Michael Carver, Baron Carver
Encyclopedia
Field Marshal
Richard Michael Power Carver, Baron Carver GCB
, CBE
, DSO & Bar
, MC
(24 April 1915 - 9 December 2001) was a British
soldier
. He served as the Chief of the Defence Staff
(CDS) of the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
, Michael Carver was commissioned into the Royal Tank Corps
in 1935. During the Second World War he was involved in the battle for Tobruk
where he won his Military Cross
. In 1943 he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment
, leading them in Italy
and then Normandy
in 1944. Later in 1944, he was promoted to command the 4th Armoured Brigade.
He became a Technical Staff officer to the Ministry of Supply
in 1947. He was later promoted to Chief of Staff East Africa Command in 1955 and was the War Office
Director of Plans from 1958 to 1959.
In 1960 he was given command of the 6th Brigade
, and subsequently the 3rd Division in 1962.
Between 1964 and 1966 he was Director of Army Staff Duties where he famously substantially reduced the size of the Territorial Army.
In 1966 he was made General Officer Commanding
Far East Land Forces
, in 1967 he became the tri-service Commander in Chief of Far East Command
and in 1969 he became General Officer Commanding
Southern Command
.
He was Chief of the General Staff
, the professional head of the British Army
, between 1971 and 1973, and Chief of the Defence Staff
between 1973 and 1976. He was knight
ed in 1966 and in 1977 became a life peer
as Baron Carver, of Shackleford
.
programme, believing that as the American nuclear strike capability was sufficiently powerful it was inefficient for Britain to have an independent program.
.
There is also a section on Lord Carver's life and works in "The Tank Museum". Lord Carver was also married with two daughters and two sons and had seven grandchildren.
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Field Marshal
Field Marshal is a military rank. Traditionally, it is the highest military rank in an army.-Etymology:The origin of the rank of field marshal dates to the early Middle Ages, originally meaning the keeper of the king's horses , from the time of the early Frankish kings.-Usage and hierarchical...
Richard Michael Power Carver, Baron Carver GCB
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
, DSO & Bar
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(24 April 1915 - 9 December 2001) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
soldier
Soldier
A soldier is a member of the land component of national armed forces; whereas a soldier hired for service in a foreign army would be termed a mercenary...
. He served as the 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...
(CDS) of the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces.
Army career
Educated at Winchester CollegeWinchester College
Winchester College is an independent school for boys in the British public school tradition, situated in Winchester, Hampshire, the former capital of England. It has existed in its present location for over 600 years and claims the longest unbroken history of any school in England...
, Michael Carver was commissioned into the Royal Tank Corps
Royal Tank Regiment
The Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It was formerly known as the Tank Corps and the Royal Tank Corps. It is part of the Royal Armoured Corps and is made up of two operational regiments, the 1st Royal Tank Regiment and the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment...
in 1935. During the Second World War he was involved in the battle for Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
where he won his Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
. In 1943 he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Royal Tank Regiment
1st Royal Tank Regiment
The 1st Royal Tank Regiment is an armoured regiment of the British Army. It is part of the Royal Tank Regiment, itself part of the Royal Armoured Corps. It was originally formed as 1st Battalion, Royal Tank Corps in 1934....
, leading them in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
and then Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
in 1944. Later in 1944, he was promoted to command the 4th Armoured Brigade.
He became a Technical Staff officer to the Ministry of Supply
Ministry of Supply
The Ministry of Supply was a department of the UK Government formed in 1939 to co-ordinate the supply of equipment to all three British armed forces, headed by the Minister of Supply. There was, however, a separate ministry responsible for aircraft production and the Admiralty retained...
in 1947. He was later promoted to Chief of Staff East Africa Command in 1955 and was the War Office
War Office
The War Office was a department of the British Government, responsible for the administration of the British Army between the 17th century and 1964, when its functions were transferred to the Ministry of Defence...
Director of Plans from 1958 to 1959.
In 1960 he was given command of the 6th Brigade
6th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
- World War I :The brigade was part of 2nd Division. It was composed as follows;*1st Battalion, The King's *2nd Battalion, The South Staffordshire Regiment*13th Battalion , The Essex Regiment...
, and subsequently the 3rd Division in 1962.
Between 1964 and 1966 he was Director of Army Staff Duties where he famously substantially reduced the size of the Territorial Army.
In 1966 he was made 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...
Far East Land Forces
British Far East Command
The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. These were firstly, 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command , and secondly, 1963 – 1971 succeeded by Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom Force...
, in 1967 he became the tri-service Commander in Chief of Far East Command
British Far East Command
The Far East Command was a British military command which had 2 distinct periods. These were firstly, 18 November 1940 – 7 January 1942 succeeded by the American-British-Dutch-Australian Command , and secondly, 1963 – 1971 succeeded by Australia, New Zealand, and United Kingdom Force...
and in 1969 he became 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...
Southern Command
Southern Command (United Kingdom)
-History:The Command was established in 1905 from the Second Army Corps and was initially based at Tidworth but in 1949 moved to Fugglestone Farm near Wilton in Wiltshire....
.
He was 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 1971 and 1973, and 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 1973 and 1976. He was knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed in 1966 and in 1977 became 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...
as Baron Carver, of Shackleford
Shackleford
Shackleford is a village in Surrey, England lying to the west of the A3 between Guildford and Petersfield. Neighbouring villages include Puttenham, Peper Harrow and Eashing....
.
Later career
Following his retirement from the Army he wrote a number of books on military history and was a vocal critic of Britain's Trident missileTrident missile
The Trident missile is a submarine-launched ballistic missile equipped with multiple independently-targetable reentry vehicles . The Fleet Ballistic Missile is armed with nuclear warheads and is launched from nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines . Trident missiles are carried by fourteen...
programme, believing that as the American nuclear strike capability was sufficiently powerful it was inefficient for Britain to have an independent program.
Extra Information
He was also a descendant of Richard Wellesley, brother to Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington
Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
.
There is also a section on Lord Carver's life and works in "The Tank Museum". Lord Carver was also married with two daughters and two sons and had seven grandchildren.
Partial list of publications
- Carver, Michael: Imperial War Museum Book of the War in Italy: A Vital Contribution to Victory in Europe 1943-1945
- Carver, Michael & Robertson, Ian G.; The National Army Museum Book of the Turkish Front 1914-18: The Campaigns at Gallipoli, in Mesopotamia and in Palestine
- Carver, Michael; Twentieth-Century Warriors: The Development of the Armed Forces of the Major Military Nations in the Twentieth Century
- Carver, Michael: War Since 1945
- Carver, Michael: The Seven Ages of the British Army
- Carver, Michael: Dilemmas of the Desert War: The Libyan Campaign 1940-1942
- Carver, Field Marshal Lord: El Alamein
- Carver, Field Marshal Lord: Britain's Army In The 20th Century
Further reading
- Heathcote, T.A. (1999). The British Field Marshals 1736-1997. Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-696-5
External links
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