Andrew Ridgway
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Andrew Peter Ridgway KBE CB (born 1950) is a former Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
. He was appointed to the role for a 5 year term on 14 June 2006 after a long military career.
, and St John's College, Cambridge
.
In 1970 he was commissioned into the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
, serving in Germany and Ireland as a Troop Leader. In 1975 he qualified as a helicopter pilot, and was given command of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment Air Squadron, operating in Central America
and Northern Ireland
. In 1982 he attended the Army Staff College at Camberley, before taking command of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment in 1991 and the 7th Armoured Brigade (the 'Desert Rats') in 1993. In 1994 he was appointed UN Commander in Central Bosnia and Herzegovina
, and became Chief of Staff for the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps for NATO's entry into the Kosovo War
in 1999. For 2003 to 2006, he was Chief of Defence Intelligence, although he was not directly involved in producing the controversial intelligence reports that led to 2003 invasion of Iraq
and Operation Telic
. He is also Colonel of the Royal Tank Regiment
(appointed in 1999), Honorary Colonel of Cambridge University Officer Training Corps and the Westminster Dragoons
.
From 2006 until 2011 Ridgway was Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey, in the Channel Islands
, where he acted as the Queen's representative. Though largely a symbolic and ceremonial appointment, the post of Lieutenant-Governor is the essential link between Jersey
and the Crown
, as the Channel Islands
are not part of the United Kingdom
.
Other jobs in his career have included running the Army budget as Colonel Army Programmes and posts as First Director of Operational Capability, First Director of Training and Education and Chief of Joint Force Operations.
He was appointed CBE in 1995 and CB in 2001, as well as receiving the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
and the US Defense Intelligence Agency
Award in 2005. Ridgway was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in HM The Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours List.
Lieutenant Governor of Jersey
The Lieutenant Governor of Jersey is the representative of the British monarch in the Bailiwick of Jersey, a Crown dependency of the British Crown....
. He was appointed to the role for a 5 year term on 14 June 2006 after a long military career.
Military career
He was educated at Hele's School, Exeter, the Royal Military Academy SandhurstRoyal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
, and St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College, Cambridge
St John's College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. The college's alumni include nine Nobel Prize winners, six Prime Ministers, three archbishops, at least two princes, and three Saints....
.
In 1970 he was commissioned into the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment
3rd Royal Tank Regiment
The 3rd Royal Tank Regiment was an armoured regiment of the British Army until 1992. It was part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It originally saw action as C Battalion, Tank Corps in 1917....
, serving in Germany and Ireland as a Troop Leader. In 1975 he qualified as a helicopter pilot, and was given command of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment Air Squadron, operating in Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
and Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
. In 1982 he attended the Army Staff College at Camberley, before taking command of the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment in 1991 and the 7th Armoured Brigade (the 'Desert Rats') in 1993. In 1994 he was appointed UN Commander in Central Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
, and became Chief of Staff for the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps for NATO's entry into the Kosovo War
Kosovo War
The term Kosovo War or Kosovo conflict was two sequential, and at times parallel, armed conflicts in Kosovo province, then part of FR Yugoslav Republic of Serbia; from early 1998 to 1999, there was an armed conflict initiated by the ethnic Albanian "Kosovo Liberation Army" , who sought independence...
in 1999. For 2003 to 2006, he was Chief of Defence Intelligence, although he was not directly involved in producing the controversial intelligence reports that led to 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
and Operation Telic
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
. He is also Colonel of the Royal Tank Regiment
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
(appointed in 1999), Honorary Colonel of Cambridge University Officer Training Corps and the Westminster Dragoons
Westminster Dragoons
The Westminster Dragoons are central London’s only Territorial Army cavalry unit. One of the Royal Yeomanry's five squadrons, their current role is to support the Formation Reconnaissance Regiments and the Joint Chemical Biological Radiological and Nuclear Regiment on operations by providing...
.
From 2006 until 2011 Ridgway was Lieutenant-Governor of Jersey, in the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
, where he acted as the Queen's representative. Though largely a symbolic and ceremonial appointment, the post of Lieutenant-Governor is the essential link between Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
and the Crown
The Crown
The Crown is a corporation sole that in the Commonwealth realms and any provincial or state sub-divisions thereof represents the legal embodiment of governance, whether executive, legislative, or judicial...
, as the Channel Islands
Channel Islands
The Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
are not part of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Other jobs in his career have included running the Army budget as Colonel Army Programmes and posts as First Director of Operational Capability, First Director of Training and Education and Chief of Joint Force Operations.
He was appointed CBE in 1995 and CB in 2001, as well as receiving the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service
The Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service is a British military award that recognises meritorious service during, or in support of, operations...
and the US Defense Intelligence Agency
Defense Intelligence Agency
The Defense Intelligence Agency is a member of the Intelligence Community of the United States, and is the central producer and manager of military intelligence for the United States Department of Defense, employing over 16,500 U.S. military and civilian employees worldwide...
Award in 2005. Ridgway was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE) in HM The Queen's 2011 Birthday Honours List.