Major-General commanding the Household Division

{{Short description|Commander of ceremonial military units in London}}

{{Infobox official post

| post = Major General Commanding the Household Division

| body =

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| flag = Household Division Badge and TRF.png

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| image = James Bowder and Walter Rugen signing (Bowder cropped).jpg

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| incumbent = Major General James Bowder

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| incumbentsince = September 2023

| department = British Army
London District

| style = Major General

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| abbreviation = MGHD

| member_of =

| reports_to = The Monarch

| residence =

| seat = Horse Guards

| nominator = Defence Services Secretary

| appointer = The Monarch

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| termlength = 3-4 Years

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| unofficial_names = General Officer Commanding London District

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}}{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}

File:The Household Division badge.png of the Household Division]]

File:State Opening of Parliament 2015 (17982482389).jpg in the full-dress uniform of a Major-General, on duty at the State Opening of Parliament in 2015]]

The Major-General commanding the Household Division commands the Household Division of the British Army and is also the General Officer Commanding London District. In British Army parlance, "The Major-General" always refers to the Major-General commanding the Household Division. The Major-General has sole responsibility for the Service aspect of all State and ceremonial occasions within London District. The office holds executive command of the Household Division and of any other units brought into London for providing military security to the Sovereign, the Royal Palaces as well as for ceremonial purposes and is the main channel of communication between the Household Division and the Monarch. He or she is appointed by The Sovereign, and will previously have commanded a Regiment or Battalion within the Household Division.{{cite web|title=Queen's Regulations for the Army|url=https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/440632/20150529-QR_Army_Amdt_31_Jul_2013.pdf|website=QR Army July 2013, paragraph 8.062|accessdate=14 June 2016}}

History

The appointment dates from 14 July 1856, when an order was issued conveying the news that 'Her Majesty has been pleased to appoint Major-General Lord Rokeby, {{post-nominals|country=GBR|KCB}}, to serve on the Staff of the army, with a view to his exercising a general supervision over the Battalions [of Guards] in England, including those at Aldershot; all communications having reference to the Brigade of Guards will be addressed to him in future, instead of the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting as heretofore'.{{cite book |last1=Ross-ofBladensburg |first1=Lt Col |title=A History of the Coldstream Guards, from 1815 to 1895 |date=1896 |publisher=A. D. Innes & Co. |location=London |pages=290–291}}

When the Home District (the forerunner of London District) was created in 1870, it too was placed under the authority of the Major-General, an arrangement which has remained in place ever since.

Staff

The Major General's Staff include the Chief of Staff London District, who deputises in the Major-General's absence, and the principal staff officer of the Household Division (known by his historic title of Brigade Major), who assists the Major General and is 'responsible to the Major General for the day to day running of the Public Duties and Household Division matters worldwide'.{{cite book |title=The Queen's Regulations for the Army 1975 |date=2019 |publisher=Ministry of Defence |location=London |page=2A-4 |url=https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5d5aaa46e5274a07640aefc7/The_Queen_s_Regulations_for_the_Army_1975.pdf |access-date=2 July 2024}}

List of Commanders

The holders of this office include:[https://web.archive.org/web/20060222151818/http://www.regiments.org/formations/uk-cmdarmy/uk-d-lon.htm Regiments.org][http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf Army Commands] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150705211343/http://www.gulabin.com/armynavy/pdf/Army%20Commands%201900-2011.pdf |date=2015-07-05 }}

=Commanding Home District=

=Major-General Commanding the Brigade of Guards (1856–1870)=

Before 1856, orders for the Foot Guards were communicated to the Field Officer in Brigade Waiting, a rotational appointment.

  • Major-General Henry Robinson-Montagu, 6th Baron Rokeby 1856–1861J. F. G. Ross-of-Bladensburg, A History of the Coldstream Guards from 1815 to 1895 (London, 1896) [https://archive.org/stream/historyofcoldstr00rossuoft#page/290/mode/1up p. 290].
  • Major-General James Robertson Craufurd 1861–1863History of the Colstream Guards, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofcoldstr00rossuoft#page/304/mode/1up p. 304].
  • Major-General Lord Frederick Paulet 1863–1867History of the Coldstream Guards, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofcoldstr00rossuoft#page/307/mode/1up p. 307].
  • Major-General James Alexander Lindsay 1867–1868History of the Coldstream Guards, [https://archive.org/stream/historyofcoldstr00rossuoft#page/315/mode/1up p. 315].
  • Major-General Frederick William Hamilton 1868–1870

=Major-General Commanding the Brigade of Guards and General Officer Commanding Home District (1870–1906)=

=Major-General Commanding the Brigade of Guards and General Officer Commanding London District (1906–1950)=

=Major-General Commanding the Household Brigade and General Officer Commanding London District (1950–1968)=

  • Major-General Sir Julian Gascoigne, 1950–1953 late Grenadier Guards
  • Major-General Sir George Johnson, 1953–1957 late Scots Guards
  • Major-General Sir Rodney Moore, 1957–1959 late Grenadier Guards
  • Major-General Sir George Burns, 1959–1962 late Coldstream Guards
  • Major-General Sir John Nelson, 1962–1965 late Grenadier Guards
  • Major-General Sir Basil Eugster, 1965–1968 late Irish Guards

=Major-General Commanding the Household Division and General Officer Commanding London District (1968–)=

  • Major-General Lord Michael Fitzalan-Howard, 1968–1971 late The Life Guards
  • Major-General Sir James Bowes-Lyon, 1971–1973 late Grenadier Guards
  • Major-General Sir Philip Ward, 1973–1976 late Welsh Guards
  • Major-General Sir John Swinton, 1976–1979 late Scots Guards
  • Major-General Sir Desmond Langley, 1979–1983 late The Life Guards
  • Major-General Sir James Eyre, 1983–1986 late Royal Horse Guards
  • Major-General Sir Christopher Airy, 1986–1989 late Scots Guards
  • Major-General Sir Simon Cooper, 1989–1991 late The Life Guards
  • Major-General Sir Robert Corbett, 1991–1994 late Irish Guards
  • Major-General Sir Iain Mackay-Dick, 1994–1997 late Scots Guards
  • Major-General Sir Evelyn Webb-Carter, 1997–2000 late Grenadier Guards
  • Major-General Sir Redmond Watt, 2000–2003 late Welsh Guards
  • Major-General Sir Sebastian Roberts, 2003–2007 late Irish Guards
  • Major-General Sir William Cubitt, 2007–2011 late Irish Guards 1998–2011 (commissioned into Coldstream Guards, 1977–98)
  • Major-General Sir George Norton, 2011–2013 late Grenadier Guards[http://en-gb.facebook.com/notes/the-british-monarchy/court-circular-29-june-2011/235406009821808 The Court Circular, 29 June 2011]
  • Major-General Sir Edward Smyth-Osbourne, 2013–2016 late The Life Guards[https://www.thetimes.com/travel/destinations/uk-travel/england/london-travel/service-appointments-8bbpmnn9g27?region=global Service Appointments] The Times, 8 February 2013
  • Major-General Sir Ben Bathurst, 2016–2019 late Welsh Guards{{London Gazette|issue=61624|supp=y|page=3|date=21 June 2016}}
  • Major General Sir Chris Ghika, 2019–2023 late Irish Guards{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/ArmyInLondon/?hc_ref=ARTnYg6aCHZ78v_N6L_6KTjrzs7_R8hRwEQspEoqfIql0xXtIYnPVcMVmt34ktA7lU4&fref=nf&__xts__[0]=68.ARAoas6xqOJWjGN1jDtT5LLSJQr2_pgU1IHpYZssW6wj0RbENIuhF9DvX7HisyEM1jfdSCxcMD4d0GnZBjruk--JU61RXJlSXkEr7qMBvpLcz3FCvv69QHr_lShtm67dEzzwp1UBFiDwbAGH4yIeVoBC3QCrqnhCP2SFcknzcRD1swiL1WKbRc6shCtKQ8PUujPhDEnWjOB7lR0pVZyAQCOkqh4VZO0ueiPhOSNr7NQiMXQJL4jqO1_UPBGHwivZpPWwiXGVzWZNbslAzcOxbYGmq5IqkYdczmQXR_hnyIOzz4Pl&__tn__=kC-R|title=The Army in London - HQ London District|publisher=Ministry of Defence|accessdate=15 November 2019}}
  • Major General James Bowder, 2023 – Present late Grenadier Guards{{cite web|url=https://m.facebook.com/groups/966213956826343/permalink/6446667408780943/?mibextid=Nif5oz|title=New appointments|publisher=Grenadier Guards Association|access-date=20 August 2023}}

References