General Sir John Winthrop Hackett, GCB, CBE, DSO & Bar, MC (5 November 1910 – 9 September 1997) was an Australian-born British soldier, painter, university administrator, author and in later life, a commentator.

Her six siblings included Grace Bussell, famous for rescuing shipwreck survivors as a teenager, and Frederick Slade Drake-Brockman, a prominent surveyor and explorer.

He also qualified as an interpreter in French, German and Italian, studied Arabic and eventually became fluent in ten languages.

[1] Hackett fought in the British Army in the Second World War Syria-Lebanon campaign: he was wounded and was awarded the Military Cross.

[7] In the North African campaign, he commanded 'C' Squadron of the 8th Hussars (his parent unit) and was wounded again when his M3 Stuart tank was hit during the battles for Sidi Rezegh airfield.

[8] Whilst recuperating at GHQ in Cairo, he was instrumental in the formation of the Long Range Desert Group, the Special Air Service and Popski's Private Army.

[1] In 1944, Hackett raised and commanded the 4th Parachute Brigade for the Allied assault on Arnhem, in Operation Market Garden.

A German doctor at the hospital wanted to administer a lethal injection to Hackett because he thought that the case was hopeless.

The family nursed the brigadier back to health over a period of several months; he then managed to escape to the Allied lines with the help of the underground.

He remained friends with the de Nooijs for the rest of their lives and visited immediately after they were liberated, bearing gifts.

[11] In 1963, he was appointed to Ministry of Defence as Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff (DCIGS), responsible for forces organisation and weapon development and became the leading figure in the reorganisation of the Territorial Army (TA), which made him unpopular.

[12] On 14 April 1966, he was appointed command of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and the parallel command of NATO's Northern Army Group, and his ability to speak several languages made him a natural choice, as did his friendship with foreign soldiers such as Johann von Kielmansegg of the Bundeswehr.