Roland Walker
British Army officer; Chief of the General Staff since June 2024; President and Colonel Commandant of the Honourable Artillery Company
| Roland Walker
| |
|---|---|
| Nationality | British |
| Occupation | British Army officer |
| Known for | Chief of the General Staff (2024–); Director Special Forces; President of the Honourable Artillery Company |
General Sir Charles Roland Vincent Walker KCB DSO ADC Gen, known as Roly Walker, is a British Army officer. He has been Chief of the General Staff since June 2024.[1] He served in 22 Special Air Service Regiment and was Director Special Forces before April 2021.[2] He is President and Colonel Commandant of the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), and a trustee of the HAC charity.[3][4]
Early career
GOV.UK says that Roland Walker "was commissioned into the Irish Guards in 1993". He has "commanded at company, battle group, and brigade levels, variously in Northern Ireland, Afghanistan, Iraq".[1] His 2023 government biography said he joined "the 22nd Special Air Service Regiment in 1997".[2]
Grenadier Guards and brigade command
GOV.UK says that Roland Walker "commanded the Grenadier Guards in 2009, promoting to the General Staff four years later".[1] His 2023 biography instead said he "exchanged his commission to the Grenadier Guards in 2009, before being promoted into the General Staff in 2011".[2] He was appointed to the Distinguished Service Order "in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in Afghanistan during the period 1 October 2009 to 31 March 2010".[5]
Special forces and Ministry of Defence
His 2023 government biography said he had served in "UK Special Forces (UKSF) Group" headquarters, that his "last appointment was as Director Special Forces", and that he became Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Military Strategy & Operations) at the Ministry of Defence "on promotion in April 2021".[2] When his appointment as Chief of the General Staff was announced, The Telegraph said he "served as Special Forces commander" and would be "only the second person to be promoted to Chief of the General Staff having served as Director Special Forces".[6]
GOV.UK says that as Deputy Chief he was "responsible for advising on and directing new operations to support the government's response to Covid, the death of the late Duke of Edinburgh, the withdrawal from Kabul, the full-scale invasion of Ukraine by Russia, the death of the late Queen Elizabeth II and coronation of King Charles III, numerous evacuation operations and most recently the Hamas attacks on Israel". It says he was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 2023.[1]
His 2023 biography listed these honorary roles:[2]
- Colonel Commandant of the Royal Army Veterinary Corps
- Regimental Lieutenant Colonel of the Grenadier Guards
- Member of the Honourable Artillery Company's regimental council
- President of the UK Armed Forces Equestrian Association
Chief of the General Staff
The Ministry of Defence announced on 12 December 2023 that Roland Walker would be the next Chief of the General Staff, succeeding General Sir Patrick Sanders.[7] GOV.UK says "He assumed the appointment on 15 June 2024".[1]
On 23 July 2024 he said that the British Army must be ready for war within three years.[8] In 2025 he was considered for Chief of the Defence Staff; the post went to Richard Knighton.[9] The Army's command structure page lists him as "General Sir Roland Walker KCB DSO ADC Gen".[10]
Honourable Artillery Company
The London Gazette records that Roland Walker, then a lieutenant general, was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Honourable Artillery Company on 31 May 2024, "in succession to General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen".[3] The Charity Commission for England and Wales register lists him as a trustee of the HAC charity from 1 June 2024, as "Lt General Sir Charles Roland Vincent Walker KCB DSO".[4] The HAC's 2025 accounts list him as President of the Court of Assistants.[11] The HAC website says the Court "is chaired by the President & Colonel Commandant, General Sir Roland Walker KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen". GOV.UK, the Army and the Gazette do not give him a CBE.[12][1][10] GOV.UK says that he is also President of Army Rugby and Army Winter Sports.[1]
See also
Notes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Ministry of Defence, General Sir Roly Walker KCB DSO GOV.UK, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ministry of Defence, Lieutenant General Roly Walker DSO GOV.UK, archived 28 September 2023, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 The London Gazette, Issue 64418, supplement p. 11222 The London Gazette, 11 June 2024, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Charity Commission for England and Wales, The Honourable Artillery Company (208443) Register of Charities, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ The London Gazette, Issue 59554, supplement p. 18535 The London Gazette, 24 September 2010, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ The Telegraph, SAS war hero named as Chief of General Staff promises to make Army fit for future The Telegraph, 12 December 2023, accessed 2 November 2026.
- ↑ Ministry of Defence, General Sir Roly Walker appointed new Chief of the General Staff GOV.UK, 12 December 2023, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ Sky News, UK must be ready for war in three years, head of British Army warns Sky News, 23 July 2024, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ Larisa Brown, RAF chief Sir Richard Knighton to be head of armed forces The Times, 3 June 2025, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 British Army, Command structure army.mod.uk, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ Honourable Artillery Company, Report of the Court of Assistants and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 October 2025, filed with the Charity Commission for England and Wales, accessed 1 November 2026.
- ↑ Honourable Artillery Company, The Company hac.org.uk, accessed 1 November 2026.