General richard shirreff biography of barack

British Army general

GeneralSir Alexander Richard David Shirreff, KCB, CBE (born 21 October ) is a retired senior British Army officer and author.

General richard shirreff biography of barack trump The London Gazette. References [ edit ]. Read Edit View history. Achievements Add photo.

From March to March he served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.

Early and personal life

Shirreff was born in Kenya, the son of Alexander David Shirreff MC of the 5th Battalion King's African Rifles. He was educated at Oundle School, then an all-boys private school in Northamptonshire.^[2]

Shirreff was commissioned into the 14th/20th King's Hussars as a second lieutenant on probation (university cadetship) on 3 September ^[3] While sponsored through university by the British Army, he studied modern history at Exeter College, Oxford (BA, MA).^[4][5] He was confirmed as a second lieutenant on probation and as a second lieutenant (seniority from 1 February ) on 18 June and simultaneously promoted to lieutenant from the same date (seniority from 1 February ).^[6][7]

Military career

Shirreff was promoted to captain on 1 August ,^[8] and to major on 30 September ^[9] Having seen active service during the Gulf War in , Shirreff was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30 June ,^[10] and was appointed commanding officer of the King's Royal Hussars in ^[11] He deployed with his Regiment to Northern Ireland in , for which Shirreff was awarded a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service.^[12] Promoted to colonel – Army Plans at the Ministry of Defence on 30 June of the following year,^[13][14] he was advanced to brigadier on 30 June ^[15] He was appointed Commander of 7th Armoured Brigade, which was deployed to Kosovo,^[11] and was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in April in recognition of his service.^[16]

Shirreff was promoted to major general on 9 May ^[17] and became Chief of Staff at Land Command and in he became General Officer Commanding3rd (UK) Mechanised Division, which deployed as HQ Multinational Division South East in Iraq in July ^[2] In January he was appointed Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps,^[18] and was promoted to lieutenant general on 13 December of that year.^[19] Shirreff was knighted as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the New Year Honours.^[20]

On 11 January , Shirreff gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry.^[21] On 4 March , he became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe and was promoted to full general.^[22][23] He retired from that post in March ^[24]

Shirreff is currently the honorary colonel of Oxford University OTC^[25] and served as the Honorary Colonel to the Royal Wessex Yeomanry from to ^[26] He also served a term as Colonel Commandant (Cavalry) of the Royal Armoured Corps from and as Colonel of the Kings Royal Hussars from to ^[27]

Post-military career

Shirreff is an Advisory Board member of the non-for profit security organisation Genderforce, aiming to fight and prevent acts of Sexual and Gender Based Violence in conflict and post-conflict situations.^[28][29] He is a founding partner of Strategia Worldwide, a risk management consultancy founded in ^[30]

In , Shirreff published a book entitled War with Russia: An Urgent Warning from Senior Military Command.

The part-fictional book suggests that Russia could easily invade the Baltic States, that war between Russia and NATO would be possible, and implies strongly that Shirreff finds military high command and government incapable of creating a suitable response.^[31] It also alleges that former Secretary of State for Defence, Philip Hammond, tried to court-martial him when he spoke up on British defence cuts.^[32][33][34]

Shirreff's commentaries on foreign militaries, such as his assessment on the strategic weaknesses of Russia's armed forces, have been distributed by news agencies such as Times Radio.^[35]

References