Freddie Viggers was Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod from 30 April 2009 to 28 October 2010.
22 Facts About Freddie Viggers
1.
2.
Freddie Viggers served in Bosnia in the aftermath of the breakup of Yugoslavia, and in the Iraq War.
3.
Freddie Viggers was born on 29 June 1951 and educated at Wellington School, Somerset.
4.
Freddie Viggers was promoted lieutenant on 14 October 1973, and captain on 14 April 1978.
5.
Freddie Viggers enjoys a responsibility and workload far greater than that normally given to a Grade 2 officer.
6.
Freddie Viggers was promoted colonel on 30 June 1992, and served at the Ministry of Defence in the Central Staff Directorate of Defence Policy, transferring to the Defence Costs Study Secretariat in 1993.
7.
Freddie Viggers was then posted as Director of Manning in 1997, and was appointed Honorary Colonel of the 100th Regiment Royal Artillery on 31 December 1997, holding that appointment until 17 February 2001.
8.
On 24 March 1999, Freddie Viggers returned to Bosnia as Commander Multi-National Division in SFOR and was granted acting promotion to major general, substantive promotion followed on 1 September 1999.
9.
Freddie Viggers received a further honorary appointment on 11 May 2000 when he became Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Adjutant General's Corps.
10.
On 4 April 2005, Freddie Viggers became Adjutant General and was promoted lieutenant general.
11.
Freddie Viggers became Colonel Commandant Royal Regiment of Artillery on 1 July 2005, and Colonel Commandant Adjutant General's Corps on 3 November 2003, holding that appointment until 28 July 2008.
12.
Freddie Viggers was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2007 New Year Honours, and made a Deputy Lieutenant of Hampshire in June 2008.
13.
Freddie Viggers spoke out against the conditions in some barracks, and of the need for improved funding to bring accommodation stock up-to-date.
14.
However, Freddie Viggers complained to the Press Complaints Commission and The Mail on Sunday subsequently printed an apology, accepting that the accommodation renovated was in fact an MOD property, and he had not been to blame for the state of military housing.
15.
Freddie Viggers retired on 29 October 2008, after 36 years of service in the British Army.
16.
In December 2008 it was announced that Freddie Viggers had been appointed to the House of Lords' position of Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod.
17.
Freddie Viggers replaced Sir Michael Willcocks on 30 April 2009 when Willcocks retired.
18.
Freddie Viggers's place was taken by his deputy, the Yeoman Usher, Ted Lloyd-Jukes.
19.
Freddie Viggers resigned as Black Rod because of ill health on 28 October 2010.
20.
Freddie Viggers is married with two children, and has a keen interest in sport.
21.
Freddie Viggers is a trustee of the Army Museums Ogilby Trust, which assists British Army regimental and corps museums; he is an Honorary Fellow, and member of the advisory group, of the Institute of Continuing Professional Development; and has assisted in running events for the Army Benevolent Fund.
22.
On 9 December 2009, Freddie Viggers gave evidence to The Iraq Inquiry, in which he was highly critical of the administration of post-war Iraq.