1. Gordon Messenger served as British Commander of Task Force Helmand, during the 3 Commando Brigade deployment to Helmand Province, Afghanistan on Operation Herrick IX from 2008 to 2009.
26 Facts About Gordon Messenger
1. 2.
Gordon Messenger was born on 15 April 1962 in Dundee, Scotland.
3.
Gordon Messenger was educated at King Edward VI School, Southampton, then an all-boys school.
4.
Gordon Messenger studied geography at the University of Leicester, graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1983.
5.
Gordon Messenger was promoted substantive major on 30 June 1997, having previously held the rank locally.
6.
Gordon Messenger served with British forces in the former Yugoslavia in 2000, for which he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire.
7.
Gordon Messenger was promoted substantive colonel on 30 June 2002, having previously held the rank on an acting basis.
8.
Gordon Messenger graduated from the UK Higher Command and Staff Course in 2007 and was promoted brigadier on 24 April 2007.
9.
Gordon Messenger was promoted major general in late 2009, and appointed lead spokesman on British operations in Afghanistan.
10.
Gordon Messenger went on to be Chief of Staff at Permanent Joint Headquarters, Northwood in 2011 and became Director Force Reintegration HQ International Security Assistance Force in October 2012.
11.
Gordon Messenger served as Deputy Commander of NATO Allied Land Command -Izmir from January 2013 until June 2014 when he was assigned to the post of Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff in the Ministry of Defence.
12.
Gordon Messenger was promoted to lieutenant general on 14 January 2013.
13.
On 1 December 2015, Gordon Messenger appeared in front of the Defence Select Committee of the House of Commons in relation to the military situation in Syria.
14.
Gordon Messenger handed over his role of Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff to Lieutenant General Mark Carleton-Smith on 18 April 2016.
15.
Gordon Messenger was appointed as Vice Chief of the Defence Staff in spring 2016, in succession to Air Chief Marshal Stuart Peach.
16.
Gordon Messenger was formally promoted to full general on 16 May 2016.
17.
Gordon Messenger is the first four-star Royal Marine general since 1977.
18.
Gordon Messenger was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 2015 Birthday Honours, and a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 2016 Birthday Honours.
19.
Gordon Messenger is patron of the Defence Medical Welfare Service, and honorary Colonel of 131 Commando Squadron Royal Engineers.
20.
On 6 December 2021 Gordon Messenger was appointed Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom, the first time that a Royal Marine has held the role.
21.
Gordon Messenger took up the post on 1 August 2022, and is the first Royal Marine to hold the post.
22.
Gordon Messenger served as Lord High Steward at the coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla in 2023.
23.
Gordon Messenger carried St Edward's Crown in the Royal procession.
24.
Gordon Messenger was appointed in October 2021 to lead a review of leadership in the English NHS.
25.
Gordon Messenger is married to Sarah and they have three children.
26.
Gordon Messenger enjoys running, rugby, rock climbing, golf, gardening and real ale.