Difference between revisions of "Frank Kitson"
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| − | '''General Sir Frank Kitson''' [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]], [[Order of the Bath|KCB]], [[Military Cross|MC]] (born 1926) is a retired British Officer and | + | '''General Sir Frank Kitson''' [[Order of the British Empire|OBE]], [[Order of the Bath|KCB]], [[Military Cross|MC]] (born 1926) is a retired British Officer and counterinsurgency theorist. He rose to be [[Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces]] from 1982 to 1985 and was [[Aide-de-Camp General]] to the [[Elizabeth II of the United Kingdom|Queen]] from 1983 to 1985. In [[1985]] he became a [[Order of the British Empire|Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire]]. He saw active service in counter revolutionary operations in post war colonial conflicts. |
| + | ==Career== | ||
| + | *Kenya 1951 | ||
| + | *Malaysia 1957 | ||
| + | *Oman 1958-1959 | ||
| + | *Cyprus 1962 | ||
| + | *Britain 1969-1987 | ||
| + | *Ireland 1970-1972 | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==counterinsurgency theorist== | ||
His earlier published work on counter-gangs and measures of deception, including the use of defectors, continues to provoke strong opinions. Although sometimes wrongly credited with ''inventing'' concepts of pseudo-gangs and pseudo-operations (for example, used earlier in the [[Huk]] Insurrection<ref>[http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2005/articles/080105counter.pdf Cline, Lawrence E. (2005) ''Pseudo Operations and Counterinsurgency: Lessons from other countries'', Strategic Studies Institute, page 1]</ref> in the Philippines), his writing gave the issue a wider audience. In retirement he has given evidence to the Saville Inquiry<ref>[http://www.bloody-sunday-inquiry.org.uk/ Bloody Sunday Inquiry website]</ref> into [[Bloody Sunday (1972)|Bloody Sunday]] in Northern Ireland. | His earlier published work on counter-gangs and measures of deception, including the use of defectors, continues to provoke strong opinions. Although sometimes wrongly credited with ''inventing'' concepts of pseudo-gangs and pseudo-operations (for example, used earlier in the [[Huk]] Insurrection<ref>[http://www.blackwaterusa.com/btw2005/articles/080105counter.pdf Cline, Lawrence E. (2005) ''Pseudo Operations and Counterinsurgency: Lessons from other countries'', Strategic Studies Institute, page 1]</ref> in the Philippines), his writing gave the issue a wider audience. In retirement he has given evidence to the Saville Inquiry<ref>[http://www.bloody-sunday-inquiry.org.uk/ Bloody Sunday Inquiry website]</ref> into [[Bloody Sunday (1972)|Bloody Sunday]] in Northern Ireland. | ||
Revision as of 21:41, 4 December 2007
General Sir Frank Kitson OBE, KCB, MC (born 1926) is a retired British Officer and counterinsurgency theorist. He rose to be Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces from 1982 to 1985 and was Aide-de-Camp General to the Queen from 1983 to 1985. In 1985 he became a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire. He saw active service in counter revolutionary operations in post war colonial conflicts.
Career
- Kenya 1951
- Malaysia 1957
- Oman 1958-1959
- Cyprus 1962
- Britain 1969-1987
- Ireland 1970-1972
counterinsurgency theorist
His earlier published work on counter-gangs and measures of deception, including the use of defectors, continues to provoke strong opinions. Although sometimes wrongly credited with inventing concepts of pseudo-gangs and pseudo-operations (for example, used earlier in the Huk Insurrection[1] in the Philippines), his writing gave the issue a wider audience. In retirement he has given evidence to the Saville Inquiry[2] into Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland.
Selected bibliography
- Gangs and Counter-gangs (1960), Barrie and Rockliff
- Low Intensity Operations: Subversion, Insurgency and Peacekeeping (1971), Faber and Faber - reprint 1991 ISBN 0-571-16181-2
- Bunch of Five (1977)
- Prince Rupert: Admiral and General-at-sea (1998), Constable and Robinson
- Old Ironsides: The Military Biography of Oliver Cromwell (2004), Weidenfeld Military
