Robert Thomson (British Army officer)

Last updated

Robert Thomson
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service1988–2022
Rank Major General
Commands held British Forces Cyprus
38th (Irish) Brigade
2nd Battalion The Rifles
Battles/wars Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
Awards Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Distinguished Service Order
Bronze Star Medal (United States)

Major General Robert John Thomson, CBE , DSO (born 1 January 1967) is a former senior British Army officer. He served as Commander of British Forces Cyprus between September 2019 and August 2022.

Military career

He was educated at Brentwood School, Essex, Magdalene College, Cambridge and King's College London (MA Defence Studies). [1] [2] Thomson was commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets on 2 September 1988. [3] He served as commanding officer of 2nd Battalion The Rifles and was deployed in that role on Operation Herrick 10 in Afghanistan from May 2009 to October 2009. [4] He went on to be commander of 38th (Irish) Brigade in December 2011 [5] and Deputy Commander of Regional Command Southwest in April 2014, in which role he led the withdrawal of British troops from Camp Bastion in October 2014. [4] He became British defence attaché in Paris in September 2017, [6] and commander of British Forces Cyprus in September 2019. [7]

Thomson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 2005 New Year Honours, [8] and advanced to Commander of the Order of the British Empire for services in Afghanistan on 3 July 2015. [9]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Chapple (British Army officer)</span> British Army officer (1931–2022)

Field Marshal Sir John Lyon Chapple, was a British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff (CGS), the professional head of the British Army, from 1988 to 1992. Early in his military career he saw action during the Malayan Emergency and again during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and later in his career he provided advice to the British government during the Gulf War.

General Sir Roger Neil Wheeler, is a retired British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff from 1997 to 2000. During his career he was involved in the Cyprus Emergency, directed military operations in Northern Ireland and led the UK's forces deployed on NATO operations in Bosnia. He is now a non-executive director of several businesses operating on an international basis.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Johns</span> Royal Air Force air marshal

Air Chief Marshal Sir Richard Edward Johns, is a retired senior Royal Air Force commander. He was a fighter pilot in the 1960s, commanding officer of a squadron during the 1970s and a station commander in the 1980s. Johns served as one of three British directors of operations on the senior planning staff for Operation Granby in 1991 and then acted as a supporting commander for joint operations in the Balkans in 1994. As Chief of the Air Staff he advised the British Government on the air force aspects of the Strategic Defence Review and on NATO's air campaign in Kosovo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jock Stirrup</span> Senior commander in Britains Royal Air Force

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Graham Eric Stirrup, Baron Stirrup,, informally known as Jock Stirrup, is a former senior Royal Air Force commander who was the Chief of the Defence Staff from 2006 until his retirement in late 2010. He is now a Crossbench member of the House of Lords. In April 2013, he was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Garter by Queen Elizabeth II.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Richards, Baron Richards of Herstmonceux</span> British general

General David Julian Richards, Baron Richards of Herstmonceux, is a retired senior British Army officer 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Dannatt</span> British Army officer

General Francis Richard Dannatt, Baron Dannatt,, is a retired senior British Army officer and member of the House of Lords. He was Chief of the General Staff from 2006 to 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Parker</span> British Army general from 1973 to 2013

General Sir Nicholas Ralph Parker, is a former British Army officer who served as Commander Land Forces until December 2012.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gordon Messenger</span> Retired British Royal Marines general

General Sir Gordon Kenneth Messenger, is a retired senior Royal Marines officer who served as Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff from May 2016 to May 2019. As a colonel he commanded 40 Commando during the Iraq War, and led the Commando in the assault on the Al-Faw Peninsula. He served as British Commander of Task Force Helmand, during the 3 Commando Brigade deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan on Operation Herrick IX from 2008 to 2009. After his retirement, Messenger has held ceremonial positions, including Lord High Steward at the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Carter (British Army officer)</span> Kenyan-born senior British Army officer

General Sir Nicholas Patrick Carter, is a Kenyan-born former senior British Army officer who served as Chief of the Defence Staff from June 2018 to November 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Barrons</span> British Army officer (born 1959)

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Lorimer (British Army officer)</span> British Army general

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tim Evans (British Army officer)</span> British Army officer

Lieutenant General Timothy Paul Evans, is a retired British Army officer, who served as Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 2012 to 2013 and then commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps from 2013 to 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Davis (Royal Marines officer)</span> British senior Royal Marines officer

Lieutenant General Edward Grant Martin Davis, is a former senior Royal Marines officer. He was Commandant General Royal Marines from December 2011 to June 2014, and the Deputy Commander of NATO's Allied Land Command in Izmir, Turkey, from 2014 to 2015. He was Governor of Gibraltar from 2016 to 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Carleton-Smith</span> British Army general

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Patrick Sanders (British Army officer)</span> British Army officer and Chief of the General Staff since 2022

General Sir Patrick Nicholas Yardley Monrad Sanders, is a senior British Army officer serving as Chief of the General Staff since June 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rupert Jones (British Army officer)</span>

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robert Magowan</span> Royal Marines General

Lieutenant General Robert Andrew Magowan, is a senior Royal Marines officer who serves as the Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff since May 2022. He previously served as Commandant General Royal Marines from 2016 to 2017 and again from 2021 to 2022.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James Illingworth</span> British Army general

Major General James Timothy Edward Illingworth, is a former senior British Army officer. He served as Commander of British Forces Cyprus from 2017 to 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter J. M. Squires</span> Royal Air Force officer

Air Vice-Marshal Peter James Murray Squires, is a senior Royal Air Force officer, who currently serves as the Commander of British Forces Cyprus. From August 2016 to October 2019 he served as Commandant of RAF College Cranwell. He was formerly a Harrier pilot and served as commander of No. 100 Squadron RAF, flying BAE Systems Hawks.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matt Holmes (Royal Marines officer)</span> Royal Marines general (1967–2021)

Major General Matthew John Holmes, was a British senior Royal Marines officer who served for more than three decades in the armed forces. After studying economics at the University of Exeter, he joined the Royal Marines and undertook early tours of duty to Norway, the Far East, Northern Ireland and Zimbabwe. After being deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan, he commanded 42 Commando Royal Marines from 2006 to 2008 and was awarded a Distinguished Service Order for his leadership in Afghanistan. Holmes served as Commandant General Royal Marines from 2019 to 2021.

References

  1. "Alumni and Development" (PDF). Magdalene College Magazine 2010–11. p. 50. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  2. "Thomson, Maj. Gen. Robert John, (born 1 Jan. 1967), Administrator, Sovereign Base Areas and Commander, British Forces, Cyprus, since 2019." WHO'S WHO & WHO WAS WHO. 1 Dec. 2021
  3. "No. 51657". The London Gazette (Supplement). 27 February 1989. p. 2502.
  4. 1 2 "Key moment in History of The Rifles. After 13 years committed to operations in Afghanistan, Operation Herrick comes to an end". Rifles Museum. 29 October 2014. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  5. "Up and out : Promotions, moves and retirements in Armed Forces". Defence Viewpoints. 1 July 2011. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  6. "Durham Light Infantry and Bedfordshire Regiment Soldiers who fought in world war 1 are laid to rest a century later". Ministry of Defence. 15 March 2018. Retrieved 4 October 2019.
  7. "No. 62784". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 October 2019. p. 17508.
  8. "No. 57509". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2004. p. 6.
  9. "No. 61284". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 July 2015. p. 12288.
Military offices
Preceded by Commander British Forces Cyprus
2019–2022
Succeeded by