Templer commanded the 6th Armoured Division in World War II and after the war served as vice‐chief of the Imperial General Staff before being appointed high commissioner and commander‐in‐chief in Malaya (1952–54) at the peak of the Malayan Emergency. Through a combination of military efficiency, adaptability to local circumstances, and the fostering of good relations with village populations, Templer turned the tide of war decisively against the communist guerrillas.