James Swift | |
---|---|
Swift in 2019 | |
Born | (1967-10-06) 6 October 1967 (age 57) |
Allegiance | United Kingdom |
Service | British Army |
Years of service | 1989–2023 |
Rank | Lieutenant General |
Unit | Royal Regiment of Wales Royal Welsh |
Commands | 3rd (United Kingdom) Division 20th Armoured Brigade 2nd Battalion, Royal Welsh |
Battles / wars | Iraq War |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
Lieutenant General James Francis Pardoe Swift, CB, OBE (born 6 October 1967) is a retired senior British Army officer.
Early life and education
Swift was born on 6 October 1967 in Bottisham, Cambridgeshire, England. He was educated at Netherhall School and Hills Road Sixth Form College. He studied chemistry at Christ Church, Oxford, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1989; as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Oxon) degree in 1992.
Military career
Swift was commissioned in to the Royal Regiment of Wales on 1 September 1989. He served as commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Welsh during the Iraq War, for which he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) on 25 July 2008. He became Commander of the 20th Armoured Brigade in May 2012.
Swift was appointed Director of Strategy in March 2016; the post was re-titled as Assistant Chief of the General Staff in September 2018. He became General Officer Commanding the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division in November 2018. It was announced on 30 January 2020 that Swift would become Chief of Defence People (CDP), succeeding Lieutenant General Richard Nugee in late February 2020. Swift was promoted to lieutenant general on 27 February 2020, and retired from the army on 25 April 2023.
Swift was appointed Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) in the 2023 New Year Honours.
References
- ^ "Swift, Maj. Gen. James Francis Pardoe, (born 6 Oct. 1967), Director Strategy, Army Headquarters, since 2016". Who's Who 2020. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2019. doi:10.1093/ww/9780199540884.013.U287162.
- "No. 51948". The London Gazette (Supplement). 28 November 1989. p. 13727.
- "Royal Welsh come back from Iraq to heroes' welcome". Barry Today. 14 December 2007. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "No. 58776". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 July 2008. p. 11244.
- "Senior Army Appointments" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "What's in a name? Title changes for two senior British Army leaders". British Army. Retrieved 1 September 2018.
- "MoD announces new faces in command". Salisbury Journal. 17 September 2018. Retrieved 20 November 2018.
- "Major General James Swift appointed as Chief of Defence People". UK Ministry of Defence. London, United Kingdom. 30 January 2020. Retrieved 31 January 2020.
- "No. 62947". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 March 2020. p. 5503.
- "No. 64035". The London Gazette (Supplement). 25 April 2023. p. 8358.
- "No. 63918". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2022. p. N3.
Military offices | ||
---|---|---|
Preceded byRupert Jones | Assistant Chief of the General Staff 2018–2018 |
Succeeded byRalph Wooddisse |
Preceded byNick Borton | General Officer Commanding the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division 2018–2020 |
Succeeded byMichael Elviss |
Preceded byRichard Nugee | Chief of Defence People 2020–2023 |
Succeeded byPhilip Hally |
- British Army lieutenant generals
- Companions of the Order of the Bath
- Officers of the Order of the British Empire
- 1967 births
- Royal Regiment of Wales officers
- Alumni of Christ Church, Oxford
- The Royal Welsh officers
- Living people
- Military personnel from Cambridgeshire
- 20th-century British Army personnel
- British Army personnel of the Iraq War