Tony Wilson (British Army officer)

Brigadier Sir Mathew John Anthony "Tony" Wilson, 6th Baronet of Eshton Hall,^[1] OBE, MC (born 2 October 1935) is a former British Army officer who commanded the 5th Infantry Brigade during the Falklands War.

Military career

Educated at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Wilson was commissioned into the King’s Own Yorkshire Light Infantry (KOYLI) on his 21st birthday on 2 October 1956,^[2] and thus represented the fourth consecutive generation of his family to serve with the regiment. Over the next few years he took part in military operations in Aden, Borneo, Malaya, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.^[3]

In 1967 he was promoted to major and was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) in 1971.^[4] Shortly afterwards, in May 1972, he received the Military Cross "for Gallant Services" in Ulster (Northern Ireland).

Promotion to lieutenant colonel followed in 1973 and after a further engagement in Ulster and a posting to Hong Kong, his honorary title was upgraded in an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division).^[5]

With his promotion to colonel he moved to the General Staff of the Ministry of Defence in London, and on 31 December 1980 he was promoted to brigadier^[6] assuming command of the 5th Infantry Brigade which he was to lead during the Falklands War.

Wilson stepped down from all military posts on 31 December 1982 and retired from the British Army on 31 January 1983.^[7]

Falklands War

Wilson commanded the 5th Infantry Brigade during the campaign to liberate the Falkland Islands after their seizure by the Argentinian Armed Forces, and was responsible for the southern flank of the eastern island for the British Armed Forces, who advanced towards the Islands' capital, Stanley. First, Wilson was able to secure a large part of the eastern island, with the so-called "bold move", but during the further advance, an Argentine air attack on two British landing ships occurred at Port Pleasant (sometimes also called Fitzroy or Bluff Cove) at noon of 8 June 1982. 46 British soldiers and three Asian crew members were killed, 115 men suffered severe burn injuries. It was the largest single loss of men on the British side in this war. At the time of the attack, several TV crews were on site and footage of the attack was shown on TV news bulletins later that same day. Wilson was subsequently the only senior British officer who failed to receive any recognition of his service in the conflict in the form of honours at its conclusion.,^[8][9] although whether as a consequence of this is not known.

On 31 December 1982 he stepped down from all his military posts and retired from the British Army on 31 January 1983.^[8][10][11]

Later career

From 1983 to 1985 Wilson was managing director of the British "Wilderness Foundation United Kingdom",^[12][13] a non-profit organization that provides the opportunity to its seminar participants to experience nature and wilderness.

Personal life

He is married and is the father of a son and a daughter.^[1] He and his wife live in the United States.^[8]

Literature

There are no publications from himself about his military career. He has published the following books on traveling and sailing:

• Taking Terrapin Home A Love Affair with a Small Catamaran, 1994, ISBN 978-0-93983-724-3
• The Bahamas Cruising Guide with the Turks and Caicos Islands, 1997, ISBN 978-0-96592-586-0
• The Land of War Elephants Travels Beyond the Pale Afghanistan, Pakistan, and India, 2003, ISBN 978-0-96592-589-1
• Seeking Havens Travels Along a Line of Latitude 17 Degrees South in Andean Peru, Bolivia, and the South Pacific, 2006, ISBN 978-1-42597-776-4

His time in the Falklands War was covered only in one military history book:

• The lonesome Commander, Martin Mahle, M+V-Verlag Münster, Germany, 2012, ISBN 978-3-86991-663-7 (original German title: Der allein gelassene Kommandeur, ISBN 978-3-86991-664-4)

External links

• Biography 6th Baronet of Eshton Hall
• http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/205018295 Imperial War Museum, London, Images
• Online-Article Newspaper "Craven Herald & Pioneer" 10 May 2008

References

1. The peerage - A genealogical survey of the peerage of Britain
2. London Gazette 22 February 1957
3. 5th Infantry Brigade in the Falklands War, Page 6, Nick van der Bijl and David Aldea, 2002, ISBN 978-0-85052-948-7
4. London Gazette 31 December 1970
5. London Gazette 25 June 1979
6. London Gazette 26 January 1981
7. London Gazette 14 March 1983
8. The lonesome Commander, Martin Mahle, M+V-Verlag Münster, Germany, 2012, ISBN 978-3-86991-663-7
9. 5th Infantry Brigade in the Falklands War, p. 221, Nick van der Bijl and David Aldea, 2002, ISBN 978-0-85052-948-7
10. 5th Infantry Brigade in the Falklands War, Nick van der Bijl and David Aldea, 2002, ISBN 978-0-85052-948-7
11. With the Gurkhas in the Falklands A War Journal, Mike Seear, 2002, ISBN 978-0-85052-916-6
12. Debrett's genealogical guide
13. Wilderness Foundation United Kingdom