Redmond Watt

Sir Redmond Watt
Born 1950
Allegiance United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1972–2008
Rank General
Commands held 1st Battalion Welsh Guards
3rd Infantry Brigade
1st (UK) Armoured Division
London District
Field Army
HQ Northern Ireland
Land Command
Battles/wars Operation Banner
Bosnian War
Awards Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Commander of the Order of the British Empire

General Sir Charles Redmond "Reddy" Watt KCB, KCVO, CBE, DL (born 1950) is a retired senior British Army officer who was Commander-in-Chief, Land Command. Since 2011, he has been the Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

Army career

Reddy Watt was educated at Eton College and Christ Church, Oxford and was commissioned into the Welsh Guards in 1972. He passed through the Staff College, Camberley in 1982, and also completed the Higher Command and Staff Course. Promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30 June 1988, he became commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards in 1990. He was promoted to brigadier 30 June 1993 and served as commanding officer of the 3rd Infantry Brigade from 1994 to 1995, and was then appointed Director of Studies and Deputy Commandant (Land) of the Joint Service Command and Staff College in 1997. On 17 August 1998 he was promoted to major-general and became General Officer Commanding the 1st (UK) Armoured Division, which deployed to Bosnia as Headquarters Multi-National Division (South-West).[1]

Watt became Major-General commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District in 2000, in which capacity he had a significant role in the funeral of the Queen Mother in 2002.[2] In 2003 he became Commander Field Army. In 2005 he was appointed General Officer Commanding Northern Ireland: in this role he advocated long-term planning and indicated that such lessons might be applied to Iraq.[3] From 2006 to 2008 he was Commander-in-Chief, Land Command.

Awards

He was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, then promoted to Commander in 1996. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order in 2004 on relinquishing his appointment commanding the Household Division. He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 2008. He retired from the army in early 2008.

Later career

In retirement he has become President of the charity Combat Stress.[4] In 2011 he also became Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea.[5] He is a Deputy Lieutenant of Berkshire.[6]

References

Military offices
Preceded by
John Kiszely
General officer commanding the 1st (UK) Armoured Division
1998–2000
Succeeded by
Robin Brims
Preceded by
Cedric Delves
Commander Multi-National Division (South-West), Bosnia
1998–1999
Succeeded by
Freddie Viggers
Preceded by
Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter
GOC London District
2000–2003
Succeeded by
Sir Sebastian Roberts
Preceded by
Sir Cedric Delves
Commander Field Army
2003–2005
Succeeded by
Robin Brims
Preceded by
Sir Philip Trousdell
General Officer Commanding the British Army in Northern Ireland
2005–2006
Succeeded by
Nick Parker
Preceded by
Sir Richard Dannatt
Commander-in-Chief, Land Command
2006–2008
Succeeded by
Sir David Richards
Honorary titles
Preceded by
Lord Walker
Governor, Royal Hospital Chelsea
2011–
Succeeded by
Incumbent
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