Major General Patrick Anthony John Cordingley, DSO, OBE, FRGS (born 6 October 1944) is a retired British Army officer who commanded the 2nd Division from 1995 to 1996.
Patrick Cordingley | |
|---|---|
| Born | 6 October 1944 |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1965–2000 |
| Rank | Major General |
| Commands | 2nd Division Eastern District 7th Armoured Brigade |
| Battles / wars | Gulf War |
| Awards | Distinguished Service Order Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
Early life and education
editCordingley was born on 6 October 1944. He was educated at Sherborne School, an all-boys public school (i.e. independent boarding school).[1] His father was Major-General John Cordingley, the son of Air Vice-Marshal Sir John Cordingley.[2]
Military career
editCordingley trained at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (Intake 35), where he was Senior Under-Officer of Waterloo Company. He was commissioned into 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in June 1965.[3] He was given command of the 7th Armoured Brigade (Desert Rats) in 1988 and, in 1991, led the brigade during the Gulf War.[4] He became General Officer Commanding Eastern District in 1992, General Officer Commanding 2nd Division in 1995 and Senior British Loan Services Officer to Oman in 1996, before he retired in 2000.[5]
Later life
editIn 1996 Cordingley published a book detailing his leading the troops into Iraq titled In The Eye of the Storm: Commanding 7th Armoured Brigade in the Gulf War, which rose to the top of the non-fictional bestseller lists.[6] He was opposed to the Iraq War and has frequently spoken out against it citing his concern that many thousands of civilians would die unnecessarily.[7] Cordingley has also spoken out against Britain renewing its Trident nuclear deterrent.[8]
Cordingley was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to the National Memorial Arboretum.[9]
References
edit- ^ "In the Eye of the Storm – Patrick Cordingley (c 63)". The Old Shirburnian Society. 23 January 2009. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
- ^ "Major-General John Cordingley". The Telegraph. 7 December 2011. Retrieved 29 November 2024.
- ^ "No. 43768". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 September 1965. p. 8891.
- ^ Cordingley hopes Baghdad battle can be avoided
- ^ Army Commands Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "St Andrews gets lecture on morals in war". The Guardian. 5 May 2005. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019.
- ^ Desert Rat speaks out against war
- ^ Cordingley speaks against Trident Replacement Archived 6 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B11.