William Alfred Dimoline

Major-General William Alfred Dimoline CB CMG CBE DSO MC (1897 – 1965) was an officer in the British Army during World War I and World War II. His nickname was "Dimmo."

Early career
Dimoline was educated at Dean Close School, Cheltenham (where he was a member of the Officer Training Corps) and with the outbreak of World War I he was commissioned into the King's Regiment (Liverpool) (Territorial Force) as a second lieutenant in 1914. In 1915 he was promoted to lieutenant, he was then seconded to the Divisional Artillery Signals on 15 March 1917 and promoted to captain. In 1920 he was given a backdated regular army commission in the East Surrey Regiment from July 1916, as a second lieutenant, having transferred to the regiment as a lieutenant in 1918. He was awarded the Military Cross.

Between the World Wars he officially transferred to the Royal Signal Corps. He commanded a Divisional Signal Company as an acting captain for a period up to 1922. He was then seconded to the West African Frontier Force as a temporary captain in 1923. In 1925 he was seconded to the Colonial Office, promoted to substantive captain in 1927 (with seniority back to 1920), and returned to regimental duty to serve as adjutant from 1930, and then attended Staff College in 1933–1934,  and in 1936 he was appointed a General Staff Officer, Grade 3, holding the appointment until January 1937. He was then seconded to be Commandant of the Northern Rhodesia Regiment, with the local rank of lieutenant-colonel, and appointed to the Northern Rhodesia Legislative Council. He was promoted to susbtantive lieutenant-colonel on 8 November 1938.

World War II
Dimoline was initially employed in the Middle East, and was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1941 for his services there, He was promoted to substantive colonel on 19 December 1941. and Mentioned in Despatches.

Brigadier Dimoline commanded the 26th East African Brigade (of the 12th African Division) in Italian Somaliland and Ethiopia during the East African Campaign. His brigade acted independently of its division for the duration of the campaign.

During the Battle of Madagascar in 1942, Brigadier Dimoline commanded the 22nd East African Brigade. His brigade carried out an amphibious landing on 10 September at Majunga, in the north-west part of the island. He commanded a surprise attack on 18 October against forces based at Andriamanalina with such success that his troops suffered no casualties. He was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his part in the battle.

Later, he commanded a number of East African brigades in the Asian Theatre including in the Burma Campaign the 28th East African Brigade and then, on promotion to acting major-general in 1945, the 11th (East Africa) Division. He was again Mentioned in Despatches for his performance there, and given the Distinguished Service Order (DSO).

Post war
Dimoline was made a substantive major-general on 6 September 1946, and was appointed General Officer Commanding East Africa Command. He was made a Companion of the Bath (CB) in the 1947 King's Birthday Honours, and, in 1948, was appointed General Officer Commanding Aldershot District; he relinquished command of the Aldershot District on 1 September 1951. On 29 September 1951 he was appointed "Head of The Service Advisers to The United Kingdom Delegation and United Kingdom Representative on, The Military Staff Committee of The United Nations", and held the post until 13 October 1953. He retired on 27 December 1953, remaining a reserve officer until 1957. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) in the 1958 New Year Honours for his work as "Secretary, British Group, Inter-Parliamentary Union."

Family
His younger brother was Brigadier Harry Kenneth Dimoline.

Career summary

 * Commissioned into 5th battalion King's Regiment (Liverpool) (6 July 1914)
 * Commissioned into East Surrey Regiment (1920)
 * Transferred to Royal Signal Corps (1922)
 * Seconded to West African Frontier Force (1923)
 * Commandant Northern Rhodesia Regiment (1937)
 * Commanding Officer, 26th East African Brigade, East Africa - 1941 to 1942
 * Acting General Officer Commanding, 12th African Division, East Africa - 1942
 * Commanding Officer, 26th East African Brigade, East Africa - 1942
 * Commanding Officer, 22nd East African Brigade, East Africa and Madagascar - 1942 to 1943
 * Commandant of Diego Fortress, Madagascar - 1943
 * Commanding Officer, 21st East African Brigade, Ceylon - 1943
 * Commanding Officer, 30th East African Brigade, East Africa - 1944
 * Commanding Officer, 28th Independent East African Brigade, Ceylon - 1944
 * Commanding Officer, 28th Independent East African Brigade, Ceylon, India, and Burma - 1944 to 1945
 * General Officer Commanding, 11th (East Africa) Division, Burma and India - 1945 to 1946
 * Commander-in-Chief, East Africa Command - 1946 to 1948
 * District Officer Commanding, Aldershot District - 1948 to 1951
 * British Representative on United Nations' Military Staff Committee - 1951 to 1953