James Bashall | |
---|---|
Born | Marlborough, Wiltshire, England | 3 April 1962
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service | British Army |
Years of service | 1984–2018 |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Commands | Home Command 1st (UK) Armoured Division 1st Mechanized Brigade 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment |
Battles / wars | War in Afghanistan Iraq War |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Mentioned in Despatches |
Lieutenant General James Ian Bashall, CB , CBE (born 3 April 1962) is a former British Army officer who served as Commander Home Command from 2015 to 2018. From 2019 to 2023 he was the National President of the Royal British Legion.
Bashall was born on 3 April 1962 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England. [1] He was educated at Marlborough College, a private boarding school. [2]
Bashall was commissioned in to the Parachute Regiment in 1984. [3] By 2002 he had become Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment [4] serving in Afghanistan. [5]
He commanded 1st Mechanized Brigade [6] based in Basra in Southern Iraq during Operation Telic in 2007. [7] He was appointed Director Army Division of the Defence Academy at Shrivenham in January 2009 [2] and went on to be Chief of Joint Force Operations in December 2009: [8] in this capacity he masterminded the covert Special Air Service rescue operations across war-torn Libya in early 2011. [7] He became General Officer Commanding 1st (UK) Armoured Division in April 2011, [8] Chief of Staff, Operations at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, Northwood in August 2012 [9] and Commander Personnel and Support Command in June 2015 (his role was re-designated Commander Home Command in May 2016). [10] [11] [12] Bashall retired from the British Army on 27 October 2018. [13]
Bashall was appointed as the National President of the Royal British Legion in May 2019. [14] When appointed, Bashall said "It is an honour to be appointed as the National President of The Royal British Legion, a charity with an esteemed history, and one that plays a vital role in today’s Armed Forces community." [15] He served in his position until May 2023. [15]
Field Marshal Sir Archibald James Halkett Cassels, was a senior British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff (CGS), the professional head of the British Army, from 1965 to 1968. As a young man he was a first-class cricket player, initially playing in India for the Europeans against the Hindus in the Lahore Tournament and going on to play for a Punjab Governor's XI against Northern India team and for a Viceroy's XI against the Roshanara Club. He later played for the British Army cricket team against the RAF at The Oval and then played for the Egyptian national side against HM Martineau's XI in Alexandria.
General David Julian Richards, Baron Richards of Herstmonceux, is a retired senior British Army officer and Peer who was formerly the Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the British Armed Forces. He succeeded Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup in this role on 29 October 2010.
Lieutenant General Sir John Panton Kiszely, is a retired senior British Army officer who was director general of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom from 2005 to 2008. He is a former national president of The Royal British Legion.
General Sir Nicholas Ralph Parker, is a former British Army officer who served as Commander Land Forces until December 2012.
Lieutenant General Jonathan David "Jacko" Page, is a retired senior British Army officer.
General Sir Peter Anthony Wall, is a retired British Army officer who served as the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, until September 2014. Wall had previously been the Commander-in-Chief, Land Forces from August 2009 to September 2010. He succeeded General Sir David Richards as Chief of the General Staff in September 2010, the latter going on a month later to be Chief of the Defence Staff.
General Sir Adrian John Bradshaw, is a former British Army officer who served as Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe. He also served as Director Special Forces from 2006 to 2009 and Commander Land Forces in 2013.
General Sir James Rupert Everard, is a retired senior British Army officer who served as NATO's Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
General Sir Charles Phibbs Jones, was a British Army officer who reached high office in the 1950s.
General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter, is a retired senior British Army officer who served as Chief of the Defence Staff from June 2018 to November 2021.
General Sir Richard Lawson Barrons, is a retired British Army officer. He was Commander Joint Forces Command from April 2013 until his retirement in April 2016.
Lieutenant General Sir John Gordon Lorimer, is a retired senior British Army officer, who served as the Chief of Joint Operations and the Defence Senior Adviser to the Middle East and North Africa. He was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man on 29 September 2021.
General Sir Mark Alexander Popham Carleton-Smith, is a senior British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff from June 2018 to June 2022. He previously served as Director Special Forces and commanded 22 Special Air Service Regiment.
Major General James Robert Chiswell, is a former British Army officer.
Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Arthur William Pope, is a former senior British Army officer. He served as the last Master-General of the Ordnance from 2011 to 2013 when the position was abolished and then as Deputy Chief of the General Staff from 2015 to 2019.
Major General Rupert Timothy Herbert Jones is a retired senior British Army officer, who served as the Standing Joint Force Commander from November 2018 to July 2021.
Lieutenant General Giles Patrick Hill, is a retired senior British Army officer. He commanded the 1st Division from 2015 to 2017, was Assistant Chief of the Defence Staff from 2017 to 2019, and served as the Deputy Commander of NATO's Resolute Support Mission in Afghanistan from 2019 until December 2020.
Major General Paul Anthony Edward Nanson, is a retired British Army officer who served as Commander 7th Armoured Brigade, Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and General Officer Commanding Recruiting and Initial Training Command.
Major General Gerald Mark Strickland, is a senior British Army officer.
Lieutenant General Andrew Sean David Harrison, is a retired senior officer in the British Army who served as the Deputy Commander of United Nations Command in South Korea from 2021 to 2023.