Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank
Encyclopedia
General
Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, (born 17 November 1938) was Chief of the Defence Staff
between 1997 and 2001 and Chief of the General Staff
, the professional head of the British Army
, between 1994 and 1997.
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Welsh Guards
in 1959.
In 1966 he became a troop commander and then in 1968 a squadron commander with 22 Special Air Service
Regiment. In 1977 he was appointed Commanding Officer
of 1 Battalion Welsh Guards
. In 1981 he became Brigade Commander of 4th Armoured Brigade and in 1985 General Officer Commanding
North East District and Commander 2nd Infantry Division based in York
.
In 1987 he became Assistant Chief of the General Staff
. On 3 October 1989 he was appointed General Officer Commanding
1st British Corps and relinquished the command on 2 December 1991. In 1992 he became Commander of Northern Army Group
and British Army of the Rhine
and in 1994 became Chief of the General Staff
. Following his tenure as Chief of the Defence Staff
, a post he took up in 1997, he clashed with Chancellor of the Exchequer
Gordon Brown
in 2008 over military funding.
as a Life Peer
, being created Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, of Craigiebank in the City of Dundee
, after retiring as Chief of the Defence Staff. He was one of the several retired Chiefs of Defence Staff who spoke out in the House of Lords
about the risk to servicemen facing liability for their actions before the International Criminal Court
, particularly in respect to the invasion of Iraq. He has been appointed Colonel of the Life Guards and Gold Stick-in-Waiting to Her Majesty the Queen.
He is a non-executive director of N M Rothschild & Sons
, Ashley Gardens Block 2 Ltd and Colt Defense
LLC, and Chairman (non-executive) of Siboney Ltd.
Guthrie is the president of several charities, including Action Medical Research
, Army Benevolent Fund
, Federation of London Youth Clubs, "Soldier On!" and the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association. A Roman Catholic convert, he is a Knight of Malta and Patron of the Cardinal Hume Centre.
Guthrie was criticised in 2008 by George Monbiot
for an alleged lack of understanding of international law
. Monbiot based his argument on Guthrie's September 2002 advocacy of an invasion of Iraq
and subsequent comments, in which he appeared to support launching "surprise wars", something forbidden by the United Nations
charter.
Guthrie is currently a member of the Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation
, established in October 2009.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, (born 17 November 1938) was Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
between 1997 and 2001 and Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
, the professional head of the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, between 1994 and 1997.
Army career
Educated at Harrow SchoolHarrow School
Harrow School, commonly known simply as "Harrow", is an English independent school for boys situated in the town of Harrow, in north-west London.. The school is of worldwide renown. There is some evidence that there has been a school on the site since 1243 but the Harrow School we know today was...
and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
in 1959.
In 1966 he became a troop commander and then in 1968 a squadron commander with 22 Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
Regiment. In 1977 he was appointed Commanding Officer
Commanding officer
The commanding officer is the officer in command of a military unit. Typically, the commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitude to run the unit as he sees fit, within the bounds of military law...
of 1 Battalion Welsh Guards
Welsh Guards
The Welsh Guards is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Guards Division.-Creation :The Welsh Guards came into existence on 26 February 1915 by Royal Warrant of His Majesty King George V in order to include Wales in the national component to the Foot Guards, "..though the order...
. In 1981 he became Brigade Commander of 4th Armoured Brigade and in 1985 General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
North East District and Commander 2nd Infantry Division based in York
York
York is a walled city, situated at the confluence of the Rivers Ouse and Foss in North Yorkshire, England. The city has a rich heritage and has provided the backdrop to major political events throughout much of its two millennia of existence...
.
In 1987 he became Assistant Chief of the General Staff
Assistant Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
-Responsibilities:The Assistant Chief of the General Staff supports the Chief of the General Staff in his responsibilities, sets the conditions for the British Army to contribute to success on operations, ensures coherence across the 'Defence Lines of Development' and develops the Army of the...
. On 3 October 1989 he was appointed General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
1st British Corps and relinquished the command on 2 December 1991. In 1992 he became Commander of Northern Army Group
Northern Army Group
The Northern Army Group was a NATO military formation comprising four Western European Army Corps, during the Cold War as part of NATO's forward defence in the Federal Republic of Germany.- History :...
and British Army of the Rhine
British Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
and in 1994 became Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board...
. Following his tenure as Chief of the Defence Staff
Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)
The Chief of the Defence Staff is the professional head of the British Armed Forces, a senior official within the Ministry of Defence, and the most senior uniformed military adviser to the Secretary of State for Defence and the Prime Minister...
, a post he took up in 1997, he clashed with Chancellor of the Exchequer
Chancellor of the Exchequer
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is the title held by the British Cabinet minister who is responsible for all economic and financial matters. Often simply called the Chancellor, the office-holder controls HM Treasury and plays a role akin to the posts of Minister of Finance or Secretary of the...
Gordon Brown
Gordon Brown
James Gordon Brown is a British Labour Party politician who was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom and Leader of the Labour Party from 2007 until 2010. He previously served as Chancellor of the Exchequer in the Labour Government from 1997 to 2007...
in 2008 over military funding.
Later career
Guthrie became a cross bench member of the House of LordsHouse of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
as a Life Peer
Life peer
In the United Kingdom, life peers are appointed members of the Peerage whose titles cannot be inherited. Nowadays life peerages, always of baronial rank, are created under the Life Peerages Act 1958 and entitle the holders to seats in the House of Lords, presuming they meet qualifications such as...
, being created Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, of Craigiebank in the City of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, after retiring as Chief of the Defence Staff. He was one of the several retired Chiefs of Defence Staff who spoke out in the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
about the risk to servicemen facing liability for their actions before the International Criminal Court
International Criminal Court
The International Criminal Court is a permanent tribunal to prosecute individuals for genocide, crimes against humanity, war crimes, and the crime of aggression .It came into being on 1 July 2002—the date its founding treaty, the Rome Statute of the...
, particularly in respect to the invasion of Iraq. He has been appointed Colonel of the Life Guards and Gold Stick-in-Waiting to Her Majesty the Queen.
He is a non-executive director of N M Rothschild & Sons
N M Rothschild & Sons
N M Rothschild & Sons is a private investment banking company, belonging to the Rothschild family...
, Ashley Gardens Block 2 Ltd and Colt Defense
Colt Defense
Colt Defense LLC, together with its subsidiaries, is a designer, developer and manufacturer of small arms weapons systems for individual soldiers and law enforcement personnel. It is headquartered in West Hartford, Connecticut...
LLC, and Chairman (non-executive) of Siboney Ltd.
Guthrie is the president of several charities, including Action Medical Research
Action Research (charity)
Action Medical Research is a British medical research charity, founded in 1952, that focusses on funding research to prevent and treat disease and disability in babies and children....
, Army Benevolent Fund
Army Benevolent Fund
ABF The Soldiers' Charity, formerly the Army Benevolent Fund is a British charity. It is the British Army's national charity and provides financial and practical support to soldiers, former soldiers, and their families in times of need....
, Federation of London Youth Clubs, "Soldier On!" and the Progressive Supranuclear Palsy Association. A Roman Catholic convert, he is a Knight of Malta and Patron of the Cardinal Hume Centre.
Guthrie was criticised in 2008 by George Monbiot
George Monbiot
George Joshua Richard Monbiot is an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He lives in Machynlleth, Wales, writes a weekly column for The Guardian, and is the author of a number of books, including Captive State: The Corporate Takeover of Britain and Bring on the...
for an alleged lack of understanding of international law
International law
Public international law concerns the structure and conduct of sovereign states; analogous entities, such as the Holy See; and intergovernmental organizations. To a lesser degree, international law also may affect multinational corporations and individuals, an impact increasingly evolving beyond...
. Monbiot based his argument on Guthrie's September 2002 advocacy of an invasion of Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and subsequent comments, in which he appeared to support launching "surprise wars", something forbidden by the United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
charter.
Guthrie is currently a member of the Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation
Top Level Group
The Top Level Group of UK Parliamentarians for Multilateral Nuclear Disarmament and Non-proliferation is a cross-party parliamentary group in the United Kingdom, whose primary focus is the advancement of the nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation agenda in Britain and internationally...
, established in October 2009.