Harold Franklyn

Sir Harold Franklyn
General Sir Harold Franklyn
Born	28 November 1885
Died	31 March 1963(1963-03-31) (aged 77)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Rank	General
Unit	Green Howards
Commands held	1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment Sudan Defence Force 5th Infantry Division VIII Corps British Troops in Northern Ireland Home Forces
Battles/wars	World War I World War II
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order Military Cross

General Sir Harold Edmund Franklyn KCB DSO MC (28 November 1885 – 31 March 1963) was a senior British Army officer who fought in both the first World War and the Second World War, where he commanded the 5th Infantry Division during the Battle of France in May 1940.

Born the son of Lieutenant-General Sir William Edmund Franklyn and educated at Rugby School and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, Franklyn was commissioned as a second lieutenant into the Green Howards in 1905. He served in the Great War in France and Belgium and took part in the Battle of Arras and Third Battle of Ypres.

He became Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, West Yorkshire Regiment in 1930. He transferred to the Sudan Defence Force in 1933, initially as a General Staff Officer and then from 1935 as Commandant. He was appointed General Officer Commanding 5th Infantry Division in 1938 and continued in that role into the Second World War, leading his division at the Battle of Arras, part of the larger Battle of France. Although the battle failed to stop German progress, it influenced Gerd von Rundstedt to halt the German armour advancing on the Aa river on 24 May 1940. This allowed the French to establish defensive lines to the west of Dunkirk, permitting British and French forces to escape via the Channel port. He was appointed Commander of VIII Corps on the South coast of the United Kingdom in 1940, General Officer Commanding British Troops in Northern Ireland in 1941 and Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces in 1943 before he retired in 1945.