David Richards

David Richards served in the Far East, Germany and Northern Ireland before commanding deployments in East Timor and Sierra Leone, where his intervention in the civil war, without official sanction from London, proving decisive in ending years of factional fighting. He later served with NATO and led ISAF forces in Afghanistan, becoming the first British general to command US forces in a theatre of war since World War II.

He became Commander-in-Chief Land Forces of the British Army in 2008 and held that role until 2009, when he was appointed Chief of the General Staff.

In 2010 he was appointed as Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the British Armed Forces, and served in that position until 2013.

General Lord Richards was made a Life Peer in 2014.

His acclaimed autobiography, Taking Command, was published by Headline in 2014.