Patrick Marriott
| Patrick Claude Marriott | |
|---|---|
| Born | 23 February 1958 |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom |
| Service/branch |
 British Army |
| Years of service | 1977–2012 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands held |
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 7th Armoured Brigade Queen's Royal Lancers |
| Battles/wars | Iraq War |
| Awards |
Companion of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service |
Major General Patrick Claude Marriott CB, CBE, DL (born 23 February 1958) is a British Army officer who became Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[1]
His early career was with the 17th/21st Lancers and the Queen's Royal Lancers, which he commanded for two years. Postings include the Multinational Force in Sinai, Northern Ireland, West Germany, Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, and two years in command of the 7th Armoured Brigade, including six months in Iraq.
Early life
The son of Captain Peter Barnsley Marriott DSO, DSC, RN (1915–1989), by his marriage to Francis Jill Davis, a former Leading WREN (died 2009),[2] Marriott was educated at Granville School, Sevenoaks; Claremont School, Sussex; Gresham's School, Holt, and at Sandhurst.[3]
Career
Commissioned as a regular officer in May 1977,[4] Marriott was an officer of the 17th/21st Lancers from 1977 and then was a company commander in the Multinational Force and Observers in Sinai in 1982. He returned to the 17th/21st Lancers as Adjutant in 1982, was an assistant to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel & Logistics) from 1985 and a squadron leader with the 17th/21st Lancers from 1987, before attending the Canadian Staff College in Toronto in 1990. He was an Instructor at the Staff College from 1991, before service with The Queen's Royal Lancers in 1993 and taking up an appointment at the British Army Training Unit Suffield in 1995 and a posting to SHAPE in 1998. He was Commanding Officer of The Queen's Royal Lancers from 1998, then Chief of Staff, HQ 1 (UK) Armoured Division from 2000, took the Higher Command and Staff Course in 2004, then commanded 7th Armoured Brigade from 2005 and was Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) at Permanent Joint Headquarters from 2007. He was Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst from 2009 to 2012.[3] In 2012 he was appointed the Colonel of The Queen's Royal Lancers. He retired as Colonel on 2 May 2015 as The Queen's Royal Lancers amalgamated with the 9th/12th Royal Lancers (Prince of Wales's) to form the Royal Lancers.
While serving in post-invasion Iraq as commander of the 7th Armoured Brigade, Marriott was also in command of all British troops in southern Iraq from 2005 to 2006. While many soldiers were complaining about the politicians who had sent them into action without enough men or equipment, Marriott took the view that the British could never have gained the trust of the people of Basra, thanks to their history. In an interview with the journalist Oliver Poole he said "The people were immersed in cruelty. There's a sad culture of mistrust, especially of authority."[5] In celebration of his Brigade's nickname, "the Desert Rats", Marriott kept a large silver rat on his desk in Basra.[6]
Marriott served as a member of the House of Laity of the General Synod of the Church of England from 2005 to 2012,[7] and as a director of the British Forces Foundation 2009 to 2012.[3][8] He is now a governor of Loretto School, Musselburgh, and is also the Chairman of the Scottish Committee for fund-raising of the charity Combat Stress.
In October 2015, Marriott joined the Army Reserve in the rank of major general to serve as a permanent member on Service Complaints' Panels.
Private life
In 1989, Marriott married Karin Henrietta Warde Ingram, and they have two sons and one daughter.[3]
In 2005, he was granted a coat of arms by the College of Arms.[9] After his retirement from the army, he was appointed as a Deputy Lieutenant for the county of Sutherland.
Honours
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire, April 2000, "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the former Yugoslavia during 1999"[3][10]
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 2003[3]
- Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service, 2006[3]
- Companion of the Order of the Bath (Military Division), in 2012 New Year Honours[11][12]
- Deputy Lieutenant for the County of Sutherland, 18 September 2013
References
- ↑ RMA Sandhurst "Contact Us" at army.mod.uk, accessed 22 February 2011
- ↑ Marriott, Peter Barnsley "Sam" at unithistories.com, accessed 22 February 2011
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 MARRIOTT, Major-General Patrick Claude in Who's Who 2011 online at ukwhoswho.com (accessed 20 February 2011)
- ↑ London Gazette dated 31 May 1977 (Supplement), p. 6973
- ↑ Oliver Poole, Red Zone: Five Bloody Years in Baghdad (2009), p. 226
- ↑ Stephen Grey, Desert Rats' diary dated 9 February 2006 at news.bbc.co.uk, accessed 22 February 2011
- ↑ The Church of England Year Book, vol. 123 (2007), p. 158
- ↑ British Forces Foundation at directors.mapofpower.com, accessed 22 February 2011
- ↑ College of Arms Newsletter December 2005: "MARRIOTT, Patrick Claude, of Stockton, Wiltshire, CBE. Arms and Crest. Garter and Clarenceux Kings of Arms. 10/6/2005. College reference: Grants 170/309.
- ↑ London Gazette dated 14 April 2000 (Supplement No. 1), p. 4252
- ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 60009. p. 2. 31 December 2011.
- ↑ New Year Honours List 2012: full list, Telegraph.co.uk
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by David Rutherford-Jones |
Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst 2009–2012 |
Succeeded by Timothy Evans |