Ralph Wooddisse
British Army officer
Sir Ralph Wooddisse | |
|---|---|
 Wooddisse in 2019 | |
| Born | (1970-01-08) 8 January 1970 (age 54) Dhekelia, Cyprus |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/ | British Army |
| Years of service | 1989–present |
| Rank | Lieutenant General |
| Commands held | Field Army 1st (United Kingdom) Division 38th (Irish) Brigade 2nd Battalion, Royal Anglian Regiment |
| Battles/wars | The Troubles Bosnian War Iraq War War in Afghanistan |
| Awards | Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Commander of the Order of the British Empire Military Cross |
Lieutenant General Sir Ralph William Wooddisse, KCB, CBE, MC (born 8 January 1970) is a British Army officer who served as Commander Field Army since April 2021 until February 2024. He now serves as Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
Early life and education
Wooddisse was born on 8 January 1970 in Dhekelia, Cyprus.[1] He was educated at Denstone College, a private school in Staffordshire, England. He studied at University College London and underwent officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[2]
Military career
Wooddisse was commissioned into the Royal Anglian Regiment on 3 September 1989.[3] He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on 20 October 1999 in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during operations in Kosovo between January and June that year.[4] He later served as a company commander in Iraq during the Iraq War, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2007 Birthday Honours,[5] and became commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment in March 2009.[2]
Wooddisse went on to be Assistant Head, Military Strategic Plans at the Ministry of Defence in May 2012, commander of 38th (Irish) Brigade in November 2013,[6] and General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division in May 2017.[7] Wooddisse was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours,[8] and appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff in November 2018.[9]
Wooddisse was promoted to lieutenant general and became Commander Field Army on 19 April 2021.[10] He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2022 Birthday Honours.[11] He was Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment until 2023.[12] He took up the NATO post of Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in March 2024.[13]
Personal life
In 2000, Wooddisse married Louise. Together they have three daughters.[1]
References
- ^ a b "Wooddisse, Maj. Gen. Ralph William, (born 8 Jan. 1970), Assistant Chief of the General Staff, since 2018". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 21 April 2021.
- ^ a b "Colonel RW Wooddisse MBE, MC" (PDF). International Symposium on Military Operational Research. Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "No. 51927". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 November 1989. p. 12817.
- ^ "No. 55651". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 October 1999. p. 11556.
- ^ "No. 58358". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 June 2007. pp. 5–6.
- ^ "Army Commands" (PDF). Retrieved 18 April 2017.
- ^ "No. 61930". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 May 2017. p. 9902.
- ^ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B6.
- ^ "Generals November 2018" (PDF). Retrieved 25 November 2018.
- ^ "No. 63325". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 April 2021. p. 7239.
- ^ "No. 63714". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 2022. p. B2.
- ^ "No. 64276". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 January 2024. p. 26495.
- ^ "Commander NATO ARRC". NATO. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division 2017–2018 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by James Swift | Assistant Chief of the General Staff 2018–2021 | Succeeded by Nick Perry |
| Preceded by Ivan Jones | Commander Field Army 2021–2024 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps 2024–present | Incumbent |
