James Bashall

Bashall was born on 3 April 1962 in Marlborough, Wiltshire, England.England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916–2007 He was educated at Marlborough College, a private boarding school.{{cite web|url=http://www.marlboroughcollege.org/omc_Professional_Achievements.aspx|title=Welcome to Marlborough College – Marlborough College|date=4 January 2016|publisher=|accessdate=4 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091215094050/http://marlboroughcollege.org/omc_Professional_Achievements.aspx|archive-date=15 December 2009|url-status=dead}}

Bashall was commissioned in to the Parachute Regiment in 1984.{{London Gazette|issue=50179|supp=y|page=9048|date=1 July 1985}} By 2002 he had become Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion The Parachute Regiment[http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/static/audio_video/programmes/panorama/transcripts/transcript_24_02_02.txt Into the Afghan Minefield] BBC News, 24 February 2002 serving in Afghanistan.[https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/afghanistan/1381152/Day-the-white-tin-hats-met-the-Red-Berets.html Day the white tin hats met the Red Berets] Daily Telegraph, 11 January 2002

He commanded 1st Mechanized Brigade[https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/middle-east/the-proxy-war-uk-troops-are-sent-to-iranian-border-402083.html The 'proxy war': UK troops are sent to Iranian border] The Independent, 12 September 2007 based in Basra in Southern Iraq during Operation Telic in 2007.[http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23927065-my-heart-goes-out-to-them-british-oil-workers-evacuated-from-libya-praise-rescuers.do Commander who led SAS rescue is hero of Iraq war] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110414080703/http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23927065-my-heart-goes-out-to-them-british-oil-workers-evacuated-from-libya-praise-rescuers.do |date=14 April 2011 }} Evening Standard, 28 February 2011 He was appointed Director Army Division of the Defence Academy at Shrivenham in January 2009 and went on to be Chief of Joint Force Operations in December 2009:[http://www.bfbs.com/news/germany/handover-uk-armoured-division-takes-place-germany-46257.html Handover of UK Armoured division takes place in Germany] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314092556/http://www.bfbs.com/news/germany/handover-uk-armoured-division-takes-place-germany-46257.html |date=14 March 2012 }} British Forces News, 1 April 2011 in this capacity he masterminded the covert Special Air Service rescue operations across war-torn Libya in early 2011. He became General Officer Commanding 1st (UK) Armoured Division in April 2011, Chief of Staff, Operations at the Permanent Joint Headquarters, Northwood in August 2012[http://www.defenceviewpoints.co.uk/defence-news/up-and-out-promotions-leavers-new-jobs-may-2012 Defence Viewpoints; Promotions, leavers, new jobs; May 2012] and Commander Personnel and Support Command in June 2015 (his role was re-designated Commander Home Command in May 2016).{{cite web|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/news/a-new-painting-marks-armys-relationship-with-scotland-over-last-100-years|title=A new painting marks Army's relationship with Scotland over last 100 years|date=7 October 2005|publisher=Ministry of Defence|accessdate=15 November 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gurkhabde.com/over-200-new-gurkhas-join-the-ranks-of-the-brigade/|title=Over 200 new Gurkhas join the ranks of the Brigade|work=Welcome to the Gurkha Brigade Association|accessdate=4 January 2016|date=5 October 2015}}{{London Gazette|issue=61301|supp=y|page=13380|date=20 July 2015}} Bashall retired from the British Army on 27 October 2018.{{London Gazette|issue= 62451|supp=y|page=19634|date=30 October 2018}}

File:190606-N-WO404-799 (48023325407) (James Bashall cropped).jpg

Bashall was appointed as the National President of the Royal British Legion in May 2019.{{Cite web | url=https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/about-us/governance |title = Governance| date=28 February 2019 |publisher=Royal British Legion|accessdate=10 January 2020}} When appointed, Bashall said "It is an honour to be appointed as the National President of The Royal British Legion, a charity with an esteemed history, and one that plays a vital role in today’s Armed Forces community."{{Cite web | url=https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/about-us/governance/new-national-president-and-national-chairman |title = Our new National President and National Chairman| date=12 July 2019 |publisher=Royal British Legion|accessdate=10 January 2020}} He served in his position until May 2023.

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{{s-bef|before=Adrian Bradshaw}}

{{s-ttl|title=General Officer Commanding 1st (UK) Armoured Division|years=2011–2012}}

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{{s-bef|before=Gerald Berragan}}

{{s-ttl|title=Commander Personnel and Support Command
(re-designated Commander Home Command in 2016)|years=2015–2018}}

{{s-aft|after=Tyrone Urch}}

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Category:British Army lieutenant generals

Category:People educated at Marlborough College

Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire

Category:British Parachute Regiment officers

Category:Living people

Category:British Army personnel of the Iraq War

Category:British Army personnel of the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021)

Category:Companions of the Order of the Bath

Category:Military personnel from Wiltshire

Category:1962 births

Category:People from Marlborough, Wiltshire