Major-General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies

[Steen Ammentorp]

Hi,

I am trying to establish the career of Major-General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, and I am a bit puzzled.

He retired from the Army as a Colonel on the 17th April 1940, but any further promotions eludes me. The London Gazette refers to him as a Major-General (1st June 1951), as a Local Major-General (16th November 1948 & 28th January 1949), as a Colonel (20th February 1948), as a Temporary Major-General (14 January 1947 & 11th may 1948) a Local Brigadier (5th October 1943). Every time in connection with the confirment of an order or decoration whether British or Foreign.
Various sources mentions that he was promoted to Major-General in January 1944, 1944 or 1945 but none gives an exact date. What is strange that no Army List has him with a rank higher than Colonel - None of the Quarterly Army Lists during the war, nor the Gradation Lists for 1957 or 1962.

Yet he is always referred to as a Major-General, which is strange if he was not promoted to the substantive rank of Major-General or Granted the Honorary rank of Major-General, which should be in the Gradation Lists.

I all seems a bit strange to me. Of course considering his line of work a promotion may have been a secret at one point, but surely not after his retirement.

Does anybody have any further information about his promotions?