Patrick Cordingley

Patrick Cordingley
Born (1944-10-06) 6 October 1944
Allegiance United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch British Army
Years of service 1965–2000
Rank lt gen
Commands held 7th Armoured Brigade
2nd Division
Battles/wars Gulf War
Awards Distinguished Service Order

Major General Patrick Anthony John Cordingley OBE DSO FRGS (born 6 October 1944) is a retired British Army officer who commanded 2nd Division.

Military career

Cordingley was educated at Sherborne School and Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, (Intake 35), where he was Senior Under-Officer of Waterloo Company. He was commissioned into 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards in June 1965.[1] He was given command of the 7th Armoured Brigade (Desert Rats) in 1988 and he was the commander who in 1991 led the British and American forces which overcame the Iraqi defences during the Gulf War.[2] He became General Officer Commanding Eastern District in 1992, General Officer Commanding 2nd Division in 1995 and Senior British Loan Services Officer to Oman in 1996 before he retired in 2000.[3]

In 1996 he published a book detailing his leading the troops into Iraq titled 'In The Eye of the Storm' which rose to the top of the non-fictional best seller lists.[4] He was opposed to the Iraq War and has frequently spoken out against it citing his concern that many thousands of civilians would die unnecessarily.[5] Cordingley has also spoken out against Britain renewing its Trident Nuclear deterrent.[6] Assuming a correct identification, he was also interested in astronomy, being a member of the British Astronomical Association from 1960 February 24 to about 1980 when he appears to have resigned.

Cordingley was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to the National Memorial Arboretum.[7]

References

  1. ↑ "No. 43768". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 September 1965. p. 8891.
  2. ↑ Cordingley hopes Baghdad battle can be avoided
  3. ↑ Army Commands Archived 5 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine.
  4. ↑ St Andrews gets lecture on morals in war
  5. ↑ Desert Rat speaks out against war
  6. ↑ Cordingley speaks against Trident Replacement Archived 6 April 2010 at the Wayback Machine.
  7. ↑ "No. 61962". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2017. p. B11.
Military offices
Preceded by
Division Reformed
(Post last held by Michael Walker)		 General Officer Commanding the 2nd Division
1995–1996		 Succeeded by
Dair Farrar-Hockley
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