18 Facts About Frank Kitson

Frank Kitson rose to be Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces from 1982 to 1985 and was Aide-de-Camp General to Queen Elizabeth II from 1983 to 1985.

Frank Kitson joined the British Army as a second lieutenant on an emergency commission in the Rifle Brigade on 23 February 1946.

Frank Kitson was appointed to a regular commission as a lieutenant on 10 April 1948, and promoted to captain on 15 December 1953.

Frank Kitson was awarded the Military Cross on 1 January 1955 for service in the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya, and was awarded a Bar to it on 23 May 1958, for service in the Malayan Emergency the previous year.

Frank Kitson was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1959 Birthday Honours.

Frank Kitson was promoted major on 15 December 1960, brevet lieutenant-colonel on 1 July 1964, and to the substantive rank on 31 December 1966.

Frank Kitson was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1968 New Year Honours.

Frank Kitson was promoted colonel on 31 December 1969, and brigadier on 30 June 1970.

From September 1970, Frank Kitson commanded 39 Airportable Brigade, which comprised eight battalions on short four-month tours.

Frank Kitson was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1980 New Year Honours.

Frank Kitson held those appointments until 30 May 1982, and then became Commander-in-Chief, UK Land Forces on 1 July 1982 with local rank of general.

Frank Kitson was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Devon on 19 June 1989.

In retirement Frank Kitson gave evidence to the Saville Inquiry into the events of Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland.

The lawsuit claimed that Frank Kitson was "liable personally for negligence and misfeasance in public office" due to the fact that he was supposedly "reckless as to whether state agents would be involved in murder".

In 1962, Frank Kitson married Elizabeth Spencer, whose father, Colonel Charles Spencer, was Colonel of the 12th Royal Lancers.

Lady Frank Kitson was appointed an OBE in the Queen's Birthday Honours List of June 2015, for her work with the Army Families Federation.

Frank Kitson died at home in Yelverton, Devon on 2 January 2024, at the age of 97.

Frank Kitson wrote widely on gangs, counter-gangs and measures of deception, the use of defectors, and concepts such as pseudo-gangs and pseudo-operations.