Charles Broad (British Army officer)


Sir Charles Noel Frank Broad KCB DSO was a British Army General during World War II.

Military career

The son of Major C. H. Broad, Northumberland Fusiliers, Broad was educated at Wellington College and Pembroke College, Cambridge University. He served in South Africa 1901-02 as an officer of the 3rd battalion York & Lancaster regiment.
Broad was commissioned in 1904 into the Cambridge University Volunteers, then into the Royal Field Artillery in May 1905 and went to the Staff College, Camberley in 1914.
He also served in World War I in France and Belgium, mostly on the staff.
He transferred to the Royal Tank Corps in 1923 and became Commander of the 1st Brigade of the Royal Tank Corps in 1931 before being appointed General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for Aldershot Command in 1939. He became General Officer Commanding-in-Chief for the Eastern Army in India in 1940: in that capacity he welcomed the 7th Armoured Brigade back from Burma: he retired in 1942.
He was also Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Regiment from 1939 to 1949.