John Wilsey
Encyclopedia
General
Sir John Finlay Willasey Wilsey GCB, CBE, DL
(born 18 February 1939) is a former Commander-in-Chief, UK Land Forces.
, John Wilsey was commissioned into the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
in 1959. He served in Northern Ireland
between 1976 and 1977 where he was mentioned in despatches. He was Commanding Officer
of 1st Bn Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
from 1979 to 1982. He commanded 1st Infantry Brigade from 1984 to 1986. He was Chief of Staff
UK Land Forces from 1988 to 1989.
He went on to become General Officer Commanding
Northern Ireland
from 1990 to 1993. It was in this capacity that he oversaw the merger between the Ulster Defence Regiment
and the Royal Irish Rangers
to form the Royal Irish Regiment.
He 1993 he was appointed Joint Commander of Operations in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. He served as the last Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1993 to 1995 and then the first Commander-in-Chief, Land Command from 1995 to 1996.
. He also became Chairman of Western Provident Association
and Vice-Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
.
Having settled in southern Wiltshire
, in July 1996 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant on the county.
|-
General
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Sir John Finlay Willasey Wilsey GCB, CBE, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born 18 February 1939) is a former Commander-in-Chief, UK Land Forces.
Army career
Educated at Sherborne SchoolSherborne School
Sherborne School is a British independent school for boys, located in the town of Sherborne in north-west Dorset, England. It is one of the original member schools of the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference....
, John Wilsey was commissioned into the Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments:*The Devonshire Regiment*The Dorset Regiment...
in 1959. He served in 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...
between 1976 and 1977 where he was mentioned in despatches. He was Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 1st Bn Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
Devonshire and Dorset Regiment
The Devonshire and Dorset Regiment, usually just known as the Devon and Dorsets, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. It was formed in 1958 by the amalgamation of two county regiments:*The Devonshire Regiment*The Dorset Regiment...
from 1979 to 1982. He commanded 1st Infantry Brigade from 1984 to 1986. He was Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
UK Land Forces from 1988 to 1989.
He went on to become General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
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...
from 1990 to 1993. It was in this capacity that he oversaw the merger between the Ulster Defence Regiment
Ulster Defence Regiment
The Ulster Defence Regiment was an infantry regiment of the British Army which became operational in 1970, formed on similar lines to other British reserve forces but with the operational role of defence of life or property in Northern Ireland against armed attack or sabotage...
and the Royal Irish Rangers
Royal Irish Rangers
The Royal Irish Rangers was a regular infantry regiment of the British Army.-Creation:...
to form the Royal Irish Regiment.
He 1993 he was appointed Joint Commander of Operations in the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. He served as the last Commander in Chief, UK Land Forces from 1993 to 1995 and then the first Commander-in-Chief, Land Command from 1995 to 1996.
Later career
Wilsey is the author of H. Jones VC: The Life and Death of an Unusual Hero a book about his great friend Lt Colonel 'H'. Jones who was killed in the Falklands WarFalklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
. He also became Chairman of Western Provident Association
Western Provident Association
WPA, or Western Provident Association, is a not-for-profit private medical insurance firm based in Taunton, Somerset. Its subsidiary, WPA Protocol Plc, administers corporate healthcare trusts.-History:...
and Vice-Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The Commonwealth War Graves Commission is an intergovernmental organisation of six independent member states whose principal function is to mark, record and maintain the graves, and places of commemoration, of Commonwealth of Nations military service members who died in the two World Wars...
.
Having settled in southern Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, in July 1996 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant on the county.
Further reading
- Wilsey, John, H.Jones VC: The Life and Death of an Unusual Hero, Arrow Books, 2003 ISBN 978-0099436690
|-