Defence Secretary has confirmed that His Majesty
The King has approved the new appointment of the Chief of the
General Staff.
General Sir Roly Walker KCB DSO is to be appointed as Chief of
the General Staff and Aide-de-Camp to His Majesty in the rank of
General in succession to General Sir Patrick Sanders KBE CBE DSO
in June 2024.
Defence Secretary said:
I am delighted to congratulate General Sir Roly Walker on his
deserved promotion and appointment in June as Chief of the
General Staff, the future of the British Army is in excellent
hands.
Roly’s wealth of operational experience and previous appointments
make him very well suited to lead the British Army as we continue
to modernise our Armed Forces to meet the threats and challenges
in a more contested and dangerous world. I take this opportunity
to recognise General Sir Patrick Sanders’ service to the nation
during his distinguished career. Patrick has been integral to
driving Defence’s modernisation agenda and I wish him all the
best in the future.
Chief of the Defence Staff Admiral Sir Tony Radakin said:
“I congratulate Lieutenant General Roly Walker on his appointment
as Chief of the General Staff, and I congratulate General Sanders
for all he has achieved in his five years at the top of
Defence.
“As the beneficiary of a £40 billion equipment recapitalisation
programme, the 2020s are full of opportunity for the British
Army. A proven operational commander and a forward-thinking
Whitehall leader, General Roly is just the man to seize the
moment. I look forward to working with him in the years ahead.”
General Sir Roly Walker said:
I am absolutely thrilled to be appointed as the next Chief of the
General Staff. It has always been a tremendous honour to lead our
nation’s soldiers, so the chance to serve them once again, and in
this role, is the highest of privileges. It also carries great
responsibility, which I promise to discharge to the best of my
abilities. Our soldiers, and those who support them, deserve
nothing less.
My task will be to build on the successes of my predecessor and
friend, Patrick, and lead the British Army forward on an
ambitious modernisation journey that means we are fitter, faster
for the challenges of the future. There is plenty to be excited
about. The Defence Command Paper has set the priorities for the
Army and backed them with investment. We have brilliant people at
every rank who will turn this into real and potent fighting
power. And we have many strong and reliable allies around the
world with whom we can work for the common good.
The scene is set. We know our part in Defence’s plan. I’m looking
forward to starting.
A biography of General Sir Roly Walker can be
found on gov.uk
