Ralph Wooddisse

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Lieutenant General

Sir Ralph Wooddisse

KCB CBE MC
20190110-Col of Regt Portrait (cropped).jpg
Wooddisse in 2019
Born (1970-01-08) 8 January 1970 (age 55)
Dhekelia, Cyprus
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Branch British Army
Years of service1989–present
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
Field Army
1st (United Kingdom) Division
38th (Irish) Brigade
2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment
Battles / wars The Troubles
Bosnian War
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Military Cross

Lieutenant General Sir Ralph William Wooddisse, KCB , CBE , MC (born 8 January 1970) is a British Army officer who served as Commander Field Army from April 2021 until February 2024. He now serves as Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.

Contents

Early life and education

Wooddisse was born on 8 January 1970 in Dhekelia, Cyprus. [1] He was educated at Denstone College, a private school in Staffordshire, England. He studied at University College London and underwent officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. [2]

Military career

Major General Wooddisse inspecting troops, 2018 Major General Ralph Wooddisse.jpg
Major General Wooddisse inspecting troops, 2018

Wooddisse was commissioned into the Royal Anglian Regiment on 3 September 1989. [3] He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on 20 October 1999 in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during operations in Kosovo between January and June that year. [4] He later served as a company commander in Iraq during the Iraq War, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2007 Birthday Honours, [5] and became commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment in March 2009. [2]

Wooddisse went on to be Assistant Head, Military Strategic Plans at the Ministry of Defence in May 2012, commander of 38th (Irish) Brigade in November 2013, [6] and General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division in May 2017. [7] Wooddisse was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours, [8] and appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff in November 2018. [9]

Wooddisse was promoted to lieutenant general and became Commander Field Army on 19 April 2021. [10] He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2022 Birthday Honours. [11] He took up the NATO post of Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in March 2024. [12]

He was Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment until 2023, [13] and a Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Adjutant General's Corps until September 2024. [14] He was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Queen's Division on 1 November 2024, [15] and Colonel of the Ranger Regiment in a new appointment on 30 April 2025. [16]

Personal life

In 2000, Wooddisse married Louise. Together they have three daughters. [1]

References

  1. 1 2 "Wooddisse, Maj. Gen. Ralph William, (born 8 Jan. 1970), Assistant Chief of the General Staff, since 2018". Who's Who 2021 . Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Colonel RW Wooddisse MBE, MC" (PDF). International Symposium on Military Operational Research. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  3. ↑ "No. 51927". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 November 1989. p. 12817.
  4. ↑ "No. 55651". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 October 1999. p. 11556.
  5. ↑ "No. 58358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2007. pp. 5–6.
  6. ↑ "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
  7. ↑ "No. 61930". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 May 2017. p. 9902.
  8. ↑ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B6.
  9. ↑ "Generals November 2018" (PDF). Retrieved 25 November 2018.
  10. ↑ "No. 63325". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 April 2021. p. 7239.
  11. ↑ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 2022. p. B2.
  12. ↑ "Commander NATO ARRC". NATO. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  13. ↑ "No. 64276". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 January 2024. p. 26495.
  14. ↑ "No. 64546". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 October 2024. p. 20855.
  15. ↑ "No. 64558". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 November 2024. p. 22334.
  16. ↑ "No. 64754". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 June 2025. p. 11656.
Military offices
Preceded by General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division
2017–2018		Succeeded by
Preceded by Assistant Chief of the General Staff
2018–2021		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander Field Army
2021–2024		Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
2024–present		Incumbent
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