Major General Colin Richard James Weir, CB, DSO, MBE (born 2 March 1971) is a retired senior British Army officer.

Colin Weir
Major General Colin Weir
Born (1971-03-02) 2 March 1971 (age 53)
Portadown, Northern Ireland
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Years of service1991–2024
RankMajor General
Commands1st (United Kingdom) Division
16 Air Assault Brigade
1st Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment
Battles / warsIraq War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsCompanion of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Member of the Order of the British Empire

Early life and education

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Weir was born on 2 March 1971 in Portadown, Northern Ireland.[1] He was educated at Portadown College, and graduated from Queen's University Belfast with a Bachelor of Arts degree in History.[2]

Military career

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Weir was commissioned into the Royal Irish Rangers on 26 May 1991.[3] He was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion of the Royal Irish Regiment in March 2010 and was deployed in that role to Afghanistan.[2] He went on to be chief of staff for 1st (United Kingdom) Division in December 2012, commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade in July 2015,[4] and Assistant Chief of Staff (Operations) at Permanent Joint Headquarters in May 2017 before becoming General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division in November 2018.[5] Weir was appointed chief of staff to the Field Army in 2020, and stepped down in July 2023.[6]

Weir was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2010 New Year Honours,[7] awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 30 September 2011 for service in Afghanistan,[8] and appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2023 Birthday Honours.[9]

References

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  1. ^ "Weir, Maj. Gen. Colin Richard James, (born 2 March 1971), General Officer Commanding 1st (UK) Division, since 2018". Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2019. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U291826. ISBN 9780199540884.
  2. ^ a b "Town soldier attains the rank of Colonel". Portadown Times. 14 July 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
  3. ^ "No. 52646". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 September 1991. p. 13419.
  4. ^ "Special Order of the day by Brigadier C R J Weir DSO MBE, 20 October 2015". Paradata. 19 November 2018.
  5. ^ "No. 62472". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 November 2018. p. 21011.
  6. ^ Mackie, Colin (1 November 2020). "Generals November 2020" (PDF). gulabin.com. Colin Mackie. Retrieved 7 November 2020. Major-General Colin J. R. Weir (late Royal Irish Regiment): Chief of Staff, Field Army, 2020
  7. ^ "No. 59282". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2009. p. 5.
  8. ^ "No. 59924". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 September 2011. p. 18714.
  9. ^ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B3.
Military offices
Preceded by General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division
2018–2020
Succeeded by