Editing Miles Dempsey (section)

==Second World War==
===Belgium and France===
[[File:British Generals 1939-1945 F3108.jpg|thumb|right|Brigadier Miles Dempsey (centre) and his staff, with their mascot 'Tiny' at Wervicq, France, in late 1939]]
Soon after the start of the Second World War in September 1939, Dempsey, with his battalion, was sent to France as part of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] (BEF).{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=40–42}} In November, Dempsey was promoted to the acting rank of brigadier, and assumed command of the [[13th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|13th Infantry Brigade]] in place of Brigadier [[Henry Willcox]], who had been one of Dempsey's instructors at the Staff College in the 1930s, and had been promoted. Aged just 42, Dempsey was one of the youngest brigadiers in the British Army. The brigade now formed part of Major-General [[Harold Franklyn]]'s [[5th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|5th Division]], although the division was still not fully formed. The brigade was sent to France as an independent formation, and had spent most of its time on guard duties in the BEF's rear areas. Together with the [[15th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|15th Infantry Brigade]], under Brigadier [[Horatio Pettus Mackintosh Berney-Ficklin|Horatio Berney-Ficklin]], and the [[17th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|17th Infantry Brigade]], under Brigadier [[Montagu Stopford]], it re-joined the 5th Division when the division HQ arrived in late December. The 5th Division then became part of II Corps ([[Lieutenant-General (United Kingdom)|Lieutenant-General]] [[Alan Brooke]]).{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=43}}

The brigade saw action in May 1940 in the [[Operation David#Withdrawal to the Escaut|retreat from the River Dyle]] and fought in the [[Operation David#Defence of the Escaut|defensive battle]] on the [[River Scarpe]]. When the Belgian Army surrendered in late May the brigade took part in the holding [[battle of the Ypres–Comines Canal]] allowing the [[3rd Division (United Kingdom)|3rd Infantry Division]] (Major-General [[Bernard Montgomery]]) to cross their rear and secure the gap created by the Belgian collapse.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=117}} In the [[Battle of Dunkirk|retreat to Dunkirk]] the brigade provided part of the [[rearguard]] for the BEF during the [[Dunkirk evacuation]] before being lifted off the beaches. By the time the 13th Brigade returned to England, it was reduced to fewer than 500 men, out of an original strength of nearly 3,000.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=49}} For his services in France, Dempsey was mentioned in despatches and made a companion of the [[Distinguished Service Order]] in July, which was presented to him by Franklyn.<ref name="mid2">{{London Gazette |issue=34904 |supp=y |date=23 July 1940|page=4579}}</ref><ref name="DSO">{{London Gazette |issue=34893 |supp=y |date=9 July 1940|page=4261}}</ref>{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=49}} Soon after, Franklyn was replaced by Berney-Ficklin.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=64}}

[[File:42nd Armoured Division Exercise, Near Malton in Yorkshire, 29 September 1942 TR166.jpg|thumb|left|The Commander in Chief Home Forces, General Sir [[Bernard Paget]] (left) and Dempsey (right) watch [[42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division|42nd Armoured Division]] exercises from a [[Crusader tank]].]]

In July Dempsey took up the appointment of Brigadier General Staff (BGS) of the newly created [[VII Corps (United Kingdom)|VII Corps]], which in December became known as the [[Canadian Corps (World War II)|Canadian Corps]], and was commanded by Lieutenant General [[Andrew McNaughton]] of the [[Canadian Army]]. As the senior staff officer of the new corps, he helped to oversee the Canadian units and higher formations during their training,{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=49–52}} and it was during this time where his "quiet competence, notable friendliness, and lack of airs endeared him to the Canadians."{{sfn|English|2009|p=53}} He held this position until 15 June 1941, when he was promoted to the acting rank of major-general, and given command of the [[46th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|46th Infantry Division]],<ref>{{London Gazette |date=17 June 1941 |issue=35195 |supp=1 |page=3497}}</ref> at the instigation of General [[Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke|Sir Alan Brooke]], then the [[Commander-in-Chief, Home Forces]], who had recognised Dempsey's ability in Belgium and France and thought highly of him.{{sfn|English|2009|p=53}}{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=52}} His stay with the division, which had fought in France a year earlier, was not destined to be for long as, four months later, he assumed command of the [[42nd (East Lancashire) Infantry Division]], which was in the process of converting to an [[Armoured warfare|armoured division]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=117}} This required him to implement a huge training programme. The [[125th (Lancashire Fusiliers) Brigade|125th]] and [[126th (East Lancashire) Brigade|126th Infantry Brigades]] were converted into the [[10th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|10th]] and [[11th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|11th Armoured Brigade]]s and their infantry battalions converted to regiments of the [[Royal Armoured Corps]]. Further challenges were presented in May 1942 when the establishment of British armoured divisions was altered to have an armoured brigade with an infantry brigade instead of having two armoured brigades. The 10th and 11th Armoured Brigades were withdrawn from the division and replaced by [[30th Armoured Brigade (United Kingdom)|30th Armoured Brigade]] and [[71st Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)|71st Infantry Brigade]]. By the end of the year, Dempsey had become well-versed in the direction of combined armoured and infantry formations as well as an experienced trainer of troops.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=118}}

===Sicily and Italy===
On 12 December 1942 Dempsey was promoted to [[Lieutenant-general (United Kingdom)|lieutenant-general]] and assumed command of [[XIII Corps (United Kingdom)|XIII Corps]], part of the [[Eighth Army (United Kingdom)|Eighth Army]] in North Africa, at the request of Montgomery, the Eighth Army commander. Dempsey replaced Horrocks, who took over [[X Corps (United Kingdom)|X Corps]]. In his memoirs, Montgomery wrote that Dempsey had been a student of his when he was an instructor at the Staff College,<ref>{{London Gazette |date=11 December 1942 |issue=35821 |supp=1 |page=5449}}</ref>{{sfn|Montgomery|1958|p=141}} but his memory was faulty; Montgomery left the Staff College in 1929, and Dempsey did not arrive until 1930.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=33–34}}

[[File:The Campaign in Sicily 1943 NA5687.jpg|thumb|right|Dempsey (left) with two of his staff (Major Priestly and Captain Hay) in Sicily in July 1943]]
Unlike a division, which had a set structure, a corps was a flexible formation to which divisions and brigades were assigned as necessary. When he arrived in [[Cairo]], Dempsey found all he commanded was a headquarters, because the long [[line of communication|lines of communication]] to Eighth Army's spearhead could only sustain X Corps and [[XXX Corps (United Kingdom)|XXX Corps]] (Lieutenant-General [[Oliver Leese]]).{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=58–59}}{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=118}} Dempsey was employed in the planning of the [[Allied invasion of Sicily]]. The plan was developed by a staff in [[Algiers]] known as Force 141, under Major-General [[Charles Gairdner]]. Dempsey temporarily assumed the role of [[chief of staff]] of Force 545, the staff responsible for planning the Eighth Army's part in the operation, until Major-General [[Francis de Guingand]], the Eighth Army chief of staff, could be spared to take over.{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|p=8}}

Dempsey did not like the plan, which involved separate, dispersed landings. This assumed that the German and Italian response would be slow and weak, and nothing in the British experience of the war supported the expectation that this would be the case. Dempsey wanted the Allied forces to land where they could support each other in the event of a strong and vigorous German response. Dempsey took his objections to Montgomery on 13 March 1943 and then to Gairdner five days later. The former agreed with him but the latter did not.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=58–59}}{{sfn|De Guingand|1947|pp=274–275}} De Guingand took over on 17 April, enabling Dempsey to return to command of XIII Corps.{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|p=21}}{{sfn|De Guingand|1947|p=272}} De Guingand discussed the plan with Dempsey, agreed with Dempsey's objections and prepared an appreciation for Montgomery.{{sfn|De Guingand|1947|pp=274–275}} Montgomery raised their objections with [[General (United Kingdom)|General]] [[Harold Alexander]], the [[15th Army Group]] commander, on 24 April. After some debate, the [[Supreme Allied Commander]], General [[Dwight D. Eisenhower]] accepted Montgomery's revised plan on 3 May.{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|pp=21–23}}{{sfn|De Guingand|1947|pp=278–281}}

[[File:The Campaign in Italy, September-december 1943- the Allied Advance To the Gustav Line- Personalities NA10338.jpg|thumb|left|Dempsey (right) in Italy with (left to right) [[Freddie de Guingand]], [[Harry Broadhurst]], [[Bernard Montgomery]], [[Bernard Freyberg]] and [[Charles Walter Allfrey|Charles Allfrey]]]]

For the invasion of Sicily, XIII Corps had two infantry divisions, the 5th Division under Berney-Ficklin and the [[50th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)|50th Division]] under Major-General Sidney Kirkman and the [[4th Infantry Brigade and Headquarters North East|4th Armoured Brigade]] (Brigadier [[John Cecil Currie]]), which had only two armoured regiments, the [[44th Royal Tank Regiment]] and the [[3rd County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)]].{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|pp=9, 94}} He was also responsible for the [[1st Airborne Division (United Kingdom)|1st Airborne Division]] (Major-General George Hopkinson), to be dropped by [[paratrooper|parachute]] and [[Military glider|glider]] just prior to the [[amphibious warfare|amphibious landings]].{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|pp=9, 26}}

The landings on Sicily on 10 July initially went well, with XIII Corps achieving all its first-day objectives but by 12 July progress slowed after the 5th Division encountered elements of the German [[Hermann Göring Division]]. Montgomery and Dempsey attempted to capture [[Catania]] using [[paratroops]] and [[Commandos (United Kingdom)|commandos]]. [[Operation Fustian]] was only partially successful and Catania was not taken. Dempsey suggested an amphibious operation but this was rejected by Montgomery in favour of switching the main axis of the Eighth Army's advance inland to the west of [[Mount Etna]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=63–66}} On 3 August Dempsey relieved Berney-Ficklin of his command. His performance had impressed neither Dempsey nor Montgomery and the latter was happy to replace him with another protégé, Major-General [[Gerard Bucknall]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=65}}

[[Air Vice Marshal]] [[Harry Broadhurst]] recalled an incident from the campaign:{{blockquote|"Bimbo" Dempsey, who'd then got XIII Corps, they were completely new ... they'd given a bomb line, asked for air support, close support, they were going to attack somewhere.{{efn|Questions about the origin of this nickname always made him blush.{{sfn|D'Este|1994|p=60}} He used it in correspondence with close friends and those he considered equals, like O'Connor.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=166}} According to [[Peter Caddick-Adams]], it was the name of his horse at the staff college.{{sfn|Caddick-Adams|2022|p=53}} }} And the Germans withdrew before we got there. So they advanced without bothering to tell us. And we attacked the place they said. And of course it was Dempsey's own troops. So Dempsey was stinkingly rude. Freddie [de Guingand] rang me up and said: "This is terrible, attacked our troops. I thought we had grown out of that. I said, "Well, I'll go into it." And of course Freddie signalled Montgomery.  I went into it and found they'd advanced after they'd asked for air support and then forgotten to cancel it. So I rang Freddie up and said, "It's your lot this time, boy." Monty sent for Dempsey. I was there with him. And he lined Dempsey up and gave him the biggest strip I've ever seen a general get... made him apologise.{{sfn|Hamilton|1983|pp=340–341}}}}
On 13 August, towards the end of the campaign, the XIII Corps HQ was withdrawn to reserve to plan [[Operation Baytown]], the Eighth Army's part in the [[Allied invasion of Italy]] across the [[Strait of Messina]].{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|p=223}} The 50th Division was earmarked to return to the UK and was replaced by the [[1st Canadian Division]] (Major-General [[Guy Simonds]]), whom Dempsey considered a friend.{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|p=455}} Although [[Armistice of Cassibile|surrender negotiations]] with the Italians were in progress, intelligence on German and Italian dispositions was sketchy, so the possibility of strong opposition could not be ruled out.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=69–71}} Dempsey insisted on an adequate number of [[landing craft]] being provided to lift three brigades, along with their supplies, which delayed the operation until 3 September.{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|pp=231–234}}

Although the XIII Corps landing was unopposed, and subsequent opposition was light, the Germans ensured his progress was slow by destroying bridges and culverts on the only routes through the harsh terrain. It took nearly two weeks to advance more than {{cvt|300|mi}} to the north to link up with the US [[United States Army North|Fifth Army]] landing at [[Salerno]] as part of [[Operation Avalanche]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=69–71}} Allied forces then commenced to fight their way northward with the Fifth Army to the west and the Eighth Army to the east of the [[Apennine Mountains]]. XIII Corps took part in the [[Moro River Campaign]] but the severe winter weather precluded further progress.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=119}}

===North Western Europe===
[[File:Lieutenant General M C Dempsey, Cb, Dso, Mc, Commander in Chief, British Second Army, April 1944 TR1655.jpg|thumb|right|Dempsey at his desk in April 1944]]
In Sicily and Italy, Dempsey gained a reputation for his expertise in [[combined operations]]. Montgomery, left Italy at the end of 1943 to take command of the [[21st Army Group]] for the forthcoming [[Normandy landings|D-Day landings]], and he nominated Dempsey to command the [[Second Army (United Kingdom)|Second Army]], the main British force involved.{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=117}} Dempsey was not Montgomery's first choice for the assignment; he had recommended that Leese take over the Second Army and Dempsey be given the [[First Canadian Army]]. There was no chance that the Canadian government would accept a British officer, and the [[Chief of the Imperial General Staff]] (CIGS), [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|Field Marshal]] Sir Alan Brooke, would not countenance it. Command of the First Canadian Army was given to Canadian Lieutenant-General [[Harry Crerar]].{{sfn|Dickson|2007|p=231}}{{sfn|Buckley|2013|p=34}} Leese replaced Montgomery in command of the Eighth Army on Alexander's recommendation,{{sfn|Molony|Flynn|Davies|Gleave|1973|p=510}} and Dempsey was given the Second Army on Montgomery's.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|p=34}} Montgomery believed that while Dempsey lacked Leese's ruthlessness and drive, he was cleverer and a better tactician.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=89}}

Dempsey established his Second Army headquarters at Ashley Gardens in London on 26 January 1944.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=81–84}} With his chief of staff, Brigadier Maurice Chilton, who had been part of his syndicate at Camberley,{{sfn|Smart|2005|pp=61–62}} and his naval and air counterparts, Rear Admiral Sir [[Philip Vian]] and Broadhurst, Dempsey drew up the detailed plans for the assault on the British and Canadian beaches in Normandy. The Second Army made successful assaults at [[Gold Beach|Gold]], [[Juno Beach|Juno]] and [[Sword Beach|Sword]] beaches on [[D-Day]], 6 June 1944.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=81–84}} Dempsey came ashore that evening and established his tactical headquarters (Tac HQ) at [[Banville, Calvados|Banville]]. Like Montgomery, he lived at his Tac HQ, where he maintained a small staff with some [[aide-de-camp|aides]] and [[liaison officer]]s. It had caravans, radios and some vehicles, and could move at short notice. He had a staff car and an [[Auster Aircraft|Auster]] light aircraft, which he called his "whizzer", and used them to move about the battlefield. Main HQ moved to Normandy on 12 June and opened at [[Creully]], where Montgomery had his 21st Army Group HQ. Although usually located further back than Tac HQ, it was still a field headquarters and did not require accommodation in buildings or fixed signal connections. It contained the operations, intelligence and air support branches.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=95–96}}

[[File:The Visit of the Prime Minister, Winston Churchill To Caen, Normandy, 22 July 1944 TR2045.jpg|thumb|left|Dempsey points out a section of the front to [[Winston Churchill]], while [[Guy Simonds]] (left) and Montgomery (right) look on.]]
Where possible, Main HQ was co-located with Broadhurst's [[No. 83 (Composite) Group]] RAF and A Squadron of the [[GHQ Liaison Regiment]] (known as Phantom). Broadhurst was apprehensive when he found out that he would be Dempsey's opposite number, as their relationship in Italy had been strained, something Broadhurst attributed to Dempsey's inexperience as a corps commander. Broadhurst found that Dempsey had accepted that he had been wrong, and worked on forging the Army and RAF into a successful team. Dempsey seldom made a move without talking to Broadhurst, and the two gradually became friends.{{sfn|D'Este|1994|p=220}} Main HQ was presided over by Chilton. Chilton and Dempsey would meet every day, usually at Tac HQ. Chilton later became Deputy [[Adjutant General]] at 21st Army Group HQ,{{sfn|Smart|2005|pp=61–62}} and he was replaced as chief of staff by Brigadier [[Harold Pyman|Harold "Pete" Pyman]] on 23 January 1945.{{sfn|Ellis|Warhurst|1968|p=368}} Rear HQ was normally situated {{convert|10|mi}} or so further back and contained the rest of Second Army HQ. It was presided over by the [[Quartermaster General]], Brigadier [[Geoffrey Hardy-Roberts]]. In all, Second Army HQ had a strength of 189 officers and 970 other ranks.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=95–96}}

The [[Battle for Caen]] degenerated into a [[Attrition warfare|battle of attrition]] during which the Anglo-Canadian forces were frustrated by determined German resistance. This fighting drew vital German units including the bulk of their armoured strength to the [[Caen]] sector, which facilitated [[Operation Cobra]], the breakout further west by Lieutenant General [[Omar Bradley]]'s [[First United States Army|U.S. First Army]].{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=120}} Dempsey convinced Montgomery to allow him to make an attempt at a breakthrough using three armoured divisions, assisted by heavy bombers dropping {{convert|7,000|LT|t}} of bombs. This was [[Operation Goodwood]].{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=94–95}} Launched on 18 July, it resulted in a costly {{convert|7|mi|adj=on}} advance. Goodwood increased the pressure on the German forces and inflicted heavy casualties on them. Montgomery succeeded in his principal aim of drawing away German reserves from Bradley's front, for by 25 July, when Operation Cobra delayed by weather from the 18 July actually commenced, the Germans had 600 tanks, including all the heavy battalions with [[Tiger I]] and [[Tiger II]] tanks, opposite the Second Army and just 100 facing the U.S. First Army. Dempsey argued after the war that Goodwood had succeeded in many of its strategic aims although there was no breakthrough. There were calls for Montgomery to be sacked, although this was never likely, but little criticism of Dempsey despite him being the architect and directly responsible for some of its tactical flaws.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=109–112}}

Dempsey's tactics were based on combat experience in the desert and Italy, but they were not always as applicable or as effective in Normandy. Doctrine called for armour and infantry to be employed in separate brigades, but in Normandy, closer cooperation between the two was required.{{sfn|Buckley|2004|pp=72–74}} In the wake of Goodwood, the armoured divisions were reorganised, with infantry battalions and armoured regiments operating together in pairs. O'Connor had urged the adoption of [[armoured personnel carrier]]s for the infantry, but Dempsey had not agreed to this.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=109–112}} Dempsey's use of aerial bombardment and artillery to neutralise the German defences was a sound tactic, but the German forces were disposed in greater depth than had been encountered hitherto and the bombardment did not reach far enough. So too was the use of artillery to suppress the anti-tank defences, but it was less effective against the armoured [[self-propelled gun]]s that the Germans were now employing.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=88–90}} Montgomery took all the heat upon himself, and never tried to shift the blame onto Dempsey.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=109–112}}

[[File:HM King George VI With the British Liberation Army in Holland, 13 October 1944 TR2394.jpg|thumb|right|Dempsey (right) with [[Maurice Chilton]]  (left), King [[George VI]] (second from left) and Montgomery]]
On 2 August, Dempsey told Montgomery that he was fed up with Bucknall, the XXX Corps commander, and Major-General George Erskine, the commander of the [[7th Armoured Division (United Kingdom)|7th Armoured Division]], and wanted to relieve them both. Relief of a corps commander is always a sensitive matter, and Bucknall had been appointed at Montgomery's request despite Brooke's reservations. Montgomery now had to admit to Brooke that he had made a mistake and that Bucknall was not fit to command a corps in mobile operations after all. Bucknall was replaced by Horrocks. Erskine was also replaced, in his case by Major-General [[Gerald Lloyd-Verney]].{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=158–160}} This meant that three of the four British corps commanders in the 21st Army Group had commanded a corps before Dempsey had, but Horrocks (XXX Corps) and [[John Crocker]] ([[I Corps (United Kingdom)|I Corps]]) had been wounded, O'Connor ([[VIII Corps (United Kingdom)|VIII Corps]]) had been a [[prisoner of war]]; the fourth, Ritchie ([[XII Corps (United Kingdom)|XII Corps]]), had been commander of Eighth Army before being demoted after losing the [[Battle of Gazala]] in June 1942.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|p=35}}{{sfn|D'Este|1994|pp=61–62}}

Horrocks wrote of Dempsey:{{quote|He was shrewd, he never flapped, and consequently his second Army HQ was highly efficient and devoted to their Commander. I doubt whether anyone else could have worked so harmoniously and successfully with Montgomery as his immediate boss. The two were complementary: Montgomery the extrovert, who loved the headlines; Dempsey the introvert, who shunned publicity but got on with the job efficiently without any fuss.{{sfn|Horrocks|Belfield|Essame|1977|pp=18–19}} }}

[[File:Dempsey is invested in the field.jpg|thumb|left|Dempsey is [[investiture|invested]] with his knighthood in the field by King [[George VI]] while Montgomery looks on]]

The Second Army then made a rapid advance across northern France into [[Belgium]], liberating [[Brussels]] on 3 September and [[Antwerp]] the following day,{{sfn|Mead|2007|p=120}}{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=198–202}} Dempsey's Tac HQ moved five times, covering {{convert|200|mi}} in eleven days.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=130}} Second Army took part in [[Operation Market Garden]], the attempt to secure an early crossing of the [[Rhine]]. Dempsey believed that it was unlikely to succeed and openly questioned Montgomery.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|p=212}} Dempsey suggested an alternative plan of crossing the [[Meuse|Maas]] near [[Venlo]] and the Rhine at [[Wesel]], {{convert|40|mi}} closer to Bradley's American armies. According to Dempsey, Montgomery's mind was made up by a signal from London concerning the launching of German [[V-2 rocket]]s against London from sites in the Netherlands. Montgomery's arguments were rooted in [[military strategy]], which was his responsibility,  whereas Dempsey's were based in the [[operational level of war]], which was his. And too, Montgomery was difficult to argue with because he always employed well-reasoned military logic, and would not be swayed by anything but the same. Dempsey did convince Montgomery to enlarge the operation so that while Horrocks's XXX Corps would just be the spearhead, it would be accompanied by Ritchie's XII Corps on the left and O'Connor's VIII Corps on the right, and employ three airborne divisions instead of just one.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=134–137}}

Market-Garden commenced on 17 September. Airborne troops secured a succession of canal and river crossings to enable XXX Corps to reach the [[Nederrijn]] at [[Arnhem]] and advance into Germany.{{sfn|Buckley|2013|pp=217–221}} Intelligence had not detected the presence of unexpected German formations in the area and resistance proved greater than expected, frustrating XXX Corps' attempts to reach its final objective. During the operation, Dempsey, forward near the front with his Tac HQ, witnessed the assault crossing of the [[Waal (river)|Waal]] by the [[82nd Airborne Division|U.S. 82nd Airborne Division]]'s [[504th Infantry Regiment (United States)|504th Parachute Regiment]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=141–142}} He later wrote that the 82nd was "easily the best division on the [[Western Front (World War II)|Western front]]".{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=143}} Dempsey met with the 82nd's commander, [[Brigadier general (United States)|Brigadier General]] [[James M. Gavin]], shook him by the hand and said "I am proud to meet the commander of the greatest division in the world today."{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=141}}{{sfn|English|2009|p=84}} Dempsey also impressed the American paratroopers with his demeanour. When a paratrooper told him that all the leaders of his squad were dead, Dempsey replied: "You're in charge."{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=142}} When it became clear that the operation no longer had any chance of success, Dempsey and Horrocks agreed to terminate it and withdraw the 1st Airborne Division from the north bank of the Nederrijn.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=142–143}} On 15 October, during a visit to the Second Army, King [[George VI]] [[investiture|invested]] Dempsey in the field with his award of the [[Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath]],<ref>{{cite web |title=An Investiture in the Field |publisher=Imperial War Museum |url=https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205410883 |access-date=8 August 2021}}</ref> which had been gazetted on 27 June.<ref name="KCB">{{London Gazette |issue=36586 |date=27 June 1944|page=3069}}</ref>

[[File:General Dempsey crossing the Rhine.jpg|thumb|right|Crossing the [[Rhine]] in March 1945]]

The Second Army, with XII and XXX Corps in the vanguard and Simonds's [[II Canadian Corps]] under command, and VIII Corps in reserve, eventually [[Operation Plunder|crossed the Rhine]] on 23 March 1945.{{sfn|Mead|2007|pp=120–121}} Dempsey was the first British commander to do so. The operation was a great success, with one historian writing:

{{Quote|Within a week of the crossing, Dempsey had advanced forty miles with eight infantry, four armoured, and two airborne divisions, plus four independent armoured brigades. Because of meticulous planning and the application of overwhelming air and artillery firepower, the Second Army's 3,174 casualties between 24 and 31 March were relatively light. Airborne losses of 2,888 over the first three days were comparatively heavier, though perhaps not overly so given Plunder's scope. All things considered, Plunder was an exciting victory and one that Dempsey, who had fought all the way from the dark days of Dunkirk, must personally have relished.{{sfn|English|2009|p=89}}}}

On 7 April, ''[[The Illustrated London News]]'' carried a full front page of a specially commissioned portrait painting of Dempsey by artist [[Arthur Pan]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.iln.org.uk/iln_years/year/1945.htm |newspaper=The Illustrated London News |title=Lieut. General Sir Miles Dempsey DSO MC The Commander of the British Second Army by Professor Arthur Pan |date=7 April 1945 |access-date=19 September 2009}}</ref> In May, Dempsey's men captured [[Bremen (city)|Bremen]] and [[Kiel]]. On 3 May, a delegation of senior German officers led by ''[[Generaladmiral]]'' [[Hans-Georg von Friedeburg]] arrived at Dempsey's Tac HQ and after questioning it appeared that Friedeburg was a representative of ''[[Generalfeldmarschall]]'' [[Wilhelm Keitel]], who wished to surrender to Montgomery. Dempsey sent them to Montgomery, which led to the [[German surrender at Lüneburg Heath]] the next day. In the meantime, Dempsey negotiated the surrender of the [[Hamburg]] garrison with ''[[Generalmajor]]'' [[Alwin Wolz]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=157–158}}

For his services in north west Europe, Dempsey was mentioned in despatches twice more,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37213 |supp=y |date=7 August 1945|page=4044}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37521 |supp=y |date=2 April 1946|page=1672}}</ref> and he was made a [[Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire]] in July.<ref name="KBE">{{London Gazette |date=3 July 1945 |issue=37161 |supp=1 |page=3489}}</ref> The United States awarded him its [[Distinguished Service Medal (U.S. Army)|Army Distinguished Service Medal]],<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38178 |supp=y |date=13 January 1948|page=401}}</ref> and made him a [[Legion of Merit|Commander of the Legion of Merit]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37027 |date=10 April 1945 |page=1947|supp=y }}</ref> The Belgian government awarded him its [[Croix de guerre (Belgium)|Croix de guerre with Palm]] and made him a [[Order of Leopold (Belgium)|Grand Officer of the Order of Leopold with Palm]],<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37853 |date=16 January 1947|page=324 |supp=y}}</ref> and the Netherlands government made him a [[Order of Orange-Nassau|Knight Grand Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau with Swords]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37909 |date=18 March 1947|page=1315 |supp=y}}</ref>

===Far East===
After the end of World War II in Europe, Dempsey had been nominated to become the commander in chief of British Troops in Austria, but this was abruptly cancelled.{{sfn|Rostron|2010|p=164}} On 4 July 1945, Dempsey was summoned to a meeting with Brooke, who informed Dempsey that he was appointed to the command of the [[Fourteenth Army (United Kingdom)|Fourteenth Army]] in the Far East. Brooke was disappointed with Dempsey's attitude, noting in his diary that Dempsey was "suffering from a swollen head, and I took some pains to deflate it!"{{sfn|Brooke|2003|p=702}} The appointment had come about because Leese, as Commander-in-Chief, [[Allied Land Forces South East Asia]] (ALSEA), had unwisely attempted to side-line Lieutenant-General Sir [[William Slim]], the victorious Fourteenth Army commander, resulting in Leese's removal and replacement by Slim.{{sfn|Mead|2007|pp=245–246}}

Dempsey assumed command of the Fourteenth Army on 10 August.{{sfn|Kirby|2004|p=235}} The war ended soon after, and the Fourteenth Army re-occupied [[British Malaya]]. [[Operation Zipper]], the planned amphibious landing, was carried out anyway. Dempsey was extremely critical of its poor planning, which he believed would have led to disaster under wartime conditions. Within [[South East Asia Command]] there were 122,700 British Commonwealth and Dutch prisoners of war and 733,000 Japanese soldiers. Dempsey was in charge of their repatriation. He also had to deal with the [[Indonesian War of Independence]].{{sfn|Rostron|2010|pp=166–167}} The Fourteenth Army ceased to exist on 1 November, and part of its headquarters was used to form that of [[Malaya Command]], with Dempsey in command and his headquarters at [[Kuala Lumpur]]. On 8 November he handed over to Lieutenant-General Sir [[Frank Messervy]], and replaced Slim, who returned to the UK, as Commander-in-Chief of ALSEA.{{sfn|Kirby|2004|p=276}}