Atlantic Council

From the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps:  It was confirmed today, 29 September 2010, that the Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, Lieutenant General Sir Richard Shirreff KCB, CBE (Late King’s Royal Hussars) is appointed to be Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe (DSACEUR) in succession to General Sir John McColl KCB, CBE, DSO, in the rank of General. He will take up his new appointment in March 2011. It has already been announced that the next COMARRC is to be Major General Games Bucknall CBE. General Shirreff has commanded the ARRC since January 2007.

Lieutenant General Richard Shirreff was born in Kenya in 1955 where he spent his early years. Educated in England at Oundle and Exeter College, Oxford (Modern History), he was commissioned from Sandhurst into the 14th/20th King's Hussars in 1978. His regimental service was spent in Germany, Canada, the United Kingdom, Northern Ireland, the Gulf and, while attached to 6th Queen Elizabeth's Own Gurkha Rifles for a year, Hong Kong and Brunei. He commanded The King's Royal Hussars 1994-96.

He attended the Army Staff Course at Camberley in 1987, the Higher Command and Staff Course in 1999 and the Foundation Term of the Royal College of Defence Studies in 2003. Staff posts have included: Chief of Staff, Headquarters 33 Armoured Brigade; Military Assistant to the last Commander in Chief, British Army of the Rhine and Commander Northern Army Group; Colonel Army Plans in the MOD; Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of Defence Staff and Chief of Staff HQ LAND Command. ...

He assumed command of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in December 2007.  (photo: Allied Rapid Reaction Corps)