Patrick Cordingley
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 |
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.
Military career
Cordingley was educated at Sherborne School and 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.[1] He was given command of the 7th Armoured Brigade (Desert Rats) in 1988 and, in 1991, led the brigade during the Gulf War.[2] 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.[3]
Later life
In 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.[4] 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.[5] Cordingley has also spoken out against Britain renewing its Trident nuclear deterrent.[6]
Cordingley was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to the National Memorial Arboretum.[7]
References
- ^ "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.
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
- 1944 births
- Living people
- British Army major generals
- Companions of the Distinguished Service Order
- British Army personnel of the Gulf War
- Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
- 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards officers
- People educated at Sherborne School
- Fellows of the Royal Geographical Society
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire