Robert Richardson (British Army officer)

Robert Richardson

Born| (1929-03-02)2 March 1929
Leith, Edinburgh, Scotland
Died| 21 November 2014(2014-11-21) (aged 85)
Allegiance|  United Kingdom
Service/branch|  British Army
Years of service| 1949−
Rank| Lieutenant-General
Service number| 408020
Unit| Royal Scots
Commands held| 1st Battalion, Royal Scots
39th Infantry Brigade
British Forces in Berlin
Northern Ireland
Battles/wars| Korean War
Aden Emergency
The Troubles
Awards| Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Mention in Despatches

Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Francis Richardson KCB CVO CBE (2 March 1929 - 21 November 2014)[1] was a British Army officer. Among other posts, he commanded a battalion and a brigade during the Troubles before becoming General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland from 1982 to 1985.

## Regimental career[edit]

He was educated at George Heriot's School, Edinburgh, and then at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[2] He was commissioned into the Royal Scots as a second lieutenant on 16 December 1949, after leaving Sandhurst,[3] and posted to the 1st Battalion. He was promoted to lieutenant on 16 December 1951,[4] and briefly saw service at the end of the Korean War.[2] He then travelled with the battalion to the Middle East, where he was promoted to captain on 16 December 1955.[5] After service with the British Army of the Rhine, he studied at the Defence Services Staff College in India from 1960-1961.[2]

He was then posted to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence until 1964, when he attended the Joint Services Staff College.[2] Whilst at the Ministry of Defence, he was promoted to major on 16 December 1962.[6] He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 1965 New Year Honours.[7]

He was brigade major of the Aden Brigade during the Aden Emergency in 1967,[2] where he was Mentioned in Despatches.[8] He then returned to staff duties at the Ministry of Defence, receiving his promotion to lieutenant-colonel on 31 December 1968,[9] and was appointed as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Royal Scots in 1969, a post he held until 1971.[2] During his time in command, the battalion made a number of short tours to Northern Ireland. He was promoted to Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1971 New Year Honours.[10]

He was then appointed to the staff at the Staff College, Camberley,[2] and promoted to colonel on 30 June 1972.[11]

## Senior command[edit]

He was promoted brigadier on 31 December 1973,[12] and appointed commander of 39th Infantry Brigade, based in Northern Ireland, the following year.[2] For his work in Northern Ireland, he was promoted to Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).[13]

In 1975, he was appointed the Deputy Adjutant General of the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR),[2] and on 24 January 1978, he was appointed Commandant of the British Sector in Berlin, with the acting rank of major-general,[14] and received substantive promotion on 22 July 1978.[15] He was appointed Commander of the Royal Victorian Order (CVO) on 25 May 1978.[16] He relinquished command on 15 September 1980.[17]

On 19 December 1980, he was appointed Vice-Adjutant General, and Director of Manning for the Army at the Ministry of Defence,[18] and relinquished the appointment on 29 March 1982.[19]

He succeeded Sir Richard Lawson as GOC Northern Ireland on 1 June 1982,[20] was promoted to lieutenant-general on the same date,[21] and was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) on 12 June 1982.[22] He had previously commanded both a roulement battalion and a resident brigade in Northern Ireland, giving him experience of the issues faced in the region. His tour as GOC was mainly marked by a gradual process of reducing the role of Army units in day-to-day security, handing over control to the Royal Ulster Constabulary.[23] He was relieved by Robert Pascoe in June 1985.[24]

## Ceremonial posts[edit]

On 31 August 1980, he was appointed Colonel of the Royal Scots,[25] and held the post for ten years, until 31 August 1990.[26] He was appointed the Lieutenant of the Tower of London on 1 March 1992,[27] and held the post until 1 March 1995.[28]

His medals are now held in the Museum of the Royal Scots in Edinburgh Castle.

## Personal life[edit]

He was married to Maureen (d. 1986) and had four children, Claire, Charles, Jeremy and Guy.[29]

## References[edit]

1. ^ RICHARDSON
2. ^ a b c d e f g h i Who's Who 2008. [160th edition] A&C Black: London, 2008.
3. ^ "No. 38829". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 February 1950. p. 587.
4. ^ "No. 39409". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 December 1951. p. 6577.
5. ^ "No. 40655". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 December 1955. p. 7063.
6. ^ "No. 42860". The London Gazette (Supplement). 14 December 1962. p. 9898.
7. ^ "No. 43529". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 December 1964. p. 7.
8. ^ "No. 44508". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 January 1968. p. 878.
9. ^ "No. 44754". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 1968. p. 13911.
10. ^ "No. 45262". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1970. p. 6.
11. ^ "No. 45718". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 July 1972. p. 7976.
12. ^ "No. 46174". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 January 1974. p. 267.
13. ^ "No. 46614". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 June 1975. p. 8051.
14. ^ "No. 47451". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 January 1978. p. 1263.
15. ^ "No. 47599". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 July 1978. p. 8909.
16. ^ "No. 47567". The London Gazette. 13 June 1978. p. 7147.
17. ^ "No. 48337". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 October 1980. p. 14267.
18. ^ "No. 48490". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 January 1981. p. 462.
19. ^ "No. 48942". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 April 1982. p. 4749.
20. ^ Chronology of the Conflict, 1982 \- CAIN
21. ^ "No. 49002". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 June 1982. p. 7562.
22. ^ "No. 49008". The London Gazette (Supplement). 11 June 1982. p. 2.
23. ^ Richardson, ('Francis') Robert - Biographies of People Prominent During The Troubles \- CAIN.
24. ^ Chronology of the Conflict, 1985 \- CAIN
25. ^ "No. 48331". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 October 1980. p. 13950.
26. ^ "No. 52261". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 September 1990. p. 14188.
27. ^ "No. 52851". The London Gazette. 3 March 1992. p. 3801.
28. ^ "No. 53975". The London Gazette. 7 March 1995. p. 3593.
29. ^ Smith, Mark (2 December 2014). "Lt Gen Sir Robert Richardson". The Herald. Retrieved 7 January 2018.

Military offices

Preceded by

Sir Roy Redgrave

|  Commandant, British Sector in Berlin
1978−1980  | Succeeded by

Sir David Mostyn

Preceded by

Sir Richard Lawson

|  General Officer Commanding the British Army in Northern Ireland
1982−1985  | Succeeded by

Robert Pascoe