Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce
Encyclopedia
Admiral Michael Cecil Boyce, Baron Boyce, KG
, GCB
, OBE
, DL
(born 2 April 1943), is a cross bench member of the British House of Lords
. Lord Boyce is a former First Sea Lord
of the Royal Navy
and Chief of the Defence Staff
. He was born in Cape Town
, South Africa
.
, Boyce joined the Royal Navy
in 1961. He was promoted to sub-lieutenant
(from acting sub-lieutenant) in 1965, lieutenant
in 1966 and lieutenant-commander in 1974. He was a submariner who went on to command the submarines HMS Oberon
and HMS Opossum
.
He was promoted to the rank of commander
in 1976, during which time he commanded the submarine HMS Superb
. In 1982 he was promoted to captain
. His next job was to take command of the frigate
, HMS Brilliant
before returning to the Ministry of Defence in 1986. He became Senior Naval Officer Middle East in 1988, Director of Naval Staff Duties at the Ministry of Defence
in 1989 and Flag Officer Sea Training
in 1991. From 1992 to 1995 he was Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla and from 1995 to 1997 he was Second Sea Lord
and Commander-in-Chief
Naval Home Command.
He was appointed Commander-in-Chief Fleet
in 1997, First Sea Lord
and Chief of Naval Staff in 1998 and, then, Chief of the Defence Staff
in 2001, he retired from that position in 2003.
Boyce was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1982 Queen's Birthday Honours
. He was knighted in the 1995 New Year Honours
, as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
(KCB). In 2002 he was made a Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John
. He was created a life peer
as Baron Boyce, of Pimlico
in the City of Westminster
in 2003 after retiring as Chief of the Defence Staff
. In 2004 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
of Greater London
. He is a former chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889). He was created a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
in April 2011.
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about the risk to servicemen facing liability for their actions - for which he claims politicians are ultimately responsible - before the International Criminal Court
.
In May 2004 Lord Boyce was appointed a non-executive director of WS Atkins plc.
In July 2004 he was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
, to succeed the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
. Lord Boyce was the first former Chief of the Naval Staff
to hold this appointment.
On 3 December 2009, Boyce gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry.
Boyce is currently a member of the Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation
, established in October 2009.
.
On 18 March 2011 Lord Boyce became patron of The Dover War Memorial Project.
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
, GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, OBE
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...
, DL
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
(born 2 April 1943), is a cross bench member of the British House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
. Lord Boyce is a former First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
and Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
. He was born in Cape Town
Cape Town
Cape Town is the second-most populous city in South Africa, and the provincial capital and primate city of the Western Cape. As the seat of the National Parliament, it is also the legislative capital of the country. It forms part of the City of Cape Town metropolitan municipality...
, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
.
Naval career
Educated at Hurstpierpoint CollegeHurstpierpoint College
Hurstpierpoint College is an independent, co-educational, day and boarding school for pupils aged 4–18, located just to the north of the village of Hurstpierpoint, West Sussex in the lee of the South Downs...
, Boyce joined the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
in 1961. He was promoted to sub-lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant
Sub-lieutenant is a military rank. It is normally a junior officer rank.In many navies, a sub-lieutenant is a naval commissioned or subordinate officer, ranking below a lieutenant. In the Royal Navy the rank of sub-lieutenant is equivalent to the rank of lieutenant in the British Army and of...
(from acting sub-lieutenant) in 1965, lieutenant
Lieutenant
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...
in 1966 and lieutenant-commander in 1974. He was a submariner who went on to command the submarines HMS Oberon
HMS Oberon (S09)
HMS Oberon was the first of the Oberon-class submarines. She was built by HM Dockyard, Chatham and was laid down on 28 November 1957. She was commissioned on 24 February 1961....
and HMS Opossum
HMS Opossum (S19)
HMS Opossum was an Oberon-class submarine in service with the Royal Navy from 1964 to 1993.- Service :Opossum was the eleventh Oberon-class boat commissioned by the Royal Navy. She was built by Cammell Laird shipbuilder at Birkenhead and launched on 23 May 1963...
.
He was promoted to the rank of commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1976, during which time he commanded the submarine HMS Superb
HMS Superb (S109)
HMS Superb was a nuclear powered fleet submarine of the Swiftsure class serving in the Royal Navy.She was built by Vickers Shipbuilding Groups, now a division of BAE Systems Submarine Solutions. HMS Superb was launched on 30 November 1974 at Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria and commissioned into the...
. In 1982 he was promoted to captain
Captain (Royal Navy)
Captain is a senior officer rank of the Royal Navy. It ranks above Commander and below Commodore and has a NATO ranking code of OF-5. The rank is equivalent to a Colonel in the British Army or Royal Marines and to a Group Captain in the Royal Air Force. The rank of Group Captain is based on the...
. His next job was to take command of the frigate
Frigate
A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...
, HMS Brilliant
HMS Brilliant (F90)
HMS Brilliant was a Type 22 frigate of the Royal Navy.She was part of the Task Force that took part in the Falklands War, with Captain John Coward in command...
before returning to the Ministry of Defence in 1986. He became Senior Naval Officer Middle East in 1988, Director of Naval Staff Duties at 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....
in 1989 and Flag Officer Sea Training
Flag Officer Sea Training
Flag Officer Sea Training is a Royal Navy training organisation responsible for ensuring that Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels are fit to join the operational fleet. FOST certifies crews and vessels as being sufficiently prepared for any eventuality through rigorous exercises and...
in 1991. From 1992 to 1995 he was Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla and from 1995 to 1997 he was Second Sea Lord
Second Sea Lord
The Second Sea Lord and Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command , commonly just known as the Second Sea Lord , is one of the most senior admirals of the British Royal Navy , and is responsible for personnel and naval shore establishments.-History:In 1805, for the first time, specific functions were...
and Commander-in-Chief
Commander-in-Chief
A commander-in-chief is the commander of a nation's military forces or significant element of those forces. In the latter case, the force element may be defined as those forces within a particular region or those forces which are associated by function. As a practical term it refers to the military...
Naval Home Command.
He was appointed Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Commander-in-Chief Fleet
Commander-in-Chief Fleet is the admiral responsible for the operation, resourcing and training of the ships, submarines and aircraft, and personnel, of the British Royal Navy...
in 1997, First Sea Lord
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
and Chief of Naval Staff in 1998 and, then, Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
in 2001, he retired from that position in 2003.
Boyce was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1982 Queen's Birthday Honours
Queen's Birthday Honours
The Queen's Birthday Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the celebration of the Queen's Official Birthday in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen...
. He was knighted in the 1995 New Year Honours
New Year Honours
The New Year Honours is a part of the British honours system, being a civic occasion on the New Year annually in which new members of most Commonwealth Realms honours are named. The awards are presented by the reigning monarch or head of state, currently Queen Elizabeth II...
, as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(KCB). In 2002 he was made a Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
. He was created a life peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
as Baron Boyce, of Pimlico
Pimlico
Pimlico is a small area of central London in the City of Westminster. Like Belgravia, to which it was built as a southern extension, Pimlico is known for its grand garden squares and impressive Regency architecture....
in the City of Westminster
City of Westminster
The City of Westminster is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, England, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, directly to the east of the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, and its southern boundary...
in 2003 after retiring as Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
. In 2004 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
of Greater London
Greater London
Greater London is the top-level administrative division of England covering London. It was created in 1965 and spans the City of London, including Middle Temple and Inner Temple, and the 32 London boroughs. This territory is coterminate with the London Government Office Region and the London...
. He is a former chairman of the Royal Navy Club of 1765 & 1785 (United 1889). He was created a Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter
Order of the Garter
The Most Noble Order of the Garter, founded in 1348, is the highest order of chivalry, or knighthood, existing in England. The order is dedicated to the image and arms of St...
in April 2011.
Honours
| |
Knight of the Order of the Garter (KG) | April 2011 |
| |
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) | |
| |
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) | |
| |
Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John Venerable Order of Saint John The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and... |
2002 |
| |
Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal The Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubilee Medal was a commemorative medal created in 2002 to mark the 50th anniversary of the accession to the throne of Queen Elizabeth II... |
|
| |
Commander of the Legion of Merit Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit is a military decoration of the United States armed forces that is awarded for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements... |
(United States) |
Later career
In retirement he was one of the several retired Chiefs of Defence Staff who spoke out in the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
about the risk to servicemen facing liability for their actions - for which he claims politicians are ultimately responsible - before the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
.
In May 2004 Lord Boyce was appointed a non-executive director of WS Atkins plc.
In July 2004 he was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports is a ceremonial official in the United Kingdom. The post dates from at least the 12th century but may be older. The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports was originally in charge of the Cinque Ports, a group of five port towns on the southeast coast of England...
, to succeed the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
. Lord Boyce was the first former Chief of the Naval Staff
First Sea Lord
The First Sea Lord is the professional head of the Royal Navy and the whole Naval Service; it was formerly known as First Naval Lord. He also holds the title of Chief of Naval Staff, and is known by the abbreviations 1SL/CNS...
to hold this appointment.
On 3 December 2009, Boyce gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry.
Boyce is currently a member of the Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation
Top Level Group
The Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation is a cross-party parliamentary group in the United Kingdom, whose primary focus is the advancement of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation agenda in Britain and internationally...
, established in October 2009.
Patronage
In 2004, Lord Boyce became patron of Dover CollegeDover College
Dover College is a co-educational independent school in Dover in southeast England. It was founded in 1871, and takes both day pupils and boarders....
.
On 18 March 2011 Lord Boyce became patron of The Dover War Memorial Project.