Editing Miles Dempsey (section)

==Between the wars==
After the war ended, the 1st Royal Berkshires served in the [[Allied occupation of the Rhineland]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=14}} On 16 February 1919, Dempsey returned to the UK on leave.{{sfn|Caddick-Adams|2005|p=67}} During the summer he played two [[first-class cricket]] matches for [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]] against [[Oxford University Cricket Club|Oxford University]] and [[Northamptonshire County Cricket Club|Northamptonshire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29036/First-Class_Matches.html|title=First-Class Matches played by Miles Dempsey|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=22 June 2012}}</ref>

The 1st Battalion was re-formed at [[Chiseldon Camp]] in Wiltshire in June, and Dempsey rejoined it.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=16}} In September it was sent to Iraq, where it helped suppress the [[Iraqi revolt of 1920]]. The following August, it moved to Iran, where it formed part of [[North Persia Force]] (Norperforce) in the [[Russian Civil War]].{{sfn|English|2009|p=52}}{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=16–23}} While his battalion was stationed in Iran, Dempsey took up [[Pelmanism (system)|Pelmanism]]. In late 1921 it moved again, this time to [[Bareilly]], [[British Raj|India]], and Dempsey took over C Company. In 1922 he returned to England for his first leave in almost three years. He went back to India later in the year before returning to England again in 1923, this time to take up an appointment at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=24–26}}

While at Sandhurst, Dempsey commanded No. 1 Platoon of No. 1 Company, which was commanded by [[Major (United Kingdom)|Major]] [[Richard O'Connor]], who was later to serve under Dempsey.{{sfn|English|2009|p=52}} Another who he would later encounter, and become great friends with, was [[Frederick Browning]], then a captain and the college's adjutant.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=27}} Dempsey remained in this post until 1927 when he returned to duties with his regiment. This time he was posted to the 2nd Battalion, which was serving in Germany as part of the [[British Army of the Rhine]] (BAOR). Dempsey took over B Company, and spent a large amount of his time travelling, mainly by bicycle, around Europe, visiting battlefields of old wars, as well as likely scenes of battle in any future conflicts.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=27–29}} The 2nd Battalion returned to the UK in 1928.{{sfn|Edmonds|1987|pp=300–301}} Between 1926 and 1932, he played [[Minor Counties Championship]] cricket for [[Berkshire County Cricket Club|Berkshire]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/29/29036/Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html|title=Minor Counties Championship Matches played by Miles Dempsey|publisher=CricketArchive|access-date=22 June 2012}}</ref> He also played football and [[field hockey|hockey]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=16}}

In January 1930, Dempsey was admitted to the [[Staff College, Camberley]], graduating in December 1931. His fellow students in the Junior Division included numerous future [[general officer]]s, including [[William Gott]], [[George Hopkinson]], [[George William Symes|George Symes]], [[Maurice Chilton]], [[Aubertin Walter Sothern Mallaby|Walter Mallaby]], [[Stuart Blundell Rawlins|Stuart Rawlins]] and [[John Nichols (British Army officer)|John Nichols]]. The Senior Division attending from 1929 to 1930 included [[Neil Ritchie]], [[Herbert Lumsden]], [[George Erskine]], [[Ivor Hughes]], [[Reginald Denning]], [[Harold Redman]] and [[I. S. O. Playfair|Ian Playfair]], while in Dempsey's second year, the Junior Division, attending from 1931 to 1932, included [[Brian Horrocks]], [[Sidney Kirkman]], [[Frank Simpson (British Army officer)|Frank Simpson]], [[Joseph Baillon]], [[Arthur Dowler]], [[Thomas Wynford Rees|Thomas Rees]], [[Keith Arbuthnott, 15th Viscount of Arbuthnott|Keith Arbuthnott]] and [[Cameron Nicholson]]. The instructors in Dempsey's first year included [[Henry Maitland Wilson]] and [[Trafford Leigh-Mallory]]. Nearly all of these men were to achieve high rank in the upcoming war.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=29–31}}

Enjoying his time at the Staff College, Dempsey captained the college cricket team. He also excelled at [[equitation]], beating Gott in the [[point-to-point (steeplechase)|point-to-point]] competition.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=33}} Students worked in syndicates; Dempsey's chose to study the August 1914 [[Battle of Gumbinnen]]. They toured the battlefield with ''[[Hauptmann]]'' [[Anton Reichard von Mauchenheim genannt Bechtolsheim]], a German Army officer who had been on two months' secondment to the British Army in 1930. The syndicate noted the influence that poor communications had on the outcome of the battle, and speculated as to how [[armoured fighting vehicle]]s might have been employed had they existed at the time.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=31–33}}

Completion of the course at Camberley was normally followed by a staff posting to allow the graduate to practise his skills, and Dempsey's first posting after Camberley was as a General Staff Officer Grade 3 (GSO3) on the staff of the [[Military Secretary (United Kingdom)|Military Secretary]], Major-General [[Sidney Clive]]. Dempsey was responsible for the careers and assignments of all officers below the rank of [[colonel (United Kingdom)|colonel]], with access to their annual confidential reports.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=34–35}} Dempsey, who was promoted to major on 22 September 1932,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=14 October 1932 |issue=33873 |page=6489}}</ref> held this post until late January 1934, when he handed over to Horrocks upon receiving an appointment as [[brigade major]] of the [[5th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|5th Infantry Brigade]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=34–35}}

The brigade, commanded by [[Brigadier (United Kingdom)|Brigadier]] [[Victor Fortune]] ([[Francis Nosworthy]] from 1935), formed part of the 2nd Division, then commanded by Major-General [[Archibald Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell|Archibald Wavell]]. It served in [[Aldershot Command]] and took part in numerous large-scale [[Military exercise|military manoeuvres]] throughout Dempsey's time as brigade major. After handing over again to Horrocks in February 1936, Dempsey returned to the 1st Battalion of his regiment, taking command of HQ Company. The 1st Battalion was now stationed in [[Shorncliffe, Kent]], as part of the [[10th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|10th Brigade]] of the [[4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|4th Division]]. Shortly after Dempsey's return, [[lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Eric Miles]] assumed command.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=36–39}}

The following year Dempsey attended a brief course at the [[Senior Officers' School]] at [[Sheerness]], before being posted to South Africa, where he served as a General Staff Officer Grade 2 (GSO2) with the [[Union Defence Force (South Africa)|Defence Forces of the Union of South Africa]] at the [[South African Army College]] at [[Thaba Tshwane|Roberts Heights]] near [[Pretoria]], a posting which he enjoyed. Relinquishing that post in late January 1938, he returned to England soon after to succeed Miles as [[commanding officer]] of the 1st Battalion, Royal Berkshires,{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=40–42}} and received a promotion to lieutenant colonel on 11 February 1938.<ref>{{London Gazette |date=18 February 1938 |issue=34485 |page=1081}}</ref>

The 1st Battalion, still with the 10th Brigade, was both lacking in modern equipment and severely understrength, although, with the possibility of another war in Europe, the situation slowly changed and new equipment and [[Army Reserve (United Kingdom)|reservists]] began arriving.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=40–42}} In October 1938 Dempsey's battalion moved to [[Blackdown Army Camp]] in Surrey. It was transferred from Brigadier [[Evelyn Barker]]'s 10th Brigade to Brigadier [[Noel Irwin]]'s [[6th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|6th Brigade]] and became part of the 2nd Division once more.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=40–42}}{{sfn|English|2009|p=52}}