Major General Sir William George Gentry, KBE, CB, DSO & Bar (20 February 1899 – 13 October 1991) was a professional soldier in the New Zealand Military Forces who served during the Second World War.

He saw active service during the Second World War as part of the 2nd New Zealand Division, initially as a staff officer but later on as a brigade commander.

He was seconded to the British Indian Army for two years, serving on the North-West Frontier[3] during the Waziristan campaign and the Moplah rebellion.

[4] On returning to New Zealand, he held a number of staff positions in the Central Military District[3] and was promoted to captain in 1926.

[3] Promoted to lieutenant colonel, he served as assistant adjutant and quartermaster general of the 2nd New Zealand Division during the Battle of Greece.

In the Battle of Crete he was acting general staff officer (GSO1) in the stead of Brigadier Keith Stewart, who was fulfilling an equivalent role with Creforce.

Gentry performed his duties competently and was in the 1942 New Year Honours appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for his services during this time.

He displayed conspicuous skill and organising ability in the field during the complicated mobile operations leading up to the stabilisation of the Alamein line and the hard fighting which immediately ensued.

Despite having no experience in commanding infantry, he led the brigade well until August 1943, at which time he replaced Stewart as Deputy Chief of Staff to Lieutenant General Edward Puttick.

This may have been due to some ill-feeling within the Government regarding his work developing proposed plans for New Zealand's Middle East deployment.