Michael Walker (general)

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General Sir Michael Walker. Photo Crown Copyright.
General Sir Michael Walker. Photo Crown Copyright.
New Colours are presented to RMAS, June 2005.  Sir Michael Walker (CDS) stepped in as Her Majesty was indisposed.  Officer Cadet Wales can be seen on parade.
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New Colours are presented to RMAS, June 2005. Sir Michael Walker (CDS) stepped in as Her Majesty was indisposed. Officer Cadet Wales can be seen on parade.

General Sir Michael John Dawson Walker, GCB, CMG, CBE, (born 7 July 1944) was the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) in the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces from May 2003 until April 2006.

He succeeded Admiral Sir Michael Boyce, who had held the post during the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. Between 2000 and 2003, he was the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army. Walker retired on the 28th of April 2006, and has been succeeded by Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup who was formerly the Chief of the Air Staff.

Walker attended Woodhouse Grove School near Leeds where he was head boy. From 1966 to 1882, he served in the Royal Anglian Regiment, becoming its Commanding Officer in 1985. Between 1987 and 1989, he commanded 20 Armoured Brigade, between 1989 to 1991 as Chief of Staff 1st Corps and in 1991 and 1992 2nd Infantry Division. In the following he was General Officer Commanding of the Eastern District, and from 1992 to 1994 Assistant Chief of the General Staff. In 1994, he was made Commander of the ACE Rapid Reaction Corps, until 1997, when he became Aide de Camp General to The Queen. In 1995 and 1996 Walker was Commander of the Implementation Force in Bosnia and from 1997 to 2000 Commander-in-Chief, Land Command.

On the 24 November 2006, it was announced that he will receive a life peerage.

[edit] References

Military Offices
Preceded by:
Sir Roger Wheeler
Chief of the General Staff
2000–2003
Succeeded by:
Sir Michael Jackson
Preceded by:
Sir Michael Boyce
Chief of the Defence Staff
2003–2006
Succeeded by:
Sir Jock Stirrup
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