Graham Binns
Encyclopedia
Major General Graham John Binns CBE
DSO
MC
is a retired British Army
officer. Binns served as General Officer Commanding
1st Armoured Division and then Commandant Joint Services Command and Staff College. He had previously commanded the 7th Armoured Brigade (the "Desert Rats") during Operation Telic 1
when they took Basra
in southern Iraq
. He is now Chief Executive of Aegis Defence Services
.
on 11 December 1978. He was further promoted to Captain
on 11 June 1983. With this regiment he saw service in Germany
, Norway
, and the UK.
Between 1986 and 1988, he served in the Ministry of Defence
. He then attended the Canadian Forces Command & Staff College in Toronto
in 1988, after which he was posted again to Northern Ireland
, where he became Chief of Staff
of 39th Infantry Brigade
. He was promoted to Major
on 30 September 1989.
He returned to The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire in 1992 to command an armoured infantry
company, mounted in Warrior tracked armoured vehicle
s, with which he served a tour in Bosnia and participated in Operation Grapple
. In 1994, he spent some time as an exchange officer at the United States Army Infantry School
at Fort Benning
, Georgia
. Binns was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 30 June 1995, and returned to Britain to join the Directing Staff at the Staff College, Camberley
.
In January 1997, he returned once again to The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and participated in exercises in Kenya, Belize and Canada. It was during this time with the battalion that he once more saw service in Northern Ireland. In April 1999, Binns became Chief of Crisis Plans Branch, Headquarters Allied Forces Southern Europe
and led the team responsible for NATO operational planning in the Balkans
. He was promoted to Colonel on 30 June 1999, with seniority from that date. He served as Chief of Staff at HQ
KFOR, a NATO-led force under a United Nations
mandate that operated the military mission in Kosovo
.
He was promoted to Brigadier
on 31 December 2000, with seniority from 30 June 2000. In January 2001, he assumed command of 7 Armoured Brigade and was involved in operations in the Balkans and the Middle East.
He served as Assistant Chief of Staff Commitments at Land Command until December 2005. Between this post and his next command, he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies
. He was appointed to the honorary position of Deputy Colonel of the Regiment of The Yorkshire Regiment on 6 June 2006. He was appointed General Officer Commanding
1st (UK) Armoured Division on 1 October 2006 and promoted to Major General
on the same day.
Major-General Binns, as commander of British forces in Iraq, signed a memorandum
of understanding that returned the responsibility for running the province of Basra
to local Iraqi leaders. He signed the document, along with General Mohan al-Furaiji and Governor Muhammad Wa'ili, in a disused departure lounge of Basra airport. Binns was given the honorary appointment of Colonel-Commandant of The King’s Division on 10 December 2008. In 2009 he took over command of the Joint Services Command and Staff College
. He gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry about his role in the handing over of control on January 15, 2010.
After retiring in 2010, he became chief executive of security company Aegis Defence Services
.
In 2011 he was appointed to the honorary position of Colonel of the Regiment of The Yorkshire Regiment.
The citation read:
On 26 April 1994, the then Major Binns was awarded the Military Cross
for service in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The citation read:
On 19 April 2002, the then Brigadier Binns was appointed a Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The citation read:
On 31 October 2003, the then Brigadier Binns was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
for service in Iraq.
The citation read:
He enjoys many sports including golf
, sailing
and orienteering
.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
DSO
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
is a retired British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer. Binns served as General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
1st Armoured Division and then Commandant Joint Services Command and Staff College. He had previously commanded the 7th Armoured Brigade (the "Desert Rats") during Operation Telic 1
Operation Telic
Operation TELIC was the codename under which all British military operations in Iraq were conducted between the start of the Invasion of Iraq on 19 March 2003 and the withdrawal of the last remaining British forces on 22 May 2011...
when they took Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
in southern Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He is now Chief Executive of Aegis Defence Services
Aegis Defence Services
Aegis Defence Services is a British private military company with overseas offices in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. It was founded in 2004 by Tim Spicer, who was previously director of the controversial company Sandline International.Aegis provides security and...
.
Military career
Binns was commissioned on 11 December 1976, into the General list. He was transferred to The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire on 2 July 1977. He was promoted to LieutenantLieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
on 11 December 1978. He was further promoted to Captain
Captain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
on 11 June 1983. With this regiment he saw service in Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, and the UK.
Between 1986 and 1988, he served in the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (United Kingdom)
The Ministry of Defence is the United Kingdom government department responsible for implementation of government defence policy and is the headquarters of the British Armed Forces....
. He then attended the Canadian Forces Command & Staff College in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
in 1988, after which he was posted again to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, where he became Chief of Staff
Chief of Staff
The title, chief of staff, identifies the leader of a complex organization, institution, or body of persons and it also may identify a Principal Staff Officer , who is the coordinator of the supporting staff or a primary aide to an important individual, such as a president.In general, a chief of...
of 39th Infantry Brigade
39th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The British 39th Infantry Brigade was a military formation of the British Army that was first established during World War I and reformed in the 1950s.-World Wars:...
. He was promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
on 30 September 1989.
He returned to The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire in 1992 to command an armoured infantry
Mechanized infantry
Mechanized infantry are infantry equipped with armored personnel carriers , or infantry fighting vehicles for transport and combat ....
company, mounted in Warrior tracked armoured vehicle
Warrior Tracked Armoured Vehicle
The Warrior tracked vehicle family is a series of British armoured vehicles, originally developed to replace the older FV430 series of armoured vehicles. The Warrior started life as the MCV-80 project that was first broached in the 1970s, GKN Sankey/Defence winning the production contract in 1980....
s, with which he served a tour in Bosnia and participated in Operation Grapple
Operation Grapple (Yugoslavia)
Operation Grapple was the codename given to the deployment of British forces in Bosnia from 1992 as part of the United Nations Protection Force .-References:* http://www.britains-smallwars.com/Bosnia/bosnia-units.html...
. In 1994, he spent some time as an exchange officer at the United States Army Infantry School
United States Army Infantry School
The United States Army Infantry School is located in Fort Benning, Georgia. It is made up of the following components:*192d Infantry Brigade...
at Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
. Binns was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel on 30 June 1995, and returned to Britain to join the Directing Staff at the Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley
Staff College, Camberley, Surrey, was a staff college for the British Army from 1802 to 1997, with periods of closure during major wars. In 1997 it was merged into the new Joint Services Command and Staff College.-Origins:...
.
In January 1997, he returned once again to The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of Yorkshire and participated in exercises in Kenya, Belize and Canada. It was during this time with the battalion that he once more saw service in Northern Ireland. In April 1999, Binns became Chief of Crisis Plans Branch, Headquarters Allied Forces Southern Europe
Allied Joint Force Command Naples
Allied Joint Force Command Naples is a NATO military command. It was activated on 15 March 2004, after what was effectively a redesignation of its predecessor command, Allied Forces Southern Europe , originally formed in 1951...
and led the team responsible for NATO operational planning in the Balkans
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
. He was promoted to Colonel on 30 June 1999, with seniority from that date. He served as Chief of Staff at HQ
HQ
HQ may refer to:* HQ, an abbreviation for headquarters* HQ, an abbreviation for high quality* HQ , a 1975 album by Roy Harper* Hagströmer & Qviberg, a Swedish investment bank* Harley Quinn, a DC Comics character and enemy of Batman...
KFOR, a NATO-led force under a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
mandate that operated the military mission in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
.
He was promoted to Brigadier
Brigadier
Brigadier is a senior military rank, the meaning of which is somewhat different in different military services. The brigadier rank is generally superior to the rank of colonel, and subordinate to major general....
on 31 December 2000, with seniority from 30 June 2000. In January 2001, he assumed command of 7 Armoured Brigade and was involved in operations in the Balkans and the Middle East.
He served as Assistant Chief of Staff Commitments at Land Command until December 2005. Between this post and his next command, he attended the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
. He was appointed to the honorary position of Deputy Colonel of the Regiment of The Yorkshire Regiment on 6 June 2006. He was appointed General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
1st (UK) Armoured Division on 1 October 2006 and promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
on the same day.
Major-General Binns, as commander of British forces in Iraq, signed a memorandum
Memorandum
A memorandum is from the Latin verbal phrase memorandum est, the gerundive form of the verb memoro, "to mention, call to mind, recount, relate", which means "It must be remembered ..."...
of understanding that returned the responsibility for running the province of Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
to local Iraqi leaders. He signed the document, along with General Mohan al-Furaiji and Governor Muhammad Wa'ili, in a disused departure lounge of Basra airport. Binns was given the honorary appointment of Colonel-Commandant of The King’s Division on 10 December 2008. In 2009 he took over command of the Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College
Joint Services Command and Staff College is a British military academic establishment providing training and education to experienced officers of the Royal Navy, Army, Royal Air Force, Ministry of Defence Civil Service, and serving officers of other states.-History:JSCSC combined the single...
. He gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry about his role in the handing over of control on January 15, 2010.
After retiring in 2010, he became chief executive of security company Aegis Defence Services
Aegis Defence Services
Aegis Defence Services is a British private military company with overseas offices in Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Kenya, Nepal and the United States. It was founded in 2004 by Tim Spicer, who was previously director of the controversial company Sandline International.Aegis provides security and...
.
In 2011 he was appointed to the honorary position of Colonel of the Regiment of The Yorkshire Regiment.
Awards and decorations
On 12 May 1992, the then Major Binns was appointed a Member of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.The citation read:
in recognition of Meritorious service in Northern Ireland.
On 26 April 1994, the then Major Binns was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
for service in the former Federal Republic of Yugoslavia.
The citation read:
in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the former Republic of Yugoslavia during the period April 1993 to November 1993
On 19 April 2002, the then Brigadier Binns was appointed a Commander of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire.
The citation read:
in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the former Yugoslavia during the period 1st April 2001 to 30th
September 2001
On 31 October 2003, the then Brigadier Binns was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
for service in Iraq.
The citation read:
in recognition of gallant and distinguished services whilst on operations in Iraq during the period 19th March to 19th April 2003
Personal life
Binns is married to Jennie. They have four children: Sophie (born September 1985), Thomas (born May 1988), Rosemary (born March 1990) and Matilda (born June 1992).He enjoys many sports including golf
Golf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, sailing
Sailing
Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...
and orienteering
Orienteering
Orienteering is a family of sports that requires navigational skills using a map and compass to navigate from point to point in diverse and usually unfamiliar terrain, and normally moving at speed. Participants are given a topographical map, usually a specially prepared orienteering map, which they...
.