Roland Walker
Sir Roland Walker | |
---|---|
Birth name | Charles Roland Vincent Walker |
Nickname(s) | Roly |
Born | Nairobi, Kenya | 14 May 1970
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service/ | British Army |
Years of service | 1990–present |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Unit | Grenadier Guards |
Commands held | Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff Director Special Forces 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards |
Battles/wars | The Troubles Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Distinguished Service Order |
Alma mater | Royal Agricultural College |
Spouse(s) |
Kate White-Thomson (m. 1998) |
Lieutenant General Sir Charles Roland Vincent Walker, KCB, DSO (born 14 May 1970) is a senior British Army officer, serving as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) since April 2021.[1] He will take up the post of Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, in 2024.
Early life and education[edit]
Walker was born on 14 May 1970 in Nairobi, Kenya, to Patrick Walker and Daphne Walker (née Armour).[2] Following his father's death, his mother married Frederick Conyngham, 7th Marquess Conyngham in 1980.[2] He was educated at the Dragon School, a private preparatory school in Oxford, and then at Harrow School, an all-boys independent boarding school in London. Sponsored by the British Army as a university cadetship officer,[3] he studied at the Royal Agricultural College, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree.[4] He later studied at Cranfield University, graduating with a Master of Arts degree.[2]
Military career[edit]
Walker was commissioned into the Guards Division of the British Army as a second lieutenant (on probation) on 9 September 1990 as part of his undergraduate cadetship.[3] In September 1993, his commission was confirmed and he was promoted to lieutenant back-dated to 11 August 1992.[5] He began active service in the Irish Guards in 1993, and saw operational tours in Northern Ireland and Iraq.[4] He was promoted to captain on 11 August 1995.[6] In 1997, he joined 22 Special Air Service Regiment.[7] He was promoted to major on 30 September 2000.[8] He attend the Advanced Command and Staff Course from 2001 to 2003.[2] Between 2003 to 2007, he undertook multiple operational tours in Iraq.[2]
Following his time with Special Forces, he became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards from 2008 to 2010.[4][9] He was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30 June 2008.[10] With the Grenadiers, he served a tour in Afghanistan, during which the Ridgeback PPV in which he was travelling was blown up by an improvised explosive device (IED): all six soldiers inside escaped uninjured, but the vehicle was thrown into the air, had its wheels blown off and its armour shredded.[9] Walker was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in September 2010 in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan.[11]
Walker commanded the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade from 2013 to 2015,[4] and was promoted to brigadier on 30 June 2014.[12] He has since held staff appointments at Army Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence.[4] He was promoted to major general on 8 March 2018,[13] and appointed Director Special Forces.[14] He was promoted to lieutenant general and became Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) on 16 April 2021.[15] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2023 New Year Honours, thereby granted the title sir.[16]
Walker has been selected to be the next Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, and will take up the post in June 2024.[17][18]
Walker served as Colonel Commandant of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps from 1 March 2017 to 1 June 2022,[19] and Regimental Lieutenant Colonel of the Grenadier Guards from 18 June 2017 to 18 June 2022; both ceremonial appointments.[20][21] He was Honorary Colonel of the Cambridge University Officers' Training Corps until June 2024.[22]
Personal life[edit]
In 1998, Walker married Kate White-Thomson. They have three daughters and live in Herefordshire.[4]
References[edit]
- ^ Notice, gov.uk. Accessed 3 July 2023.
- ^ a b c d e "Walker, Lt Gen. Sir (Charles) Roland (Vincent), (born 14 May 1970), Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations), since 2021". Who's Who 2024. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
- ^ a b "No. 52323". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 November 1990. p. 17191.
- ^ a b c d e f "Walker, Maj. Gen. (Charles) Roland (Vincent), (born 14 May 1970), Operations Director, Ministry of Defence, since 2018". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "No. 53426". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 September 1993. p. 14960.
- ^ "No. 54233". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 December 1995. p. 16487.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Roly Walker DSO". GOV.UK.
- ^ "No. 55986". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 October 2000. p. 11013.
- ^ a b Rayment, Sean (20 June 2010). "Portraits of bravery: commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Roly Walker". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "No. 58752". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 July 2008. p. 9837.
- ^ "No. 59554". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 2010. p. 18535.
- ^ "No. 60918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 July 2014. p. 2.
- ^ "No. 62226". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 March 2018. p. 4541.
- ^ "Lieutenant General Roly Walker DSO". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
- ^ "No. 63325". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 April 2021. p. 7239.
- ^ "No. 63918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2022. p. N2.
- ^ Harnden, Toby (28 August 2023). "'As a soldier, he's beyond compare': The ex-SAS war hero intent on change for the British Army". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
- ^ "General Sir Roly Walker appointed new Chief of the General Staff". GOV.UK. Ministry of Defence. 12 December 2023. Retrieved 14 December 2023.
- ^ "No. 61865". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 March 2017. p. 4890.
- ^ "Regimental Headquarters". Grenadier Guards. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
- ^ "No. 61971". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 June 2017. p. 11876.
- ^ "No. 64412". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 2024. p. 10721.
External links[edit]
- 1970 births
- Living people
- British Army lieutenant generals
- People educated at The Dragon School
- People educated at Harrow School
- Alumni of the Royal Agricultural University
- Irish Guards officers
- Grenadier Guards officers
- Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- Alumni of Cranfield University
- Special Air Service officers