Michael Willcocks
Elizabeth II | |
|---|---|
| Preceded by | Sir Edward Jones |
| Succeeded by | Sir Freddie Viggers |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 27 July 1944 |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch/service | Commander of the Royal Victorian Order |
Sir Michael Alan Willcocks, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod for the Parliament of the United Kingdom's House of Lords.
Military career
Willcocks was
Commanding Officer of 1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery in 1983.[1]
Willcocks became Deputy Assistant Chief of Staff at
Headquarters UK Land Forces in 1985, Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence/Operations at Headquarters UK Land Forces in 1988 and Commander Royal Artillery for the 4th Armoured Division in 1989.[1] He went on to be Assistant Chief of Staff for Land Operations at the Joint War Headquarters for the Gulf War in 1991, Director of Army Plans and Programme at the Ministry of Defence in 1991 and Director-General Land Warfare at the Ministry of Defence in 1993.[1]
Willcocks was then appointed Chief of Staff for the
UK military representative to NATO and the European Union from 2000 until his retirement in 2001.[1]
Black Rod
Willcocks was appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod on 9 May 2001. After seven years in this post, he announced in late 2008 that he was stepping down from the role,[2] and relinquished the post on 29 April 2009.[3]
At Willcocks' first
the Queen Mother's lying-in-state at Westminster Hall.[5]
Willcocks was appointed a
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order on his retirement as Black Rod on 29 April 2009.[3] He is also a Knight Commander of Merit with Star of the Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George.[7]
Other roles
Willcocks is also the current Charter Commissioner for the Press Complaints Commission.[8]
References
- ^ a b c d e f Debrett's People of Today Archived 27 September 2011 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Appointment to the post of Black Rod". Parliament of the United Kingdom. 17 December 2008. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009.
- ^ a b "Court Circular". The Times. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 9 February 2009. (subscription/registration required)
- ^ "Appointment to the post of Black Rod". Parliament of the United Kingdom. 17 December 2008. Archived from the original on 18 June 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2009.
- ^ "Honours for Queen Mother's staff", telegraph.co.uk, 5 August 2002; accessed 23 October 2014.
- ^ "No. 55710". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1999. p. 2.
- ^ Sacred Military Constantinian Order of St George website; accessed 23 October 2014.
- ^ Press Complaints Commission Archived 27 November 2010 at the Wayback Machine, pcc.org.uk; accessed 23 October 2014.
External links
- NATO page
- Video of the "I Shall Miss You Dennis" incident, bbc.co.uk; accessed 23 October 2014.
- Reference to Sir Michael Willcocks, indcatholicnews.com; accessed 23 October 2014.
- Reference to Sir Michael Willcocks, theyworkforyou.com; accessed 23 October 2014.
- Reference to Sir Michael Willcocks, parl.gc.ca; accessed 23 October 2014.