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Robert Richardson (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Francis Richardson KCB
CVO
CBE
(born 2 March 1929) was a British Army
officer. Among other posts, he commanded a battalion and a brigade during the Troubles
before becoming General Officer Commanding
in Northern Ireland
.
, Edinburgh, and then at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
. He was commissioned into the Royal Scots as a second lieutenant
on 16 December 1949, after leaving Sandhurst, and posted to the 1st Battalion. He was promoted to lieutenant
on 16 December 1951, and briefly saw service at the end of the Korean War
. He then travelled with the battalion to the Middle East
, where he was promoted to captain on 16 December 1955. After service with the British Army of the Rhine
, he studied at the Defence Services Staff College in India from 1960-1961.
He was then posted to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence
until 1964, when he attended the Joint Services Staff College
. Whilst at the Ministry of Defence, he was promoted to major on 16 December 1962. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1965 New Year Honours
.
He was Brigade Major
of the Aden Brigade during the Aden Emergency
in 1967, where he was Mentioned in Despatches. He then returned to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence, receiving his promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 31 December 1968, and was appointed as commanding officer of 1st Battalion Royal Scots in 1969, a post he held until 1971. During his time in command, the battalion made a number of short tours to Northern Ireland
. He was promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours.
He was then appointed to the staff at the Staff College, Camberley
, and promoted to colonel on 30 June 1972.
on 31 December 1973, and appointed commander of 39th Infantry Brigade
, based in Northern Ireland, the following year. For his work in Northern Ireland, he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
In 1975, he was appointed the Deputy Adjutant General
of the British Army of the Rhine
, and on 24 January 1978, he was appointed Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin, with the acting rank of major-general
, and received substantive promotion on 22 July 1978. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on 25 May 1978. He relinquished command on 15 September 1980.
On 19 December 1980, he was appointed Vice-Adjutant General, and Director of Manning for the Army at the Ministry of Defence, and relinquished the appointment on 29 March 1982.
He succeeded Richard Lawson
as GOC Northern Ireland on 1 June 1982, was promoted to lieutenant-general on the same date, and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 12 June 1982. He had previously commanded both a roulement
battalion and a resident brigade in Northern Ireland, giving him experience of the issues faced in the region. His tour as GOC was mainly marked by a gradual process of reducing the role of Army units in day-to-day security, handing over control to the Royal Ulster Constabulary
. He was relieved by Robert Pascoe
in June 1985.
His medals are now held in the Museum of the Royal Scots in Edinburgh Castle
.
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...
CBE
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 2 March 1929) was a 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. Among other posts, he commanded a battalion and a brigade during the Troubles
The Troubles
The Troubles was a period of ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland which spilled over at various times into England, the Republic of Ireland, and mainland Europe. The duration of the Troubles is conventionally dated from the late 1960s and considered by many to have ended with the Belfast...
before becoming 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...
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...
.
Regimental career
He was educated at George Heriot's SchoolGeorge Heriot's School
George Heriot's School is an independent primary and secondary school on Lauriston Place in the Old Town of Edinburgh, Scotland, with around 1600 pupils, 155 teaching staff and 80 non-teaching staff. It was established in 1628 as George Heriot's Hospital, by bequest of the royal goldsmith George...
, Edinburgh, and then at 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...
. He was commissioned into the Royal Scots as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
on 16 December 1949, after leaving Sandhurst, and posted to the 1st Battalion. He was promoted to 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...
on 16 December 1951, and briefly saw service at the end of the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
. He then travelled with the battalion to 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...
, where he was promoted to captain on 16 December 1955. After service with 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:...
, he studied at the Defence Services Staff College in India from 1960-1961.
He was then posted to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
until 1964, when he attended the Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College
Joint Services Staff College may refer to:* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Joint Service Defence College"* Joint Services Staff College , the former name of the "Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies"...
. Whilst at the Ministry of Defence, he was promoted to major on 16 December 1962. He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1965 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The 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...
.
He was 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 the Aden Brigade during the Aden Emergency
Aden Emergency
The Aden Emergency was an insurgency against the British crown forces in the British controlled territories of South Arabia which now form part of the Yemen. Partly inspired by Nasser's pan Arab nationalism, it began on 10 December 1963 with the throwing of a grenade at a gathering of British...
in 1967, where he was Mentioned in Despatches. He then returned to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence, receiving his promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 31 December 1968, and was appointed as commanding officer of 1st Battalion Royal Scots in 1969, a post he held until 1971. During his time in command, the battalion made a number of short tours to 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...
. He was promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours.
He was then appointed to the staff at the Staff College, Camberley
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:...
, and promoted to colonel on 30 June 1972.
Senior command
He was promoted 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....
on 31 December 1973, and appointed commander of 39th Infantry Brigade
39th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The British 39th Infantry Brigade was a military formation of the British Army that was first established during World War I and reformed in the 1950s.-World Wars:...
, based in Northern Ireland, the following year. For his work in Northern Ireland, he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
In 1975, he was appointed the Deputy Adjutant General
Adjutant general
An Adjutant General is a military chief administrative officer.-Imperial Russia:In Imperial Russia, the General-Adjutant was a Court officer, who was usually an army general. He served as a personal aide to the Tsar and hence was a member of the H. I. M. Retinue...
of 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:...
, and on 24 January 1978, he was appointed Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin, with the acting rank of 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...
, and received substantive promotion on 22 July 1978. He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on 25 May 1978. He relinquished command on 15 September 1980.
On 19 December 1980, he was appointed Vice-Adjutant General, and Director of Manning for the Army at the Ministry of Defence, and relinquished the appointment on 29 March 1982.
He succeeded Richard Lawson
Richard Lawson (British Army officer)
General Sir Richard George Lawson KCB, DSO, OBE, KCSS is a former British Army officer, who served as General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and later as Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces Northern Europe....
as GOC Northern Ireland on 1 June 1982, was promoted to lieutenant-general on the same date, and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 12 June 1982. He had previously commanded both a roulement
Roulement
Roulement is a term used by the British Army to signify major combat units that are deployed on short tours of duty, normally for 6-months duration....
battalion and a resident brigade in Northern Ireland, giving him experience of the issues faced in the region. His tour as GOC was mainly marked by a gradual process of reducing the role of Army units in day-to-day security, handing over control to the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
. He was relieved by Robert Pascoe
Robert Pascoe
General Sir Robert Alan Pascoe KCB MBE is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces.-Army career:Educated at Tavistock Grammar School and at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst, Pascoe was commissioned into the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry in 1952...
in June 1985.
Ceremonial posts
On 31 August 1980, he was appointed Colonel of the Royal Scots, and held the post for ten years, until 31 August 1990. He was appointed the Lieutenant of the Tower of London on 1 March 1992, and held the post until 1 March 1995.His medals are now held in the Museum of the Royal Scots in Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
.