Robert Richardson | |
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Born | 2 March 1929 |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/branch | British Army |
Rank | Lieutenant-General |
Unit | Royal Scots |
Commands held | 1st Battalion Royal Scots 39th Infantry Brigade British Forces in Berlin GOC Northern Ireland |
Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Commander of the Royal Victorian Order Mention in Despatches |
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.
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He was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh, and then at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[1] He was commissioned into the Royal Scots as a second lieutenant on 16 December 1949, after leaving Sandhurst,[2] and posted to the 1st Battalion. He was promoted to lieutenant on 16 December 1951,[3] and briefly saw service at the end of the Korean War.[1] He then travelled with the battalion to the Middle East, where he was promoted to captain on 16 December 1955.[4] After service with the British Army of the Rhine, he studied at the Defence Services Staff College in India from 1960-1961.[1]
He was then posted to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence until 1964, when he attended the Joint Services Staff College.[1] Whilst at the Ministry of Defence, he was promoted to major on 16 December 1962.[5] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1965 New Year Honours.[6]
He was Brigade Major of the Aden Brigade during the Aden Emergency in 1967,[1] where he was Mentioned in Despatches.[7] He then returned to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence, receiving his promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 31 December 1968,[8] and was appointed as commanding officer of 1st Battalion Royal Scots in 1969, a post he held until 1971.[1] 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.[9]
He was then appointed to the staff at the Staff College, Camberley,[1] and promoted to colonel on 30 June 1972.[10]
He was promoted brigadier on 31 December 1973,[11] and appointed commander of 39th Infantry Brigade, based in Northern Ireland, the following year.[1] For his work in Northern Ireland, he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).[12]
In 1975, he was appointed the Deputy Adjutant General of the British Army of the Rhine,[1] and on 24 January 1978, he was appointed Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin, with the acting rank of major-general,[13] and received substantive promotion on 22 July 1978.[14] He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on 25 May 1978.[15] He relinquished command on 15 September 1980.[16]
On 19 December 1980, he was appointed Vice-Adjutant General, and Director of Manning for the Army at the Ministry of Defence,[17] and relinquished the appointment on 29 March 1982.[18]
He succeeded Richard Lawson as GOC Northern Ireland on 1 June 1982,[19] was promoted to lieutenant-general on the same date,[20] and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 12 June 1982.[21] 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.[22] He was relieved by Robert Pascoe in June 1985.[23]
On 31 August 1980, he was appointed Colonel of the Royal Scots,[24] and held the post for ten years, until 31 August 1990.[25] He was appointed the Lieutenant of the Tower of London on 1 March 1992,[26] and held the post until 1 March 1995.[27]
His medals are now held in the Museum of the Royal Scots in Edinburgh Castle.
Military offices | ||
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Preceded by Sir Roy Redgrave |
Commandant, British Sector in Berlin 1978–1980 |
Succeeded by Sir David Mostyn |
Preceded by Richard Lawson |
General Officer Commanding the British Army in Northern Ireland 1982–1985 |
Succeeded by Robert Pascoe |