957 by Major General R.F. Johnstone, C.B.E., Carroll’s appointment as a Commander of the Military Division of The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire was announced in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List as published in the London Gazette for 13th June 1957.
Carroll had retired from the army on 15th March 1957, and he then became Secretary to The Council of Voluntary Welfare Workers from March 1958 through to 1968. He was also Captain of the West Hill Golf Club during 1961 to 1962. Having retired to Suffolk, he then moved to Gosfield near Hallstead, Essex, and died there on 2nd November 1982.
