Maurice Robert Johnston
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Maurice Robert Johnston KCB
CVO
OBE
(born 27 October 1929) is the former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
, 1981–1982, and Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
from 5 July 1996 to 10 November 2004.
Allen Leigh Johnston OBE
and of his wife Gertrude Geraldine Templer, Johnston was educated at Wellington College
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
. From Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery
in 1949, promoted lieutenant
in 1951, and captain
in 1955, when he also transferred to The Queen's Bays
. He served in Germany
, Egypt
, Jordan
, Libya
, Northern Ireland
, and Borneo
before being posted as an instructor at the Army Staff College
from 1965 to 1967. He was promoted major in 1962 and lieutenant-colonel in 1967. He was Military Assistant
to the Chief of the General Staff
from 1968 to 1971 and commanding officer the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
, 1971 to 1973, before promotion to brigadier
, and command of the 20th Armoured Brigade, 1973 to 1975. He was Brigadier (General Staff) at Headquarters UK Land Forces, from 1977 to 1978, joined the Senior Directing Staff of the Royal College of Defence Studies
in 1979, with acting promotion to major-general
, was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff
in 1980, his rank was made substantive in 1980, and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
(Operational Requirements) in 1981, with promotion to lieutenant-general, before retiring in 1984.
in 1982, Johnston was Managing Director of Freshglen Limited (1984 to 1985) and of Unit Security Limited (1985 to 1988), then Chairman of Secondary Resources PLC, 1988 to 1991 and of Detention Corporation, 1988 to 1994. He was also a director of Partek Cargotec Limited from 1984, and of Shorrock Guards Limited from 1988 to 1991.
since 1987 and was also a governor of St Mary's, Calne
, from 1988 to 1994, as well as supporting Wiltshire County Scouts. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
of Wiltshire
in 1990, as High Sheriff of Wiltshire
for 1993–1994, and served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
from 1996 to 2004. As Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, he was an ex officio member of the Court of the University of Southampton
.
In 2004, Johnston was reported to live at Ivy House, Worton
, near Devizes
.
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Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
CVO
Royal Victorian Order
The Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(born 27 October 1929) is the former Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
, 1981–1982, and Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire. From 1750, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Wiltshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Wiltshire:*William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1551 – 17 March 1570...
from 5 July 1996 to 10 November 2004.
Early life and army career
The son of BrigadierBrigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
Allen Leigh Johnston OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
and of his wife Gertrude Geraldine Templer, Johnston was educated at Wellington College
Wellington College, Berkshire
-Former pupils:Notable former pupils include historian P. J. Marshall, architect Sir Nicholas Grimshaw, impressionist Rory Bremner, Adolphus Cambridge, 1st Marquess of Cambridge, author Sebastian Faulks, language school pioneer John Haycraft, political journalist Robin Oakley, actor Sir Christopher...
and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
Royal 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...
. From Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1949, promoted lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
in 1951, and captain
Captain (OF-2)
The army rank of captain is a commissioned officer rank historically corresponding to command of a company of soldiers. The rank is also used by some air forces and marine forces. Today a captain is typically either the commander or second-in-command of a company or artillery battery...
in 1955, when he also transferred to The Queen's Bays
2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen's Bays)
The 2nd Dragoon Guards was a cavalry regiment in the British Army, first raised in 1685 by King James II. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated into the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards in 1959....
. He served in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Jordan
Jordan
Jordan , officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan , Al-Mamlaka al-Urduniyya al-Hashemiyya) is a kingdom on the East Bank of the River Jordan. The country borders Saudi Arabia to the east and south-east, Iraq to the north-east, Syria to the north and the West Bank and Israel to the west, sharing...
, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
, 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...
, and Borneo
Borneo
Borneo is the third largest island in the world and is located north of Java Island, Indonesia, at the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia....
before being posted as an instructor at the Army Staff College
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
from 1965 to 1967. He was promoted major in 1962 and lieutenant-colonel in 1967. He was Military Assistant
Military Assistant
A Military Assistant, in the British Armed Forces and many of those derived from them, is an officer appointed to the personal office of a general officer. They are similar to aides-de-camp but generally have a more overtly administrative role....
to the Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
from 1968 to 1971 and commanding officer the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards is a cavalry regiment of the British Army. Nicknamed The Welsh Cavalry, the regiment recruits from Wales, Herefordshire, and Shropshire, and is the senior cavalry regiment, and therefore senior regiment, of the line of the British Army...
, 1971 to 1973, before promotion to brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
, and command of the 20th Armoured Brigade, 1973 to 1975. He was Brigadier (General Staff) at Headquarters UK Land Forces, from 1977 to 1978, joined the Senior Directing Staff of the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
in 1979, with acting promotion to major-general
Major-General (United Kingdom)
Major general is a senior rank in the British Army. Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general...
, was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff
Assistant Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
-Responsibilities:The Assistant Chief of the General Staff supports the Chief of the General Staff in his responsibilities, sets the conditions for the British Army to contribute to success on operations, ensures coherence across the 'Defence Lines of Development' and develops the Army of the...
in 1980, his rank was made substantive in 1980, and Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
(Operational Requirements) in 1981, with promotion to lieutenant-general, before retiring in 1984.
Business career
After retirement from the British ArmyBritish Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
in 1982, Johnston was Managing Director of Freshglen Limited (1984 to 1985) and of Unit Security Limited (1985 to 1988), then Chairman of Secondary Resources PLC, 1988 to 1991 and of Detention Corporation, 1988 to 1994. He was also a director of Partek Cargotec Limited from 1984, and of Shorrock Guards Limited from 1988 to 1991.
Voluntary work
He has served as a governor of Dauntsey's SchoolDauntsey's School
Dauntsey's School is a co-educational independent day and boarding school in the village of West Lavington, Wiltshire, England. The School was founded in 1542, in accordance with the will of William Dauntesey, a master of the Worshipful Company of Mercers....
since 1987 and was also a governor of St Mary's, Calne
St Mary's School (Calne)
St Mary's Calne, is an academically selective independent school at Calne, Wiltshire, for girls aged eleven to eighteen, with about 320 on roll. Most girls are boarders...
, from 1988 to 1994, as well as supporting Wiltshire County Scouts. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
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....
of 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 1990, as High Sheriff of Wiltshire
High Sheriff of Wiltshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Wiltshire.Until the 14th century the shrievalty was held ex officio by the castellans of Old Sarum.-To 1400:*1066: Edric*1067-1070: Philippe de Buckland*1085: Aiulphus the Sheriff*1070–1105: Edward of Salisbury...
for 1993–1994, and served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
This is a list of people who have served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire. From 1750, all Lord Lieutenants have also been Custos Rotulorum of Wiltshire.-Lord Lieutenants of Wiltshire:*William Herbert, 1st Earl of Pembroke 1551 – 17 March 1570...
from 1996 to 2004. As Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, he was an ex officio member of the Court of the University of Southampton
University of Southampton
The University of Southampton is a British public university located in the city of Southampton, England, a member of the Russell Group. The origins of the university can be dated back to the founding of the Hartley Institution in 1862 by Henry Robertson Hartley. In 1902, the Institution developed...
.
Publications
- Johnston, Sir Maurice, 'More Power to the Centre: MOD Reorganisation' in RUSI Journal, March 1983
Honours
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE), 1971 New Year HonoursNew Year HonoursThe New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
- Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB), 1982 New Year Honours
- Colonel of the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, 1986-1991
- Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint JohnVenerable Order of Saint JohnThe Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
, 1996 - Honorary FreemanFreedom of the CityFreedom of the City is an honour bestowed by some municipalities in Australia, Canada, Ireland, France, Italy, New Zealand, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, Gibraltar and Rhodesia to esteemed members of its community and to organisations to be honoured, often for service to the community;...
of the BoroughBoroughA borough is an administrative division in various countries. In principle, the term borough designates a self-governing township although, in practice, official use of the term varies widely....
of SwindonSwindonSwindon is a large town within the borough of Swindon and ceremonial county of Wiltshire, in South West England. It is midway between Bristol, west and Reading, east. London is east...
, 2004 - Commander of the Royal Victorian OrderRoyal Victorian OrderThe Royal Victorian Order is a dynastic order of knighthood and a house order of chivalry recognising distinguished personal service to the order's Sovereign, the reigning monarch of the Commonwealth realms, any members of her family, or any of her viceroys...
, 2005 - Patron of the Shaw TrustShaw TrustThe Shaw Trust is a charity in the UK which supports disabled and disadvantaged people into employment and independent living. It was formed in the village of Shaw in Wiltshire in 1981. It now employs around 1600 people across the UK, and works with around 78,000 clients a year to overcome barriers...
Private life
Johnston married Belinda Mary Sladen in 1960, and they have one son and one daughter.In 2004, Johnston was reported to live at Ivy House, Worton
Worton, Wiltshire
Worton is a village and a civil parish south-west of Devizes in Wiltshire. It is on the edge of Salisbury Plain in central southern England.It has a pub, called .Bodman's buses are sent here to die at the hands of a fella called Paul in the local garage...
, near Devizes
Devizes
Devizes is a market town and civil parish in Wiltshire, England. The town is about southeast of Chippenham and about east of Trowbridge.Devizes serves as a centre for banks, solicitors and shops, with a large open market place where a market is held once a week...
.
External links
- Spirit of Swindon - Report 4 at swindonlink.com, includes a photograph of Sir Maurice Johnston taken in November 2001
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