The career of General Hugh Stockwell culminated in the ill-fated Suez Operation of 1956 but no stigma can attach to him for this. It was a militarysuccess but a political nightmare which resulted in the fall of Prime Minister Eden, the lowest point in relations between the Western allies, the departure ofFrance from the NATO military structure and the huge loss of British nationalconfidence. Stockwell's career up to that point had been exemplary. Although commissioned into the Welch Fusiliers he had fought in France 1940,commanded the Special Training Centre at Lochailort and an amphibiousbattalion in 29 Independent Brigade during the successful invasion of Madagascar in 1942. He was a brigade and divisional commander in Burmaand commander of 6 Airborne Division in Palestine before becomingCommander Land Forces during the Malayan Emergency under Templer. After the Suez debacle he went on to be Adjutant General and Deputy SACEUR during the height of the Cold War (Cuban missile crisis and erectionof Berlin Wall). AUTHOR: Jonathan Riley is a serving officer who has commanded the Royal Welsh Fusiliers, General Stockwell's old regiment. He commanded a brigade inBosnia, the UK Task Force in Sierra Leone and the Multi-national Division inIraq in 2004-2005. He is currently the UK representative with the USCommand as a Major General. He has written a number of published books including From Pole to Pole,Soldiers of the Queen and Napoleon and the World War, 1813.
