Roland Walker

Lieutenant General Sir Charles Roland Vincent Walker, KCB, DSO (born 14 May 1970), is a senior British Army officer, serving as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) since April 2021.[1] He will take up the post of Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, in 2024.

Sir Roland Walker
Lt Gen Sir Roly Walker
Birth nameCharles Roland Vincent Walker
Nickname(s)Roly
Born (1970-05-14) 14 May 1970
Nairobi, Kenya
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchBritish Army
Years of service1990–present
RankLieutenant General
UnitGrenadier Guards
Commands heldDeputy Chief of the Defence Staff
Director Special Forces
12th Armoured Infantry Brigade
1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards
Battles/warsThe Troubles
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Alma materRoyal Agricultural College
Spouse(s)
Kate White-Thomson
​
(m. 1998)​
KCB breast star

Family and education

Walker was educated at the Dragon School, a private preparatory school in Oxford then at Harrow School, an all-boys independent boarding school in London. Sponsored by British Army as a university cadetship officer,[2] he studied at the Royal Agricultural College, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree.[3]

Military service

Walker was commissioned in the Guards Division of the as a second lieutenant (on probation) on 9 September 1990 as part of his undergraduate cadetship.[2] He began active service in the Irish Guards in 1993, and saw operational tours in Northern Ireland and Iraq.[3] In 1997 he joined 22 Special Air Service Regiment.[4] Following his time with Special Forces, he became Commanding Officer of the 1st Battalion, Grenadier Guards from 2008 to 2010.[3][5] With the Grenadiers, he served a tour in Afghanistan, during which the Ridgeback PPV in which he was travelling in was blown up by an IED: all six soldiers inside escaped uninjured, but the vehicle was thrown into the air, had its wheels blown off and its armour shredded.[5] Walker was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) in September 2010 in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan.[6]

Walker commanded the 12th Armoured Infantry Brigade from 2013 to 2015,[3] and was promoted to brigadier on 30 June 2014.[7] He has since held staff appointments at Army Headquarters and the Ministry of Defence.[3] He was promoted to major general on 8 March 2018,[8] and appointed Director Special Forces.[9] He was promoted to lieutenant general and became Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy and Operations) on 16 April 2021.[10] He has been selected to be the next Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, and will take up the post in 2024.[11]

In addition, Walker has served as Colonel Commandant of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps from 1 March 2017 to 1 June 2022,[12] and Regimental Lieutenant Colonel of the Grenadier Guards from 18 June 2017 to 18 June 2022; both ceremonial appointments.[13][14]

He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2023 New Year Honours.[15]

Personal life

In 1998, Walker married Kate White-Thomson. They have three daughters and live in Herefordshire.[3]

References
  1. Notice, gov.uk. Accessed 3 July 2023.
  2. "No. 52323". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 November 1990. p. 17191.
  3. "Walker, Maj. Gen. (Charles) Roland (Vincent), (born 14 May 1970), Operations Director, Ministry of Defence, since 2018". Who's Who 2021. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2020. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  4. "Lieutenant General Roly Walker DSO". GOV.UK.
  5. Rayment, Sean (20 June 2010). "Portraits of bravery: commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Roly Walker". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  6. "No. 59554". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 September 2010. p. 18535.
  7. "No. 60918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 July 2014. p. 2.
  8. "No. 62226". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 March 2018. p. 4541.
  9. "Lieutenant General Roly Walker DSO". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  10. "No. 63325". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 April 2021. p. 7239.
  11. Harnden, Toby (28 August 2023). "'As a soldier, he's beyond compare': The ex-SAS war hero intent on change for the British Army". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  12. "No. 61865". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 March 2017. p. 4890.
  13. "Regimental Headquarters". Grenadier Guards. Retrieved 17 April 2021.
  14. "No. 61971". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 June 2017. p. 11876.
  15. "No. 63918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2022. p. N2.
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