From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

For the American military officer and politician, see Bob Nimmo.

Lieutenant General Robert Harold Nimmo, CBE (22 November 1893 – 4 January 1966) was a
senior Australian Army officer who served in World War I, in World War II, with the British
Commonwealth Occupation Force in Japan, as general officer commanding (GOC) Northern
Command in Australia, and finally as the chief military observer of the United Nations Military
Observer Group in India and Pakistan from 1950 until his death in 1966. Raised on a sheep station in
far north Queensland, Nimmo attended the Southport School in southern Queensland before
entering the Royal Military College, Duntroon, in 1912. He was the senior cadet of his class, which
graduated early to participate in World War I. He served with the 5th Light Horse Regiment during
the Gallipoli and Sinai and Palestine campaigns, reaching the rank of major. He was praised for his
leadership as a light horse squadron commander and for his skills as the brigade major of the 1st
Light Horse Brigade in the final stages of the war.

At the end of the war, Nimmo transferred to the permanent Australian Staff Corps, and served as
a company commander and instructor at Duntroon before a series of staff postings at cavalry
formations in Victoria. He was also a talented sportsman, representing Australia in field hockey, and
the state of Victoria in a range of sports. After attending the British Army's Senior Officers' School, he
was promoted to lieutenant colonel and served as a senior staff officer on the headquarters of two
cavalry divisions. At the outbreak of World War II, he was initially retained in Australia to help
develop an Australian armoured force, and was subsequently promoted to brigadier and
commanded a cavalry and then an armoured brigade in Australia. Following this he was posted as a
senior staff officer at corps and then at army headquarters level in Australia. Nimmo administered
command of Northern Territory Force before deploying to the island of Bougainville in the Territory
of New Guinea to command the 4th Base Sub Area, the logistics organisation supporting
the Bougainville campaign. His final posting of the war was as a senior staff officer on First Australian
Army headquarters in Lae in New Guinea.

Soon after the Japanese surrender, Nimmo was selected to command the 34th Brigade, and led it
from Morotai in the Dutch East Indies to Japan, where it formed part of the British Commonwealth
Occupation Force. Upon returning from Japan to Australia, he was promoted to major general and
posted as GOC Northern Command. He was appointed as a Commander of the British Empire in
1950, and retired from the army at the end of that year. Almost simultaneously he was appointed as
the chief military observer of the UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP),
responsible for monitoring the 800-kilometre (500 mi) long ceasefire line between
the Indian and Pakistani armed forces, which extended from the Kashmir Valley to the Himalayas. He
was promoted by Australia to honorary lieutenant general in 1954, at the suggestion of the United
Nations. In 1964, the UN Secretariat described him as "by far the most successful United Nations
observer ever". He died of a heart attack in his sleep on 4 January 1966 at Rawalpindi, Pakistan, and
was buried in the Anzac section of Mount Gravatt Cemetery, Brisbane, with full military and United
Nations honours and senior representatives of both India and Pakistan were present. Nimmo was the
first Australian to command a multinational peacekeeping force, and his command of UNMOGIP
remains the longest-ever command of a UN operation.

Early life and education

Robert Harold Nimmo was born on 22 November 1893 at Oak Park Station, a sheep station near the
town of Einasleigh in far north Queensland. He was the fifth of nine children of James Russel Nimmo,
a Scottish-born grazier, and his wife Mary Ann Eleanor née Lethbridge, who was born in Victoria.
Known within his family as Harold, between 1904 and 1911 Nimmo attended the Southport School,
an independent Anglican school south of the Queensland capital of Brisbane (now part of the Gold
Coast). He achieved excellent results in both academic and sporting pursuits while at school.[2]

In the year that Nimmo finished at the Southport School, the Royal Military College, Duntroon,
opened in the national capital of Canberra, and on 7 March 1912, he joined the second intake of
officer trainees for the small Australian Permanent Military Forces. He became known by the
nickname "Putt" while at Duntroon. After the outbreak of World War I in August 1914 it was decided
to graduate Nimmo's class fourteen months early in November of that year.[2]

World War I

Gallipoli campaign

Nimmo was appointed as a lieutenant in the Permanent Military Forces upon graduation on 3
November 1914,[3] having held the position of the senior cadet of his 40-strong class, known as the
company sergeant major.[4] He was commissioned as a lieutenant into the Australian Imperial
Force (AIF) and joined the 5th Light Horse Regiment,[3] part of Colonel Granville Ryrie's 2nd Light
Horse Brigade which was forming from men recruited in Queensland. On 21 December the regiment
sailed from Sydney for the Middle East aboard SS Persic, a White Star Line ocean liner that had been
converted into a troopship and redesignated HMAT A34. The regiment arrived in Egypt on 1 February
1915. Initially considered unsuitable for the landing at Gallipoli on 25 April, the whole brigade was
landed at Anzac Cove on 20 May in a dismounted role to reinforce the severely depleted infantry of
the 1st Division that had been fighting the Gallipoli campaign since 25 April.[5] Nimmo was a troop
commander in A Squadron,[6] and although the regiment performed a defensive role for most of the
campaign, it was involved in some minor attacks. Nimmo was involved in considerable fighting during
the campaign.[2][5]

Nimmo (sitting on deck front centre) with a group of officers en route to the Middle East

In the second week of June the 2nd Light Horse Brigade was deployed onto the southernmost flank
of the Australian frontline at Gallipoli. A competition then ensued by which the Australians and
opposing Ottoman Army troops extended their trenches south, with the Australian position
terminating at Chatham's Post at the seaward end of a long spur. The opposing Ottoman trench
system at this point was the Echelon Trenches. The 2nd Light Horse Brigade was ordered to conduct
a feint attack towards the Echelon Trenches, and to occupy an intermediate position known as the
Balkan Pits from which the Ottomans were to be led to believe the attack was to be launched. A
Squadron of the 5th Light Horse Regiment was to occupy the Balkan Pits with cover from other
elements of the brigade from various positions, along with artillery.[7] Nimmo was in the forefront of
this advance, engaging exposed Ottoman troops as they went, causing confusion, but drawing fire
and warning the Ottomans of the danger, and they promptly occupied the Echelon Trenches in
response. The half-squadron, now in the Balkan Pits, was engaged by Ottoman artillery, and there
was some friendly fire from a British destroyer which also caused casualties. Despite accompanying
heavy rifle fire and Ottoman troops approaching from two directions, the lighthorsemen remained in
position. Nimmo's leadership in steadying the forward troops at this juncture was noted in
the Australian official history of the war. With the Ottomans closing in, the lighthorsemen were
ordered to withdraw, but they refused to leave any wounded behind, which slowed their eventual
return to the Australian line about dusk. During the operation, the 5th Light Horse Regiment lost 24
killed, 79 wounded, and one taken prisoner.[8]

On 16 July Nimmo was appointed as regimental adjutant and twelve days later he was temporarily
promoted to captain.[3] He was evacuated with enteric fever in late August,[2] and because he was
no longer performing his adjutant duties he reverted to his substantive rank of lieutenant on 30
August. He was admitted to hospital in Alexandria in Egypt on 6 September then evacuated to the UK
on 23 September where he was admitted to hospital in London on 5 October. Due to his absence
from his unit, he was placed on the supernumerary list on 13 December.[9]

Sinai and Palestine campaign

See also: Sinai and Palestine campaign

The 5th Light Horse Regiment camp at Dueidar

On 20 December 1915 the 5th Light Horse Regiment was withdrawn from Gallipoli when all
Australian forces were evacuated.[5] On 4 February 1916 Nimmo reported to the Australian
personnel depot in the UK after recuperating from his illness, and a month later he departed to
return to the Middle East, sailing on the SS Arcadian, another converted liner used as a troopship. He
disembarked at Alexandria on 16 May.[3] In March 1916 the 5th Light Horse Regiment had joined
the ANZAC Mounted Division forming in Egypt, and was involved in the defence of the Suez
Canal from an Ottoman advance, although its main task was long-range patrolling.[5] Nimmo was
posted back to his former regiment on 25 June, but the following day was appointed as second-in-
command of an ad hoc subunit, the 2nd Double Squadron. He was temporarily promoted to captain
on 1 July to fulfil this role. He returned to the regiment on 22 July and his promotion to captain was
made substantive.[10] In July he was designated as a staff trainee within the "G" (Operations) Branch
of the headquarters of the ANZAC Mounted Division.[11] By this time, the 5th Light Horse Regiment
was based at Dueidar – west of Katia on the northern Sinai Peninsula, from where extensive
patrolling and reconnaissance was conducted.[12] On 17 October Nimmo was again appointed as
regimental adjutant.[13]

On 12 December Nimmo was temporarily detached to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, but returned to
his regiment on 27 December.[14] On 24 February 1917 he was seconded to the headquarters of the
2nd Light Horse Brigade for training as a staff captain.[14] In February and March, the 2nd Light
Horse Brigade conducted brigade-level reconnaissance into Palestine towards Gaza.[15][16] Nimmo's
secondment to headquarters of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade included the failed First Battle of
Gaza on 26 March.[17] On 15 April Nimmo was seconded as a staff captain to the British 160th
Infantry Brigade which was part of the 53rd (Welsh) Infantry Division.[14] The 53rd (Welsh) Infantry
Division had received significant casualties in the First Battle of Gaza.[18] While Nimmo was with the
British division, it was involved in a second failure to capture Gaza on 17–19 April,[19] in which the
160th Infantry Brigade managed to capture Samson's Ridge following many unsuccessful attempts
and serious losses.[20] After three months with the British, Nimmo returned to the 5th Light Horse
Regiment on 14 July on promotion to major,[21] posted as officer commanding B Squadron.
[11] Nimmo led B Squadron during several minor brigade and regimental operations targeting enemy
patrols and outposts in the vicinity of Beersheba in July,[22] and August,[23] before spending
September engaged in training and inspections at the rest camp at Tel el Marakeb.[24]

Nimmo (left front) with officers of the 5th Light Horse Regiment at Romani in November 1916

Between 21 and 29 October, Nimmo and his squadron were detached to the Imperial Camel Corps
Brigade for patrol and outpost duty.[25] Nimmo led his squadron during the successful Battle of
Beersheba on 31 October,[5] where the 5th Light Horse Regiment helped cut the Beersheba-
Hebron road at Sakati to isolate the Ottoman defenders.[26] The presence of the 2nd Light Horse
Brigade across the Beersheba-Hebron road helped to give the German general commanding the
Ottoman forces in the sector, Friedrich Freiherr Kress von Kressenstein, the false impression that the
Allied advance would now be aimed at Jerusalem, and he made troop dispositions that weakened the
defences at Gaza.[27] Nimmo's squadron then participated in the follow-up operations around Tel el
Khuweilfe in the first few days of November, which were initially led by the 5th Light Horse Regiment.
[28] Soon after, the 5th Light Horse Regiment participated in the successful Third Battle of Gaza on 7
November, where it advanced quickly with exposed flanks to attempt to cut off the retreating
Ottoman forces at Huj, but was unable to reach its objective despite fighting "dashingly". Later that
day the 5th Light Horse Regiment attacked the Tel Abu Dilakh ridge, covering the 1.6–2.4 km (1–
1.5 mi) to the ridge at a gallop under heavy artillery fire. While the regiment was held up by guns
firing from a distant village, they pushed forward in the morning and captured the enemy artillery.
[29]
After this concentrated period of heavy fighting, Nimmo's regiment was rested on the coast for three
days before rejoining the force that pursued the Ottoman forces north along the coast.[30] In late
November and early December, the 5th Light Horse Regiment held a defensive position along
the Auja river, before the entire brigade received a week's rest.[31] The 5th Light Horse Regiment
then helped capture Jerusalem.[5] The wet winter made operations impossible over the period from
late December 1917, and Nimmo's regiment was sent further south to Esdud to continue its rest and
recuperation,[32] which continued until mid-March 1918 when they broke camp and rode to
Jerusalem.[33] From there the brigade rode to the Jordan River and crossed at Hajla on 23/24 March
as part of the raid on Amman. They crossed the Jordan Valley and climbed the plateau a few hour's
ride from their objective.[34] On 26 March, two squadrons of the 5th Light Horse Regiment – one of
which was Nimmo's[35] – attacked a convoy on the Amman-Es Salt road, and captured two dozen
vehicles and 12 prisoners,[36] and on the following day cut the railway to the north of Amman by
blowing up a bridge.[36] During the stealthy approach march to the railway line, Nimmo's squadron
was the advance guard and his handling of his squadron was described by the commander of the raid
as "masterly".[37] The 2nd Light Horse Brigade then engaged in a demonstration on the left flank of a
night attack on Amman by the rest of the raiding force. Like the two daylight attempts that preceded
it, this attack was also a failure. The 2nd Light Horse Brigade withdrew to Es Salt.[38]

The 5th Light Horse Regiment then spent most of the next three months securing the west bank of
the Jordan.[5] On 26 April, Nimmo accompanied his commanding officer on a reconnaissance
of fords along the Jordan, and the following day Nimmo's squadron was the advance guard for the
crossing of the river. The brigade then joined the Australian Mounted Division near Es Salt on 1 May.
[39] The 5th Light Horse Regiment took up positions near Es Salt, which had been captured by the
3rd Light Horse Brigade on 30 April, and fought off an Ottoman attack on 3 May, after which the
regiment withdrew to a bivouac area south of Jericho.[40] While these two raids were unsuccessful
at the tactical level, they contributed to the Ottoman commanders becoming convinced that the next
major Allied offensive would involve them crossing the Jordan.[5]

The regiment rotated in and out of the outpost line from 22 May,[40] and from 11 June Nimmo spent
two weeks acting as brigade major of the 2nd Light Horse Brigade while the incumbent was on leave,
[41] followed by six weeks at the senior officers' school near Cairo.[21][41] On 17 September he was
appointed as brigade major of the 1st Light Horse Brigade, which was conducting operations near Es
Salt. Nimmo prepared the orders for the key role the brigade played in the capture of Amman on 25
September and a follow-up operation on 28 September at Kirb Es Samra and El Mafrak, in which it
took more than eight hundred Ottoman and four German prisoners and captured 16 artillery pieces.
[42] From 7 October Nimmo spent two weeks in hospital with malaria followed by two weeks' sick
leave, rejoining the 1st Light Horse Brigade on 12 November after the Ottoman Empire had signed
the Armistice of Mudros, ending the fighting in the Middle East.[43] On 21 January 1919
Nimmo's mention in despatches was announced in the London Gazette for his services during the
period from 16 March to 18 September 1918.[44][45] A month later he embarked at Suez aboard
the Novgorod to return to Australia.[46]

Nimmo's record with the 5th Light Horse Regiment was described by his commanding
officer, Lieutenant Colonel Donald Cameron, as "a particularly fine one", and he was also described
by Cameron as possessing "personal qualifications of the highest order" and as "a most gallant and
able leader". His commanding officer's report on his performance was endorsed by the commander
of the 1st Light Horse Brigade, Brigadier General Charles Frederick Cox, who described him as "an
excellent brigade major", and by the commander of the ANZAC Mounted Division, Major
General Edward Chaytor.[47] Nimmo's AIF appointment was terminated on 19 June 1919,[48] and he
was transferred to the Australian Staff Corps, the small corps of officers of the Permanent Military
Forces responsible for the training of the part-time forces. For his service in World War I, he was
entitled to the 1914–15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.[49] Upon his return to Australia,
Nimmo was presented the 1915 Sword of Honour,[50] an award for the cadet in each Duntroon
graduating class who displays the most exemplary conduct and performance of duties.[50][51]