Mark Underhill | |
---|---|
Born | 1959–1960 |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Service | ![]() |
Years of service | 1978 – 2013 |
Rank | Colonel |
Service number | 507550 |
Unit | Royal Corps of Transport Royal Logistic Corps |
Commands | Royal Logistic Corps TA |
Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
Alma mater | King William's College |
Colonel Mark Charles Heath Underhill, OBE , DL (born c. 1960) is a retired British Army officer, and a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside. He is the chief executive of the North West Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. [1]
Underhill commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 7 April 1979, into the Royal Corps of Transport, initially on a short service commission. [2] He was promoted to lieutenant on 7 April 1981, [3] and after spending time as a troop commander in the Gurkha Transport Regiment in Hong Kong, [4] he completed the Regular Careers Course and was once more promoted to captain on 7 October 1985. [5] Upon promotion to major on 30 September 1990, [6] Underhill returned to Hong Kong in command of a squadron, and deployed with the UN as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. After transferring to the Royal Logistic Corps upon its formation in April 1993, [7] he once more returned to Hong Kong as the second-in-command of the newly raised Hong Kong Logistic Support Regiment RLC. [4] Promotion to lieutenant colonel then followed on 30 June 2000, [8] along with the role of overseeing the formation of the tri-Service International Military Advisory and Training Team (Sierra Leone). After a posting at the Defence Transport and Movements Agency; and as Commander of Logistic Support, London District; Underhill was once more promoted to colonel on 30 June 2007, [9] and took up overall command of the Royal Logistic Corps Territorial Army units. [4]
As a staff officer, Underhill served as the Assistant Head for Operational Energy Management of the Defence Fuels Group; Commander, Logistic Support & Infrastructure at 4th Division; and finally as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Support, at Headquarters Support Command. [4] Underhill retired in 2013, at the rank of Colonel. [10]
Underhill has been Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside since 2019; [11] the Honorary Colonel of 158 Regiment RLC since 2013; [4] [12] and the Honorary Life President of the Army Rugby Union since 2016. [10] He is the chief executive of the North West Reserve Forces and Cadets Association. [13]
Underhill was appointed an MBE in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours. [14] He was further advanced to an OBE in the Operation TELIC honours list in 2003. [15]
Underhill is married to Debbie and they have two adult children. [4]