Captain Gerald Bryan, who has died aged 96, won an MC in 1941 as a commando at the Battle of the Litani River and subsequently proved himself an outstanding administrator in the Colonial Service.
In June 1941 Bryan was in command of a section of a troop of No 11 (Scottish) Commando in an attack on a large force of Vichy French. The French were guarding the Litani River, which was a formidable obstacle in the path of the Australian 21st Infantry Brigade’s advance from Palestine to Syria via the Lebanon.
On the brilliant, moonlit night of June 7, the vessel Glengyle, carrying 11 Commando, arrived off the mouth of the river. The landing craft were unable to get ashore because of heavy surf along...