William George Stevens | |
|---|---|
 Portrait of William George Stevens, 1943/44. | |
| Born | 11 December 1893 London, United Kingdom |
| Died | 7 August 1975 (aged 81) Nelson, New Zealand |
| Allegiance | New Zealand |
| Service/ | New Zealand Military Forces |
| Years of service | 1912–1946 |
| Rank | Major-general |
| Service number | 6356 |
| Battles/wars | First World War Second World War |
| Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
| Other work | Diplomat |
Major-General William George Stevens, CB, CBE (11 December 1893 – 7 August 1975) was a New Zealand military leader and administrator.
Born in England, Stevens emigrated to New Zealand with his family in 1895. He joined the New Zealand Military Forces in 1912 and later served with the New Zealand Field Artillery during the First World War. Between the wars he attended Staff College in England and later held a number of positions which required co-ordination of civilian and military resources. During the Second World War he held important administrative roles in the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2NZEF). He was commander of the 2NZEF from November 1945 to June 1946 and oversaw its demobilisation.
Stevens retired from the military in 1946 with the rank of major-general. He became a diplomat, serving at the New Zealand High Commission in London for several years before his retirement in 1953. He later authored two volumes of the Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45. He died in 1975 in Nelson.