Sir Claude Auchinleck, veteran of Middle East

Sir Claude Auchinleck, who passed on here Monday, was the World War II field marshal fired by Winston Churchill because he refused an order to counterattack German troops. Sir Claude, known as "Auk," was British commander in chief in the Middle East in 1941 but was relieved of his command a year later by Prime Minister Churchill. He was replaced by Gen. Bernard Montgomery, whose famous "Desert Rats" ended the German campaign in North Africa by defeating Field Marshal Erwi n Rommel.