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Horrocks: The General Who Led from the Front
Lieutenant General Sir Brian Horrocks was a legend in his lifetime. He leapt to fame as a Brigade, Divisional and Corps Commander during the Second World War where his dashing style, good luck and easy manner won him huge respect and great success. He was happiest in the frontline and yet his victories in the field were hard won, be they in North Africa or NW Europe.
By 1944 he was commanding 200,000 men of all Allied nations who did not agree on much else but all thought highly of him.
His attributes brought him success in industry, as a TV presenter and as Black Rod, in the Houses of Parliament.
By 1944 he was commanding 200,000 men of all Allied nations who did not agree on much else but all thought highly of him.
His attributes brought him success in industry, as a TV presenter and as Black Rod, in the Houses of Parliament.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1984
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About the author
Philip Warner
87 books9 followersPhilip Warner (1914 - 2000) was an outstanding military historian, and for the last 13 years The Daily Telegraph's peerless Army obituarist. Indeed, he played a vital role in setting the standard for the modern Telegraph obituary. He had a relish for the piquant detail and an understanding that a good story should never be overdressed.
He was a master of the laconic, lapidary phrase. Warner's direct, uncluttered and transparent prose, was a reflection of the man. Above all, he felt deep admiration for the lives he celebrated. His own character, always strong, had been tempered by his terrible experiences at the hands of the Japanese during the Second World War.
One of the Allied soldiers rounded up and imprisoned after the fall of Singapore on February 15 1942, he spent some time in the infamous Changi jail, and worked on the Railway of Death. For every sleeper laid on the 1,000 miles of track through Malaya, Burma and Thailand, a prisoner of war was lost. Philip Warner was saved by his tough-mindedness and by his belief in the virtues of loyalty. To help his fellow prisoners forget their troubles, he organised plays, talks and debates.
Afterwards, he never liked to mention his ordeal. He felt he owed his survival to his physical condition (he performed 30 minutes of exercises every day of his life), his scrupulous hygiene (hard to stick to when one is starving), and to his strong sense of belonging to his family back in Britain. At night he would look at the moon, and think of it passing over Warwickshire.
In 1944 Warner and other able-bodied PoWs were stowed under deck in a troopship (he enjoyed the irony of being almost torpedoed by the Americans), and taken to Japan, where he worked in the copper mines, in dark, hot and dangerous conditions.
As the Americans closed in, he and his fellow PoWs had the unnerving experience of being herded into caves, while the Japanese guards set up machine-guns outside. The atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki probably saved the prisoners from massacre.
At the beginning of the war Warner had weighed 14 stone; in 1945 he was 4.5 stone. In 1,100 days of captivity, he only received half a Red Cross parcel. He was never among those inclined to bestow easy forgiveness upon the Japanese. The maltreatment which he had endured increased his natural reticence. Although he set great store by loyalty, he gave his trust warily.
Once certain that he could rely on someone, he would do anything for them; should anyone abuse his trust, he was slow to forgive. "There are six billion people in the world," he was wont to say, "and when this person gets to the top of the pile again, I will give him another chance." After the war Warner taught at Sandhurst and became a prolific writer, turning out more than 50 books.
He would produce two volumes a year, not to mention up to 200 obituaries and many book reviews - all with an absolute minimum of fuss. He worked on the principle that, once he had covered a page with writing, he could always cross it out. He was a firm believer in the virtues of perseverance - "Stick at the wicket and the runs will come" - and in early starts: "One hour in the morning is worth two in the afternoon, is worth three in the evening."
In the 1970s he was seriously ill, but under his colossal labour he throve as never before. Without it, he used to say, he would have had to play golf every day; and, useful player though he was, that was not his idea of a tolerable life.
Though the last man to preach, Philip Warner set a supreme example of how to tackle old age. While eager to enjoy himself, and, still more, to see that his friends enjoyed themselves, he instinctively understood that pleasure is best courted against a background of disciplined endeavour.
Philip Arthur William Warner was born at Nuneaton on May 19 1914, the last in
He was a master of the laconic, lapidary phrase. Warner's direct, uncluttered and transparent prose, was a reflection of the man. Above all, he felt deep admiration for the lives he celebrated. His own character, always strong, had been tempered by his terrible experiences at the hands of the Japanese during the Second World War.
One of the Allied soldiers rounded up and imprisoned after the fall of Singapore on February 15 1942, he spent some time in the infamous Changi jail, and worked on the Railway of Death. For every sleeper laid on the 1,000 miles of track through Malaya, Burma and Thailand, a prisoner of war was lost. Philip Warner was saved by his tough-mindedness and by his belief in the virtues of loyalty. To help his fellow prisoners forget their troubles, he organised plays, talks and debates.
Afterwards, he never liked to mention his ordeal. He felt he owed his survival to his physical condition (he performed 30 minutes of exercises every day of his life), his scrupulous hygiene (hard to stick to when one is starving), and to his strong sense of belonging to his family back in Britain. At night he would look at the moon, and think of it passing over Warwickshire.
In 1944 Warner and other able-bodied PoWs were stowed under deck in a troopship (he enjoyed the irony of being almost torpedoed by the Americans), and taken to Japan, where he worked in the copper mines, in dark, hot and dangerous conditions.
As the Americans closed in, he and his fellow PoWs had the unnerving experience of being herded into caves, while the Japanese guards set up machine-guns outside. The atom bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki probably saved the prisoners from massacre.
At the beginning of the war Warner had weighed 14 stone; in 1945 he was 4.5 stone. In 1,100 days of captivity, he only received half a Red Cross parcel. He was never among those inclined to bestow easy forgiveness upon the Japanese. The maltreatment which he had endured increased his natural reticence. Although he set great store by loyalty, he gave his trust warily.
Once certain that he could rely on someone, he would do anything for them; should anyone abuse his trust, he was slow to forgive. "There are six billion people in the world," he was wont to say, "and when this person gets to the top of the pile again, I will give him another chance." After the war Warner taught at Sandhurst and became a prolific writer, turning out more than 50 books.
He would produce two volumes a year, not to mention up to 200 obituaries and many book reviews - all with an absolute minimum of fuss. He worked on the principle that, once he had covered a page with writing, he could always cross it out. He was a firm believer in the virtues of perseverance - "Stick at the wicket and the runs will come" - and in early starts: "One hour in the morning is worth two in the afternoon, is worth three in the evening."
In the 1970s he was seriously ill, but under his colossal labour he throve as never before. Without it, he used to say, he would have had to play golf every day; and, useful player though he was, that was not his idea of a tolerable life.
Though the last man to preach, Philip Warner set a supreme example of how to tackle old age. While eager to enjoy himself, and, still more, to see that his friends enjoyed themselves, he instinctively understood that pleasure is best courted against a background of disciplined endeavour.
Philip Arthur William Warner was born at Nuneaton on May 19 1914, the last in
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
January 28, 2019
An interesting brief book about an important, if little known today, British general. In charge of XXX Corps during the European battles after Normandy, most notably in the Market Garden campaign. Horrocks led a full life from captured in the early days of WWI, repeated attempts to escape captivity, being sent to Russia in the aftermath of WWI and a career as a television presenter and author after WWII.
December 29, 2019
Philip Warner’s outstanding and brilliant biography of Lt. General Brian Horrocks, is a masterful study in leadership, life, military history, and the importance of values in a person’s character, that leads to success.
I believe the best summation of this man’s great leadership gifts, particularly as a fighting general in the Second World War, is brilliantly summarized by the military historian, Chester Wilmot, who said of him, “When he took over the 30th Corp., within a few days his fresh and fiery spirit had transformed the Corp. A tall, lithe figure with white hair, angular features, penetrating eyes and eloquent hands, he moved among his troops more like a prophet than a general.”
The officers and men who served under Horrocks’ command, were inspired by his ability to explain the why’s for an upcoming campaign and the importance of their roles in achieving successful outcomes and victory. Anyone who is interested in the Second World War and the uniqueness of some of the generals who served during this horrendous conflict, will find Philip Warner’s book stimulating and a joy to read.
I believe the best summation of this man’s great leadership gifts, particularly as a fighting general in the Second World War, is brilliantly summarized by the military historian, Chester Wilmot, who said of him, “When he took over the 30th Corp., within a few days his fresh and fiery spirit had transformed the Corp. A tall, lithe figure with white hair, angular features, penetrating eyes and eloquent hands, he moved among his troops more like a prophet than a general.”
The officers and men who served under Horrocks’ command, were inspired by his ability to explain the why’s for an upcoming campaign and the importance of their roles in achieving successful outcomes and victory. Anyone who is interested in the Second World War and the uniqueness of some of the generals who served during this horrendous conflict, will find Philip Warner’s book stimulating and a joy to read.
July 19, 2025
General Horrocks is a very interesting character. He appears to have been quite normal and a nice person, unlike many who make it to high office, a person one would think of always smiling through adversity. This book is very easy to read, infact I found it difficult to put down! It's a very good account of one of the perhaps less well known generals of WWII. Well worth a read!
July 10, 2023
This is the story of the most remarkable man from WW1 through the beginning of the Cold War. His story reads like Historical Fiction but it is all true. Most read
August 9, 2023
Another page-turner. A very impressive careerby a very impressive man. Also very well written by Philip Warner. I now want to read Horrocks’s two autobiographies as well.
December 26, 2007
An ok biography of a general who has largely become obscure, and is regarded even by his biographer as somewhat of a marginal figure in the history of the Second World War. For hardcore history buffs only.
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews