21 Facts About Edwin Bramall

Field Marshal Edwin Noel Westby Bramall, Baron Bramall, known as "Dwin", was a British Army officer.

Edwin Bramall served as Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1979 and 1982, and as Chief of the Defence Staff, professional head of the British Armed Forces, from 1982 to 1985.

Edwin Bramall was educated at Eton College, where, among other accomplishments, he captained an undefeated first XI cricket team.

Edwin Bramall's elder brother Ashley Bramall was a barrister, Labour politician and Leader of the Inner London Education Authority.

Edwin Bramall was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps on 22 May 1943, during the Second World War.

Edwin Bramall took part in the Normandy landings in June 1944 and served with the 2nd Battalion of his regiment in Northwest Europe during the later stages of the war, receiving the Military Cross on 1 March 1945, shortly before the end of World War II in Europe.

Edwin Bramall was promoted to lieutenant on 18 June 1946 and served in the occupation of Japan from 1946, before becoming an instructor at the School of Infantry in 1949.

Edwin Bramall was given command of the 5th Infantry Brigade in November 1967 with promotion to brigadier on 31 December 1967.

Edwin Bramall was made General Officer Commanding the 1st Division on 6 January 1972, with the substantive rank of major general from 6 April 1972, Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong with the rank of lieutenant general on 1 December 1973 and appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1974 New Year Honours.

Edwin Bramall went on to be Commander-in-Chief, UK Land Forces on 15 May 1976 and was promoted to full general on 25 June 1976.

Edwin Bramall was appointed Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff on 20 March 1978, advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1979 New Year Honours, before being made ADC General to the Queen on 26 June 1979 and appointed Chief of the General Staff on 14 July 1979.

Edwin Bramall was promoted to field marshal on 1 August 1982, and appointed Chief of the Defence Staff on 1 October that year.

Edwin Bramall was Colonel of the 3rd Battalion the Royal Green Jackets from December 1973, Colonel of the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles from 14 September 1976 and Colonel Commandant of the Special Air Service from 19 May 1985.

Edwin Bramall was invested as a Knight Companion of the Garter in 1990.

Edwin Bramall served as President of the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1988.

Edwin Bramall's other interests included painting and travel and he was a vice-president of the welfare organisation SSAFA Forces Help.

Edwin Bramall was created a life peer as Baron Edwin Bramall, of Bushfield in the County of Hampshire in 1987.

Edwin Bramall spoke out in the House of Lords against the involvement of the United Kingdom in the Second Iraq War warning that "unlike naked aggression, terrorism cannot be defeated by massive military means" but by "competent protection and positive diplomacy".

Janner sought the advice of fellow peers about how and whether to make a formal complaint against Edwin Bramall, before deciding to accept an apology after which Janner said the matter was resolved.

On 25 April 2013 Edwin Bramall retired from service in the House of Lords.

Edwin Bramall died at the age of 95 on 12 November 2019, at his home in Crondall, Hampshire.