After returning to England on 1 June Franklyn, along with the two brigades of his division, both much reduced in manpower and equipment, were sent to Scotland to serve under Scottish Command, where Brigadier Berney-Ficklin's 15th Brigade was already serving, having been evacuated from Norway in early May, although it did not rejoin the division until early July.
Made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 11 July 1940, on 19 July Franklyn handed over command of the 5th Division, which he had commanded for the last nineteen months, to Major General Horatio Berney-Ficklin, his senior brigade commander, who had returned from Norway, although he himself had been incapacitated and thus unable to participate in the campaign.

For his excellent performance during the short campaign in France and Belgium, Franklyn was promoted to acting lieutenant general on 19 July, and ordered to establish a new VIII Corps, with Franklyn as GOC, and aided by Brigadier Manley James as his Brigadier General Staff (BGS).
With fears throughout the country of a German invasion, Franklyn, as GOC VIII Corps, was responsible for the defence of the counties of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, a very long line of coast to defend, but one which was considered a less likely invasion target.
The corps had the 3rd and 48th (South Midland) Divisions under command, both of which had fought in France with the BEF.
In late November, the 3rd Division, under Major General James Gammell, was replaced by the 50th Division, now under Major General William Ramsden.
All three divisions had fought in France with the BEF, and were all short of manpower and equipment.
In early 1941 three of the independent infantry brigades serving as part of VIII Corps were merged to create the Devon and Cornwall County Division, whose first GOC was Major General Charles Allfrey, later replaced by Major General Frederick Morgan.
The division was one of the many newly created British County Divisions which were being raised at the time, composed mainly of the very large number of conscripts recruited into the army in the aftermath of Dunkirk.
Despite a plethora of infantry, the county divisions had no supporting divisional troops such as artillery or engineers and they were given a static and purely defensive role.

In May 1941 Franklyn handed over VIII Corps to Lieutenant General Kenneth Anderson, who had served under him briefly in France, and was appointed as C-in-C of Northern Ireland.
Ireland, then still within the British Commonwealth and also known as Éire, had remained neutral in the war and kept diplomatic relations with Germany, who supported the Irish Republican Army (IRA).
Of great concern to the British government, in particular to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was the possibility of Germany invading Éire, where they could establish a foothold.
To this end, an agreement was reached with the Irish government, allowing British troops to be stationed in Éire in the event of a German invasion.

As a result, III Corps, under Lieutenant General Desmond Anderson, was sent to Northern Ireland, and took under command the 5th, 53rd and 61st Infantry Divisions.
Northern Ireland District was deemed to be too small and so Franklyn established a superior HQ, entitled British Troops in Northern Ireland.
Franklyn's rank of lieutenant-general was made temporary on 19 July 1941, and permanent on 30 September.
By early 1942, the United States had entered the war, and, due to an agreement between Prime Minister Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt before the American entry into the conflict, US troops, mainly the 34th Infantry Division, a National Guard (equivalent to the British Territorial Army) formation, began arriving in January 1942 and, their numbers swelling over the next two years, gradually relieving the British divisions.

Franklyn was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 1 January 1943, and remained in his post as C-in-C Northern Ireland until 23 July 1943 when he was promoted to the rank of full general and succeeded General Sir Bernard Paget, who h
After returning to England on 1 June Franklyn, along with the two brigades of his division, both much reduced in manpower and equipment, were sent to Scotland to serve under Scottish Command, where Brigadier Berney-Ficklin's 15th Brigade was already serving, having been evacuated from Norway in early May, although it did not rejoin the division until early July. Made a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) on 11 July 1940, on 19 July Franklyn handed over command of the 5th Division, which he had commanded for the last nineteen months, to Major General Horatio Berney-Ficklin, his senior brigade commander, who had returned from Norway, although he himself had been incapacitated and thus unable to participate in the campaign.
For his excellent performance during the short campaign in France and Belgium, Franklyn was promoted to acting lieutenant general on 19 July, and ordered to establish a new VIII Corps, with Franklyn as GOC, and aided by Brigadier Manley James as his Brigadier General Staff (BGS). With fears throughout the country of a German invasion, Franklyn, as GOC VIII Corps, was responsible for the defence of the counties of Devon, Cornwall and Somerset, a very long line of coast to defend, but one which was considered a less likely invasion target. The corps had the 3rd and 48th (South Midland) Divisions under command, both of which had fought in France with the BEF. In late November, the 3rd Division, under Major General James Gammell, was replaced by the 50th Division, now under Major General William Ramsden. All three divisions had fought in France with the BEF, and were all short of manpower and equipment. In early 1941 three of the independent infantry brigades serving as part of VIII Corps were merged to create the Devon and Cornwall County Division, whose first GOC was Major General Charles Allfrey, later replaced by Major General Frederick Morgan. The division was one of the many newly created British County Divisions which were being raised at the time, composed mainly of the very large number of conscripts recruited into the army in the aftermath of Dunkirk. Despite a plethora of infantry, the county divisions had no supporting divisional troops such as artillery or engineers and they were given a static and purely defensive role.
In May 1941 Franklyn handed over VIII Corps to Lieutenant General Kenneth Anderson, who had served under him briefly in France, and was appointed as C-in-C of Northern Ireland. Ireland, then still within the British Commonwealth and also known as Éire, had remained neutral in the war and kept diplomatic relations with Germany, who supported the Irish Republican Army (IRA). Of great concern to the British government, in particular to Prime Minister Winston Churchill, was the possibility of Germany invading Éire, where they could establish a foothold. To this end, an agreement was reached with the Irish government, allowing British troops to be stationed in Éire in the event of a German invasion.
As a result, III Corps, under Lieutenant General Desmond Anderson, was sent to Northern Ireland, and took under command the 5th, 53rd and 61st Infantry Divisions. Northern Ireland District was deemed to be too small and so Franklyn established a superior HQ, entitled British Troops in Northern Ireland. Franklyn's rank of lieutenant-general was made temporary on 19 July 1941, and permanent on 30 September. By early 1942, the United States had entered the war, and, due to an agreement between Prime Minister Churchill and President Franklin D. Roosevelt before the American entry into the conflict, US troops, mainly the 34th Infantry Division, a National Guard (equivalent to the British Territorial Army) formation, began arriving in January 1942 and, their numbers swelling over the next two years, gradually relieving the British divisions.
Franklyn was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 1 January 1943, and remained in his post as C-in-C Northern Ireland until 23 July 1943 when he was promoted to the rank of full general and succeeded General Sir Bernard Paget, who h
Harold Franklyn