Roland Gibbs

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Roland Gibbs
22 June 1921 - 31 October 2004
Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs Crown Copyright
Place of birth	Flax Bourton, Somerset
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	British Army
Years of service	1940 - 1979
Rank	Field Marshal
Commands held	3rd Bn Parachute Regiment 16 Parachute Brigade 1st British Corps UK Land Forces
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Distinguished Service Order Military Cross Venerable Order of Saint John

Field Marshal Sir Roland Christopher Gibbs GCB, CBE, DSO, MC, KStJ (22 June 1921 - 31 October 2004) was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army.

Contents 1 Army career 2 Later career 3 Honours 4 Family 5 References 6 Further reading

[edit] Army career

Roland Gibbs was born at Flax Bourton near Bristol. Educated at Eton College, he was commissioned into the Kings Royal Rifle Corps in 1939^[1]. He was awarded the DSO and the MC in North Africa during World War II.

In 1960 he was appointed Commanding Officer of 3rd Battalion the Parachute Regiment^[2] and in 1963 went on to command 16 Parachute Brigade ^[2] which deployed in that year to Cyprus.

In 1969 he was appointed Commander of British Land Forces in the Persian Gulf ^[2]where he re-organised the Trucial Oman Scouts and laid the foundations for what is now the Sultan of Oman's Land Forces.

In 1972 he became Commander of 1st British Corps and in 1974 went on to be Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces. He served as Chief of the General Staff from 1976 to 1979 when he retired from the British Army^[2].

[edit] Later career

He was Constable of the Tower of London from 1985 to 1990.

[edit] Honours

Roland Gibbs was appointed CBE in 1968, KCB in 1972 and GCB in 1976.

[edit] Family

Gibbs was the fourth and youngest child and the younger son of Major Guy Melvil Gibbs and Margaret Olivia St. John, descended from the third son of the 3rd Viscount Bolingbroke. In 1955, Gibbs married Davina Merry, the artist, herself with aristocratic connections. They had two sons, and a daughter.

[edit] References

[edit] Further reading

• Daily Telegraph Obituary
• Heathcote, T.A. (1999). The British Field Marshals 1736-1997. Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-696-5

Military offices
Preceded by Sir Peter Hunt	Chief of the General Staff 1976–1979	Succeeded by Sir Edwin Bramall
Honorary titles
Preceded by Sir Hugh Brassey	Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire 1989–1996	Succeeded by Sir Maurice Johnston
Preceded by Sir Peter Hunt	Constable of the Tower of London 1985 – 1990	Succeeded by Sir John Stanier

v • d • e Chiefs of the General Staff of the British Army Chiefs of the Imperial General Staff Sir William Nicholson • Sir John French • Sir Charles Douglas • Sir James Murray • Sir Archibald Murray • Sir William Robertson • Sir Henry Wilson • Lord Cavan • Sir George Milne • Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd • Sir Cyril Deverell • Viscount Gort • Sir Edmund Ironside • Sir John Dill • Sir Alan Brooke • Viscount Montgomery • Sir William Slim • Sir John Harding • Sir Gerald Templer • Sir Francis Festing • Sir Richard Hull Chiefs of the General Staff Sir Richard Hull • Sir James Cassels • Sir Geoffrey Baker • Sir Michael Carver • Sir Peter Hunt • Sir Roland Gibbs • Sir Edwin Bramall • Sir John Stanier • Sir Nigel Bagnall • Sir John Chapple • Sir Peter Inge • Sir Charles Guthrie • Sir Roger Wheeler • Sir Michael Walker • Sir Mike Jackson • Sir Richard Dannatt