Richard Lawson (British Army officer): Difference between revisions
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Revision as of 23:24, 7 September 2008
Richard Lawson | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1948–1986 |
| Rank | General |
| Unit | Royal Tank Regiment |
| Commands held | 20th Armoured Brigade 1st Armoured Division GOC Northern Ireland C-in-C Allied Forces Northern Europe |
General Sir Richard George Lawson, DSO, KCB, OBE, KCSS, (b. November 24th 1924) was a British Army officer, who served as General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland during the early period of the Troubles, and later as Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces Northern Europe.
He was commissioned in the Royal Tank Regiment as a 2nd Lieutenant on 15th July 1948, after leaving the Royal Military Academy,[1], and appointed Lieutenant on 15th July 1950.[2]
In December 1961, he volunteered for service with the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Republic of the Congo. At the time he was attatched to the Nigerian Army, on secondment from the 1st Royal Tank Regiment. He served in South Kasai and then Katanga, where he became briefly famous for his part in the rescue of several groups of missionaries, and was nicknamed "Dick the Lionheart" by the Daily Express.[3] He published a book recounting his time in the Congo in 1963, titled Strange Soldiering.[4]
He was appointed Brigadier on 30th June 1967,[5] and awarded the OBE on June 8th 1968.[6] He was appointed Colonel on 6th July 1971[7] and Brigadier 31st December 1971.[8]
From 1972 to 1973 he commanded 20th Armoured Brigade.[9] On 7th November 1977 he took command of 1st Armoured Division[10], and was appointed Major-General on 30th June 1978.[11] On November 3rd 1979, he ceased to command 1st Division.[12]
He succeeded Timothy Creasey as GOC Northern Ireland on December 1st 1979[13], and was promoted to Lieutenant-General on his appointment.[14] He was himself succeeded by Robert Richardson on June 1st 1982.[15] On 31st December 1979 he was knighted,[16] and on 1st January 1980 he was appointed Colonel-Commandant of the Royal Tank Regiment, a post he held until 1st June 1982.[17]
He was appointed Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces Northern Europe, a NATO post, on November 15th 1982[18], replacing Anthony Farrar-Hockley, and was promoted to General on his appointment.[19] He was himself succeeded by Geoffrey Howlett on 10th February 1986.[18]
He retired on 3rd May 1986.[20] He is a Knight Commander of the Order of St. Sylvester.[21]
References
- ^ "No. 38383". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 17 August 1948. - ^ "No. 38967". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 14 July 1950. - ^ Dick the Lionheart, Time magazine, February 16th, 1962.
- ^ Review on trademe.co.nz
- ^ "No. 44357". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 30 June 1967. - ^ "No. 44600". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 31 May 1968. - ^ "No. 45417". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 5 July 1971. - ^ "No. 45564". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 23 January 1972. - ^ 20th Armoured Brigade - Brigade Commander
- ^ "No. 47390". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 28 November 1977. - ^ "No. 47588". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 11 July 1978. - ^ "No. 48015". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 26 November 1979. - ^ Chronology of the Conflict 1979, CAIN
- ^ "No. 48100". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 18 February 1980. - ^ Chronology of the Conflict 1982, CAIN
- ^ "No. 48041". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 28 December 1979. - ^ "No. 48080". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 28 January 1980. - ^ a b North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Senior officials in the NATO military structure, from 1949 to 2001 (PDF)
- ^ "No. 49180". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 29 November 1982. - ^ "No. 50535". The London Gazette (invalid
|supp=(help)). 2 June 1986. - ^ Association of Papal Orders in Great Britain
External links
- Portrait by Robin Paine, 1985.