Alexander Harley

General Sir Alex Harley KBE, CB
Born	(1941-05-03) 3 May 1941 (age 83)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service / branch	British Army
Years of service	1962–2000
Rank	General
Commands	British Forces Cyprus 33rd Armoured Brigade 19th Regiment Royal Artillery
Battles / wars	The Troubles Operation Banner
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire Companion of the Order of the Bath Mentioned in Despatches

General Sir Alexander George Hamilton Harley, KBE, CB (born 3 May 1941) is a retired British Army officer and former Adjutant-General to the Forces.

Military career

Educated at Caterham School, Alexander Harley was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1962.^[1] He was mentioned in despatches for services in Northern Ireland in 1978.^[2] He was appointed Commanding Officer of 19th Regiment Royal Artillery in 1979, Commander of 33rd Armoured Brigade in 1985 and Assistant Chief of Staff Operations for the Northern Army Group in 1988.^[3] He went on to be Assistant Chief of Defence Staff in 1990 and Commander of British Forces Cyprus and Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas in 1993.^[3]

Harley became Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments) in 1995^[4] and Adjutant-General to the Forces in 1997^[5] before he retired in August 2000.^[6] He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in the 1981 Queen's Birthday Honours^[7] and a Companion of the Order of the Bath in the 1991 Queen's Birthday Honours.^[8]

Retirement

In 2001 he became Master Gunner, St. James's Park, a post he gave up in 2008.^[9] In retirement he also became an advisor to Thales Air Systems and a vice-president of Raleigh International.^[10]

Family

In 1967 he married Christina Valentine Butler-Cole and they went on to have two sons.^[3]

References

1. "No. 42804". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 October 1962. p. 7912.
2. "No. 47560". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 June 1978. p. 6842.
3. Debrett's People of Today 1994
4. "No. 53986". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 July 2008. p. 4331.
5. "No. 54781". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 June 1997. p. 6467.
6. "No. 55942". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 August 2000. p. 9035.
7. "No. 48651". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 June 1981. p. 8085.
8. "No. 52588". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 June 1991. p. 23.
9. "No. 58771". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 July 2008. p. 11003.
10. "Dan's Fund for Burns". Archived from the original on 15 October 2009. Retrieved 3 October 2009.

Military offices
Preceded by Sandy Hunter	Commander British Forces Cyprus 1993–1995	Succeeded by Peter Millar
Preceded by Sir Nicholas Hill-Norton	Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments) 1995–1997	Succeeded by Sir John Day
Preceded by Sir Michael Rose	Adjutant General 1997–2000	Succeeded by Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Vincent	Master Gunner, St. James's Park 2001–2008	Succeeded by Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman
Preceded by Sir Michael Wilkes	Colonel Commandant and President, Honourable Artillery Company 1998–2003	Succeeded by Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman