Richard Vickers
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Richard (Maurice Hilton) Vickers, KCB CVO
OBE
(born 21 August 1928) is a former British Army
officer who served as Director-General of Army Training from 1982 until 1983.
and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
, Vickers was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment
(RTR) in 1948, and served with the 1st Battalion of the RTR in the British Army of the Rhine
(BAOR), Korea
, and the Middle East
until 1954. He was temporary Equerry
to the Queen
from 1956 until 1959 and Brigade Major
of 7th Armoured Brigade
from 1962 until 1964. He served with the 4th Battalion of the RTR in Borneo
and Malaysia from 1964 until 1966 and was Commanding Officer of The Royal Dragoons from 1967 until 1968 when he became commanding officer of the Blues and Royals
. Vickers was the Commander of the 11th Armoured Brigade from 1972 until 1974 and Deputy Director of Army Training 1975 until 1977. He was appointed GOC
4th Armoured Division
in 1977 and then Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 1979 until 1982 before he retired in 1983.
In retirement Vickers was a Gentleman Usher
to the Queen from 1986 until 1998 and Director-General of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
1983–1993.
Vickers was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
(LVO) in 1959 and a Commander of the Order (CVO) in 1998. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
(MBE) in 1964, promoted to an Officer of the Order (OBE) in 1970, and to a Knight Commander of the Order (KCB) in 1983.
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 21 August 1928) is a former British Army
British 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...
officer who served as Director-General of Army Training from 1982 until 1983.
Military career
Educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service CollegeHaileybury and Imperial Service College
Haileybury and Imperial Service College, , is a prestigious British independent school founded in 1862. The school is located at Hertford Heath, near Hertford, from central London, on of parkland occupied until 1858 by the East India College...
and 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...
, Vickers was commissioned into 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...
(RTR) in 1948, and served with the 1st Battalion of the RTR in the British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
(BAOR), Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
, and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
until 1954. He was temporary Equerry
Equerry
An equerry , and related to the French word "écuyer" ) is an officer of honour. Historically, it was a senior attendant with responsibilities for the horses of a person of rank. In contemporary use, it is a personal attendant, usually upon a Sovereign, a member of a Royal Family, or a national...
to the Queen
Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom
Elizabeth II is the constitutional monarch of 16 sovereign states known as the Commonwealth realms: the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Jamaica, Barbados, the Bahamas, Grenada, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Belize,...
from 1956 until 1959 and Brigade Major
Brigade Major
In the British Army, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster"...
of 7th Armoured Brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
from 1962 until 1964. He served with the 4th Battalion of the RTR in 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....
and Malaysia from 1964 until 1966 and was Commanding Officer of The Royal Dragoons from 1967 until 1968 when he became commanding officer of the Blues and Royals
Blues and Royals
The Blues and Royals is a cavalry regiment of the British Army, part of the Household Cavalry. The Colonel-in-Chief is Her Majesty The Queen and the Colonel is HRH The Princess Royal...
. Vickers was the Commander of the 11th Armoured Brigade from 1972 until 1974 and Deputy Director of Army Training 1975 until 1977. He was appointed GOC
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...
4th Armoured Division
4th Infantry Division (United Kingdom)
The 4th Infantry Division is a regular British Army division with a long history having been present at the Peninsular War the Crimean War , the First World War , and during the Second World War.- Napoleonic Wars :...
in 1977 and then Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 1979 until 1982 before he retired in 1983.
In retirement Vickers was a Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher
Gentleman Usher is a title for some officers of the Royal Household of the United Kingdom. See List of Gentlemen Ushers for a list of office-holders.-Historical:...
to the Queen from 1986 until 1998 and Director-General of the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
Winston Churchill Memorial Trust
The Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill. They are based in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand. The Winston Churchill Memorial Trusts are three independent but related living memorials to Sir Winston Churchill. They are based...
1983–1993.
Vickers was made a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order
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...
(LVO) in 1959 and a Commander of the Order (CVO) in 1998. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire
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...
(MBE) in 1964, promoted to an Officer of the Order (OBE) in 1970, and to a Knight Commander of the Order (KCB) in 1983.