Michael Gray (British Army officer)
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-General
Sir Michael Gray KCB
, OBE
, DL
(3 May 1932 – 13 March 2011) was a senior British Army
officer who was General Officer Commanding
South East District
from 1985 to 1988, Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment from 1990 to 1993 and Lieutenant of the Tower of London
from 1995 to 1998.
, Horsham and at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst
.
He enlisted in the Royal Artillery
in 1950. He was commissioned into the East Yorkshire Regiment
in 1952 and served in Malaya
for two years during the Malayan Emergency
. He transferred to the Parachute Regiment in 1955 and served in Cyprus, Suez, Jordan, Greece, Bahrain, Aden and Northern Ireland. Gray commanded the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment from 1969 to 1971. He was Chief of Staff of 1st Armoured Division, BAOR from 1973 to 1975 before attending the Royal College of Defence Studies
in 1976. He was the last Commander of the 16th Parachute Brigade in 1977. Gray was Head of British Army Staff and Military Attache in Washington D. C. and Military Advisor to the Governor of Bermuda
from 1979 to 1981. He was GOC South West District which included command of the United Kingdom Mobile Force from 1981 to 1983. He was Chief of Staff, BAOR at Rheindahlen from 1984 to 1985. Gray was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1985 and was GOC South East District
and Commander of Joint Forces HQ at Aldershot until he retired from the Army in 1988.
Gray was appointed KCB
in 1986 and OBE
in 1970. He was Honorary Colonel of 10th Parachute Battalion from 1984 to 1988 and Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment from 1986 to 1990. He was Colonel Commandant
of the Parachute Regiment from 1990 to 1993.
In retirement he was Chief Executive of Rainford Developments from 1990 to 1994. Gray was awarded the French Légion d'honneur
in 1994. He was Lieutenant of the Tower of London from 1995 to 1998 and Deputy Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1997. He also became Chairman of the Airborne Assault Normandy Trust, which seeks to preserve the history of 6th Airborne Division in Normandy, in 1972. He had a leading role in the founding of a museum at Pegasus Bridge
and in the restoration of the Merville Battery site.
Gray lived in Pocklington
, Yorkshire
and died on 13 March 2011 at York District Hospital.
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
Sir Michael Gray KCB
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....
(3 May 1932 – 13 March 2011) was a senior 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 who was 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...
South East District
Aldershot Command
-History:After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, a permanent training camp was established at Aldershot in 1854 on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, Viscount Hardinge...
from 1985 to 1988, Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment from 1990 to 1993 and Lieutenant of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
from 1995 to 1998.
Military career
Gray's father Lieutenant Frank Gray, RNVR was killed in action in 1940. He was educated at Beverley Grammar School, Christ's HospitalChrist's Hospital
Christ's Hospital is an English coeducational independent day and boarding school with Royal Charter located in the Sussex countryside just south of Horsham in Horsham District, West Sussex, England...
, Horsham and at the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst , commonly known simply as Sandhurst, is a British Army officer initial training centre located in Sandhurst, Berkshire, England...
.
He enlisted in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in 1950. He was commissioned into the East Yorkshire Regiment
East Yorkshire Regiment
The East Yorkshire Regiment was an infantry regiment of the line in the British Army, first raised in 1685 as Sir William Clifton's Regiment of Foot. It saw service for three centuries, before being amalgamated with the West Yorkshire Regiment , becoming The Prince of Wales's Own Regiment of...
in 1952 and served in Malaya
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
for two years during the Malayan Emergency
Malayan Emergency
The Malayan Emergency was a guerrilla war fought between Commonwealth armed forces and the Malayan National Liberation Army , the military arm of the Malayan Communist Party, from 1948 to 1960....
. He transferred to the Parachute Regiment in 1955 and served in Cyprus, Suez, Jordan, Greece, Bahrain, Aden and Northern Ireland. Gray commanded the 1st Battalion, Parachute Regiment from 1969 to 1971. He was Chief of Staff of 1st Armoured Division, BAOR from 1973 to 1975 before attending 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...
in 1976. He was the last Commander of the 16th Parachute Brigade in 1977. Gray was Head of British Army Staff and Military Attache in Washington D. C. and Military Advisor to the Governor of Bermuda
Governor of Bermuda
The Governor of Bermuda is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Bermuda. The Governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government...
from 1979 to 1981. He was GOC South West District which included command of the United Kingdom Mobile Force from 1981 to 1983. He was Chief of Staff, BAOR at Rheindahlen from 1984 to 1985. Gray was promoted to Lieutenant General in 1985 and was GOC South East District
Aldershot Command
-History:After the success of the Chobham Manoeuvres of 1853, a permanent training camp was established at Aldershot in 1854 on the recommendation of the Commander-in-Chief, Viscount Hardinge...
and Commander of Joint Forces HQ at Aldershot until he retired from the Army in 1988.
Gray was appointed KCB
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...
in 1986 and 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...
in 1970. He was Honorary Colonel of 10th Parachute Battalion from 1984 to 1988 and Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Parachute Regiment from 1986 to 1990. He was Colonel Commandant
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....
of the Parachute Regiment from 1990 to 1993.
In retirement he was Chief Executive of Rainford Developments from 1990 to 1994. Gray was awarded the French Légion d'honneur
Légion d'honneur
The Legion of Honour, or in full the National Order of the Legion of Honour is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte, First Consul of the Consulat which succeeded to the First Republic, on 19 May 1802...
in 1994. He was Lieutenant of the Tower of London from 1995 to 1998 and Deputy Lieutenant of the West Riding of Yorkshire in 1997. He also became Chairman of the Airborne Assault Normandy Trust, which seeks to preserve the history of 6th Airborne Division in Normandy, in 1972. He had a leading role in the founding of a museum at Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge
Pegasus Bridge is a bascule bridge , built in 1934, that crossed the Caen Canal, between Caen and Ouistreham, in Normandy, France....
and in the restoration of the Merville Battery site.
Gray lived in Pocklington
Pocklington
Pocklington is a small market town and civil parish situated at the foot of the Yorkshire Wolds in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, approximately east of York....
, Yorkshire
Yorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
and died on 13 March 2011 at York District Hospital.