Oliver Franks, Baron Franks

Who was Oliver Franks, Baron Franks?

Oliver Shewell Franks, Baron Franks, OM GCMG KCB CBE PC DL was an English civil servant and philosopher who has been described as 'one of the founders of the post-war world'.

Franks was involved in Britain's recovery after the Second World War. The knighted Sir Oliver was the British Ambassador to the United States of America from 1948 to 1952. As ambassador, he strengthened the relationship between the two countries. He was given a life peerage on 10 May 1962 as Baron Franks, of Headington in the County of Oxford.

Lord Franks was often called upon by the government of the day to chair important inquiries, and he is best known for his report in the aftermath of the Falklands War which ultimately exonerated the Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and her government from charges of having failed to heed warning signals of an Argentine invasion.