Robert Richardson (British Army officer)
British Army general (1929–2014) From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Francis Richardson KCB CVO CBE (2 March 1929 – 21 November 2014)[1] 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 from 1982 to 1985.
Robert Richardson | |
|---|---|
| Born | 2 March 1929 Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland |
| Died | 21 November 2014 (aged 85) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1949−1995 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Service number | 408020 |
| Unit | Royal Scots |
| Commands | |
| Battles / wars | |
| Awards | |
Regimental career
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He was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh, and then at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[2] He was commissioned into the Royal Scots as a second lieutenant on 16 December 1949, after leaving Sandhurst,[3] and posted to the 1st Battalion. He was promoted to lieutenant on 16 December 1951,[4] and briefly saw service at the end of the Korean War.[2] He then travelled with the battalion to the Middle East, where he was promoted to captain on 16 December 1955.[5] After service with the British Army of the Rhine, he studied at the Defence Services Staff College in India from 1960-1961.[2]
He was then posted to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence until 1964, when he attended the Joint Services Staff College.[2] Whilst at the Ministry of Defence, he was promoted to major on 16 December 1962.[6] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1965 New Year Honours.[7]
He was brigade major of the Aden Brigade during the Aden Emergency in 1967,[2] where he was Mentioned in Despatches.[8] He then returned to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence, receiving his promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 31 December 1968,[9] and was appointed as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots in 1969, a post he held until 1971.[2] 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.[10]
He was then appointed to the staff at the Staff College, Camberley,[2] and promoted to colonel on 30 June 1972.[11]
Senior command
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He was promoted brigadier on 31 December 1973,[12] and appointed commander of 39th Infantry Brigade, based in Northern Ireland, the following year.[2] For his work in Northern Ireland, he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).[13]
In 1975, he was appointed the Deputy Adjutant General of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR),[2] and on 24 January 1978, he was appointed Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin, with the acting rank of major-general,[14] and received substantive promotion on 22 July 1978.[15] He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on 25 May 1978.[16] He relinquished command on 15 September 1980.[17]
On 19 December 1980, he was appointed Vice-Adjutant General, and Director of Manning for the Army at the Ministry of Defence,[18] and relinquished the appointment on 29 March 1982.[19]
He succeeded Sir Richard Lawson as GOC Northern Ireland on 1 June 1982,[20] was promoted to lieutenant-general on the same date,[21] and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 12 June 1982.[22] 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.[23] He was relieved by Robert Pascoe in June 1985.[24]
Ceremonial posts
On 31 August 1980, he was appointed Colonel of the Royal Scots,[25] and held the post for ten years, until 31 August 1990.[26] He was appointed the Lieutenant of the Tower of London on 1 March 1992,[27] and held the post until 1 March 1995.[28]
His medals are now held in the Museum of the Royal Scots in Edinburgh Castle.
Personal life
Richardson married Maureen Robinson in 1956; they had four children, Claire, Charles, Jeremy and Guy; she died in 1986. In 1988 he married Alexandra (Candy) Inglis (née Bomford);[29] she survived him and died in 2025.[30]
References
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