The Lord Peach
Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach c. 2012
Born (1956-02-22) 22 February 1956
Walsall, Staffordshire, England
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service/branchRoyal Air Force
Years of service1974–2022[1]
RankAir Chief Marshal
Service number5202786A
Commands heldChair of the NATO Military Committee
Chief of the Defence Staff
Joint Forces Command
Chief of Joint Operations
Chief of Defence Intelligence
Air Warfare Centre
NATO Air Commander (Forward), Kosovo
IX (Bomber) Squadron
Battles/warsOperation Jural
Kosovo
AwardsKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air
Commander First Class of the Order of King Abdulaziz (Saudi Arabia)
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)
National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal (United States)
Alma materUniversity of Sheffield
Downing College, Cambridge

Air Chief Marshal Stuart William Peach, Baron Peach, GBE, KCB, DL (born 22 February 1956) is a British retired senior Royal Air Force officer. After training as a navigator, Peach commanded IX (Bomber) Squadron and then became Deputy Station Commander RAF Bruggen. He was deployed as NATO Air Commander (Forward) in Kosovo in 2000. He went on to be Chief of Defence Intelligence in 2006, Chief of Joint Operations in 2009 and the first Commander of Joint Forces Command in December 2011 before being appointed Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in May 2013. Peach succeeded General Sir Nick Houghton as Chief of the Defence Staff on 14 July 2016. He succeeded General Petr Pavel as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee on 29 June 2018, serving as such until his retirement from NATO in June 2021.

Early life and education

Peach was born on 22 February 1956 in Walsall, Staffordshire to Clifford Peach and Jean Mary Peach (nee Noakes).[2] He was educated at Aldridge Grammar School, in Aldridge, Staffordshire.[3] He studied geography, economics, and social history at the University of Sheffield, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1977.[2][3] He later studied at Downing College, Cambridge, and completed a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in 1997.[2]

Service career

A Tornado GR1 in 1988: Peach served as a navigator on this type of aircraft

Peach was appointed an acting pilot officer on 1 September 1974[4] and was commissioned on graduation from university as a substantive pilot officer on 15 July 1977;[5] he was promoted to flying officer on 15 January 1978[6] and to flight lieutenant on 15 October 1978.[7] A navigator, Peach was posted to No. 13 Squadron in 1979[2] and served a tour on the English Electric Canberra in the photographic reconnaissance role before being transferred to IX (Bomber) Squadron in 1982 where he served on the ground attack variant of the Panavia Tornado in the UK.[8] He transferred to No. 31 Squadron in 1984 and served on the Tornado in Germany.[8] Promoted to squadron leader on 1 July 1986,[9] he became a Qualified Weapons Instructor[8] and received the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the 1990 Birthday Honours List.[10]

After Staff College in 1990 he returned to Germany to serve as Personal Staff Officer to, in turn, Deputy Commander RAF Germany, Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany and Commander Second Allied Tactical Air Force (of which RAF Germany formed a part),[8] being promoted to wing commander on 1 July 1991.[11] Peach saw action as a Detachment Commander in Saudi Arabia during Operation Jural.[3] From 1994 to 1996 Peach commanded IX (Bomber) Squadron operating in the Strike, Attack and SEAD role, also acting as Deputy Station Commander RAF Bruggen.[8]

Stuart Peach in MTP Uniform.

Following promotion to group captain on 1 July 1996,[12] Peach became Director Defence Studies (Royal Air Force) in 1997, commissioning scholarship, editing books and writing articles on air power: he secured an MPhil from Downing College, Cambridge at that time.[2] In 1999 he was appointed Assistant Director of the Higher Command and Staff Course at the Joint Services Command and Staff College (having previously graduated from that course).[8] He served as Commander British Forces Italy from 1999 to 2000 and NATO Air Commander (Forward) in Kosovo in 2000,[8] as a result of which he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire on 6 April 2001.[13]

Air officer

From July 2000 to June 2003, Peach was Commandant of the Air Warfare Centre,[14] and Assistant Chief of Staff Intelligence at RAF Strike Command.[8] He was promoted to air commodore on 1 January 2001.[15]

Promoted to air vice marshal on 1 August 2003,[16] Peach served as Director General Intelligence Collection from July 2003 to March 2006.[8] He was promoted to air marshal on 17 March 2006,[17] and appointed Chief of Defence Intelligence,[18] becoming Chief of Joint Operations in March 2009,[19] having been appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2009 New Year Honours List.[20]

Peach was promoted to air chief marshal and appointed the first commander of the new Joint Forces Command in December 2011.[21] He went on to become Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff in May 2013.[22][23] As of 2015, Peach was paid a salary of between £190,000 and £194,999 by the department, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.[24] He was appointed Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the 2016 New Year Honours.[25]

Peach as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee, 2020

On 22 January 2016, the Ministry of Defence announced that Peach would succeed General Sir Nick Houghton as Chief of the Defence Staff in summer 2016.[26][27][28][29] Peach took over on 14 July 2016.[30] He succeeded General Petr Pavel as Chairman of the NATO Military Committee on 29 June 2018.[31] In December 2021 Peach became the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans.[32] He retired in March 2022.[33]

House of Lords

It was announced on 14 October 2022 that Peach would be appointed a life peer by King Charles III.[34] On 21 November 2022, he was created Baron Peach, of Grantham in the County of Lincolnshire.[35] He sits as a crossbencher.[36]

He carried Curtana, the Sword of Mercy, at the Coronation of Charles III and Camilla.[37]

Family and personal life

Peach married Brigitte Ender in 1986; they have one son and one daughter.[2] He was President of the RAF Rugby League;[3] he is interested in sport, military history and cooking.[2]

Peach has an honorary DTech degree from Kingston University[3] and an honorary LittD degree from the University of Sheffield.[38] He is an Honorary Fellow of Downing College, Cambridge.[39]

Books

  • Peach, Stuart, ed. (1998). Perspectives on Air Power: air power in its wider context. The Stationery Office. ISBN 978-0117728882.

Honours and awards

Peach in 2018, having been awarded the US Legion of Merit
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE)2016 New Year Honours[25]
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB)2009 New Year Honours[20]
Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air1990 Birthday Honours[10]
Commander First Class of the Order of King Abdulaziz(Saudi Arabia)[40]
Commander of the Legion of Merit(United States)[40]
National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal(United States)[40]

References

  1. ↑ "No. 63691". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 May 2022. p. 8832.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Who's Who 2014, A & C Black, 2010, ISBN 978-1408181195
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 "Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach KCB CBE DL BA MPhil DTech DLitt RAF". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  4. ↑ "No. 46432". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 December 1974. p. 12878.
  5. ↑ "No. 47352". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 October 1977. p. 13103.
  6. ↑ "No. 47437". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 January 1978. pp. 607–608.
  7. ↑ "No. 47670". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 October 1978. p. 12646.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 "Air Marshal S W Peach CBE BA MPhil DTech FRAeS" (PDF). Cambridge Conference. 2007. Archived from the original on 8 July 2011. Retrieved 22 January 2016.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  9. ↑ "No. 50583". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 June 1986. pp. 8719–8720.
  10. 1 2 "No. 52173". The London Gazette. 15 June 1990. p. 27.
  11. ↑ "No. 52591". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 July 1991. p. 10091.
  12. ↑ "No. 54453". The London Gazette. 1 July 1996. p. 8919.
  13. ↑ "No. 56168". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 April 2001. pp. 4244–4245.
  14. ↑ "RAF Senior Appointments" (PDF). September 2011. p. 58. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  15. ↑ "No. 56078". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 January 2001. p. 14622.
  16. ↑ "No. 57018". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 August 2003. p. 9733.
  17. ↑ "No. 57931". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 March 2006. p. 3968.
  18. ↑ "Ministry of Defence and Tri-Service Senior Appointments" (PDF). September 2011. p. 7. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  19. ↑ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 04/08 Archived 22 November 2008 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 9 June 2008
  20. 1 2 "No. 58929". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2008. p. 2.
  21. ↑ RAF Air Rank Appointments List 07/11 retrieved 1 December 2011
  22. ↑ "New senior military officers appointed". Inside Government. 24 January 2013. Retrieved 24 January 2013.
  23. ↑ "New Vice Chief of the Defence Staff". Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  24. ↑ "Senior officials 'high earners' salaries as at 30 September 2015 – GOV.UK". gov.uk. 17 December 2015. Retrieved 13 March 2016.
  25. 1 2 "No. 61450". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2015. p. N7.
  26. ↑ "Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach appointed new Chief of the Defence Staff". Ministry of Defence. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  27. ↑ "New Head of Armed Forces Is Appointed". Sky News. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  28. ↑ "Senior RAF officer who commanded Britain's intervention in Libya will be next Chief of the Defence Staff". The Daily Telegraph. 22 January 2016. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  29. ↑ BBC News (22 January 2016). "Sir Stuart Peach named as new head of UK armed forces". BBC News. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  30. ↑ "Sir Stuart Peach". Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  31. ↑ "NATO has a new top military adviser". Defence News. 29 June 2018. Retrieved 29 June 2018.
  32. ↑ "Air Chief Marshal Sir Stuart Peach GBE KCB ADC DL". GOV.UK.
  33. ↑ "No. 63691". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 May 2022. p. 8832.
  34. ↑ "Political Peerages 2022". GOV.UK. 14 October 2022. Retrieved 15 October 2022.
  35. ↑ "Crown Office | The Gazette". www.thegazette.co.uk. Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  36. ↑ "Lord Peach". Retrieved 24 November 2022.
  37. ↑ "Coronation order of service in full". BBC News. Retrieved 6 May 2023.
  38. ↑ "Honorary Graduates" (PDF). University of Sheffield. Retrieved 22 January 2016.
  39. ↑ "Honorary Fellows, Downing College, Cambridge". Retrieved 30 January 2018.
  40. 1 2 3 "Stuart Peach". Retrieved 6 November 2018.
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