| Sir Robert Ford | |
|---|---|
| Born | 29 December 1923 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1943 - 1981 |
| Rank | General |
| Commands held |
4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards 7 Armoured Brigade RMA Sandhurst |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Operation Banner |
| Awards |
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire |
General Sir Robert Cyril Ford GCB CBE (born 29 December 1923) is a former Adjutant-General to the Forces.
Military career[]
Born in Devon to John and Gladys Ford, Robert Ford was educated at Musgrave's College and was later commissioned into the 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards in 1943.[1] He served in North West Europe during World War II and was mentioned in despatches.[2] He was deployed to Palestine in 1947 and was again mentioned in despatches.[2] He became Commanding Officer of 4th/7th Royal Dragoon Guards in 1966 and went on to become Commander of 7th Armoured Brigade in 1968.[2]
In 1971, as Major-General Robert Ford, he was appointed Commander of Land Forces in Northern Ireland at the height of The Troubles.[3] He was criticised in the Saville Report into the Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry for deploying soldiers to arrest rioters: "In our view his decision to use 1 Para as the arrest force is open to criticism but he did not know his decision would result in soldiers firing unjustifiably."[4]
In the secret memo to his superior, dated 7 January 1972, Ford said he was "coming to the conclusion that the minimum force necessary to achieve a restoration of law and order is to shoot selected ringleaders amongst the DYH (Derry Young Hooligans), after clear warnings have been issued".[4] In the event, seven of the innocent victims of Bloody Sunday were indeed Derry teenagers. At the Bloody Sunday inquiry he claimed not to remember having written the memo.[4]
In 1973 he became Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, and in 1976 he was appointed Military Secretary.[2] He was Adjutant General from 1978[5] to 1981 when he retired from the British Army.[2]
He was ADC General to the Queen from 1980[6] to 1981.[7]
He was awarded the CB in 1973,[8] the KCB in 1977[9] and the GCB in 1981.[10] He was also awarded the MBE in 1958[11] and the CBE in 1971.[12]
Retirement[]
In retirement he was Chairman of the Army Benevolent Fund from 1981 to 1987.[2] He was also Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from 1981[13] to 1987.[14] He served as Vice-Chairman of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (C.W.G.C.) from 1989 to 1993.
Family[]
In 1949 he married Jean Claudia Pendlebury (died 2002) and together they went on to have one son.[2] He married Caroline Margaret Peerless (née Leather) in 2003.
References[]
- ↑ "No. 36112". 30 July 1943. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/36112/page/
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 Debrett's People of Today 1994
- ↑ Journalist recalls Bloody Sunday BBC News, 16 May 2001
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Bloody Sunday report published BBC News, 15 June 2010
- ↑ "No. 47632". 4 September 1978. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47632/page/
- ↑ "No. 48108". 26 February 1980. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48108/page/
- ↑ "No. 48589". 16 April 1981. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48589/page/
- ↑ "No. 45984". 2 June 1973. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45984/page/
- ↑ "No. 47102". 31 December 1976. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47102/page/
- ↑ "No. 48467". 31 December 1980. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48467/page/
- ↑ "No. 41404". 12 June 1958. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41404/page/
- ↑ "No. 45384". 12 June 1971. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45384/page/
- ↑ "No. 48710". 18 August 1981. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/48710/page/
- ↑ "No. 51017". 31 August 1987. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51017/page/
The original article can be found at Robert Ford (British Army officer) and the edit history here.