Field Marshal Sir John Lyon Chapple, (27 May 1931 – 25 March 2022) was a

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer who served as

Chief of the General Staff The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is a post in many armed forces (militaries), the head of the military staff. List * Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff ( United States) * Chief of the General Staff (Abkhazia) * Chief of General Staff (Af ...

(CGS), the professional head of the British Army, from 1988 to 1992. Early in his military career he saw action during the Malayan Emergency and again during the Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation and later in his career he provided advice to the British government during the

Gulf War The Gulf War was a 1990–1991 armed campaign waged by a Coalition of the Gulf War, 35-country military coalition in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. Spearheaded by the United States, the coalition's efforts against Ba'athist Iraq, ...

Early life

Chapple was born in

Maida Vale Maida Vale ( ) is an affluent residential district consisting of the northern part of Paddington in West London, west of St John's Wood and south of Kilburn. It is also the name of its main road, on the continuous Edgware Road. Maida Vale is ...

, London, to Charles Chapple and Elsie Lyon. Elsie was a doctor; Charles served in the army during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, first on the Western Front in France and later in Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq). Chapple attended

Haileybury College Haileybury may refer to: Australia * Haileybury (Melbourne), a school in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia ** Haileybury Rendall School, an offshoot in Berrimah, North Territory, Australia China * Haileybury International School, an internatio ...

, his time there coinciding with the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposi ...

; on one occasion a German

V-1 flying bomb The V-1 flying bomb (german: Vergeltungswaffe 1 "Vengeance Weapon 1") was an early cruise missile. Its official Ministry of Aviation (Nazi Germany), Reich Aviation Ministry () designation was Fi 103. It was also known to the Allies as the buz ...

landed near the school, damaging the buildings. At school, he discovered a passion for drama and took part in five expeditions with the British Exploring Society.

Early military career

Chapple undertook

National Service National service is the system of voluntary government service, usually military service. Conscription is mandatory national service. The term ''national service'' comes from the United Kingdom's National Service (Armed Forces) Act 1939. The ...

and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the

Royal Artillery The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery (RA) and colloquially known as "The Gunners", is one of two regiments that make up the artillery arm of the British Army. The Royal Regiment of Artillery comprises t ...

on 3 June 1950. He went to

Trinity College, Cambridge Trinity College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge. Founded in 1546 by King Henry VIII, Trinity is one of the largest Cambridge colleges, with the largest financial endowment of any college at either Cambridge or Oxford. ...

, in October 1951, studying German and history. While still at University, he transferred to the

King's Regiment (Liverpool) The King's Regiment (Liverpool) was one of the oldest line infantry regiments of the British Army, having been formed in 1685 and numbered as the 8th (The King's) Regiment of Foot in 1751. Unlike most British Army infantry regiments, which were ...

as a second lieutenant on 4 December 1952, and to the

South Lancashire Regiment The South Lancashire Regiment was a line infantry regiment of the British Army in existence from 1881 to 1958. The regiment, which recruited, as its title suggests, primarily from the South Lancashire area, was created as part of the Childers Re ...

also in the same rank on 20 October 1953. He became a

lieutenant A lieutenant ( , ; abbreviated Lt., Lt, LT, Lieut and similar) is a commissioned officer rank in the armed forces of many nations. The meaning of lieutenant differs in different militaries (see comparative military ranks), but it is often ...

in the South Lancashire Regiment on 27 May 1954 and, on leaving University, transferred to the

2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) The 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) was a rifle regiment of the British Indian Army before being transferred to the British Army on India's independence in 1947. The 4th Battalion joined the Indian Army as the 5th Ba ...

on 3 August 1954. retaining his rank as a lieutenant. At the time Chapple joined the Ghurkas, they were engaged in fighting in Malaya during the Malayan Emergency, against communist guerrillas attempting to overthrow British colonial rule. Chapple spent three years with the regiment in intense jungle combat in southern

Johor Johor (; ), also spelled as Johore, is a state of Malaysia in the south of the Malay Peninsula. Johor has land borders with the Malaysian states of Pahang to the north and Malacca and Negeri Sembilan to the northwest. Johor shares maritime ...

. He was promoted to captain on 9 February 1957. In 1962, he was sent to the army's Staff College, Camberley, in Surrey in preparation for higher rank, and then promoted major on 9 February 1964. He was sent to Germany to take up an administrative position in the

British Army of the Rhine There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine (BAOR). Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War and the other after the Second World War. Both formations had areas of responsibility located ...

before re-joining the Ghurkas, this time in

Borneo Borneo (; id, Kalimantan) is the third-largest island in the world and the largest in Asia. At the geographic centre of Maritime Southeast Asia, in relation to major Indonesian islands, it is located north of Java, west of Sulawesi, and ea ...

, again involved in jungle warfare, this time against Indonesia as part of the Indonesian Confrontation. Appointed a

Member of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

in the Queen's Birthday Honours 1969 and promoted to lieutenant colonel on 31 December, he was appointed commanding officer of the 1st Battalion, 2nd Gurkha Rifles in 1970. He commanded the battalion in Singapore, and then in Hong Kong, both British colonies at the time. The troops were stationed near the border between Hong Kong and China due to tensions between the new communist regime and the west. Chapple was appointed to the Directing Staff at the Staff College, Camberley in 1972. After spending much of the year as a services fellow at

Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge Fitzwilliam College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge , mottoeng = Literal: From here, light and sacred draughts. Non literal: From this place, we gain enlightenment and precious knowledge. , establish ...

in 1973, he was posted to the Directorate of Staff Duties at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) at the end of the year, with promotion to

colonel Colonel (abbreviated as Col., Col or COL) is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. It is also used in some police forces and paramilitary organizations. In the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a colonel was typically in charge o ...

on 31 December 1973.Heathcote, Anthony p. 86 During his tenure at the MoD, the army was faced with issues in Northern Ireland, the

Turkish invasion of Cyprus The Turkish invasion of Cyprus began on 20 July 1974 and progressed in two phases over the following month. Taking place upon a background of intercommunal violence between Greek and Turkish Cypriots, and in response to a Greek junta-s ...

(1974), while the newly installed Labour government sought to make defence cutbacks east of Suez. He was promoted to

brigadier Brigadier is a military rank, the seniority of which depends on the country. In some countries, it is a senior rank above colonel, equivalent to a brigadier general or commodore, typically commanding a brigade of several thousand soldiers. I ...

on 31 December 1975, and given command of the Gurkha Field Force, stationed in Hong Kong, in 1976. He became Principal Staff Officer to the Chief of the Defence Staff in 1978, serving first Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Neil Cameron and later Admiral of the Fleet Sir Terence Lewin.

High command

He was appointed a

Commander of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established ...

in the 1980 Queen's Birthday Honours, and returned once more to Hong Kong as Commander British Forces on 13 June 1980, with the substantive rank of

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

from 1 January 1981. He returned to the United Kingdom to be Director of Military Operations at the MoD on 19 October 1982. Northern Ireland was again high on the army's agenda, and Chapple was among those advocating for prisoner of war status for

Provisional Irish Republican Army The Irish Republican Army (IRA; ), also known as the Provisional Irish Republican Army, and informally as the Provos, was an Irish republican paramilitary organisation that sought to end British rule in Northern Ireland, facilitate Irish reu ...

prisoners, to allow their detention indefinitely. During his tenure,

Margaret Thatcher Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher (; 13 October 19258 April 2013) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990 and Leader of the Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She was the first female British prime ...

's government embarked on a programme of centralisation of the armed forces and Chapple represented the army on the committee overseeing it. The committee eliminated the position of Vice Chief of the General Staff, the deputy head of the army and the position which would have been Chapple's next post. Challenger Desert Storm 1

Appointed a

Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate medieval ceremony for appointing a knight, which involved bathing (as a symbol of purification) as o ...

in the 1985 Queen's Birthday Honours, Chapple became the inaugural Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Programmes and Personnel) on 2 January 1985 in the rank of

lieutenant general Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

. The post was a centralised one, with responsibilities to all three services, and resulted from the reforms Chapple had been part of in his previous position. He was promoted to the rank of

general A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, and marines or naval infantry. In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colonel."general, adj. and n.". OED ...

on 29 June 1987, and appointed Commander-in-Chief,

United Kingdom Land Forces United Kingdom Land Forces was a command of the British Army responsible for generating and preparing forces for current and contingency operations. The commander of the forces was known as Commander-in-Chief, United Kingdom Land Forces, who in ...

. He was appointed

Aide-de-Camp General Aide-de-camp general is a senior honorary appointment for generals in the British Army. The recipient is appointed as an aide-de-camp general to the head of state, currently King Charles III. They are entitled to the post-nominals "ADC (Gen.)". T ...

the Queen In the English-speaking world, The Queen most commonly refers to: * Elizabeth II (1926–2022), Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 1952 until her death The Queen may also refer to: * Camilla, Queen Consort (born 1947), ...

on 6 October 1987 and advanced to a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the

1988 Birthday Honours Queen's Birthday Honours are announced on or around the date of the Queen's Official Birthday in Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The dates vary, both from year to year and from country to country. All are published in supple ...

. After a relatively brief tour as commander-in-chief, his last appointment was as

(the professional head of the army) from 10 September 1988. Chapple was in-post for the implementation of the

Options for Change Options for Change was a restructuring of the British Armed Forces in summer 1990 after the end of the Cold War. Until this point, UK military strategy had been almost entirely focused on defending Western Europe against the Soviet Armed Forces, ...

reforms brought in with the end of the Cold War served in this post, in which he provided military advice to the British Government on the conduct of the

, until he retired with promotion to field marshal on 13 February 1992. Although widely expected to be the next Chief of the Defence Staff (professional head of all the armed forces), the post instead went to Sir Peter Harding of the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

. Chapple was appointed Colonel of the 2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles) on 14 September 1986, and Honorary Colonel of the Oxford University Officers Training Corps on 21 July 1987.

Later career

Chapple was also a trustee of the Gurkha Museum from 1973 to 2003, a trustee of the

National Army Museum The National Army Museum is the British Army's central museum. It is located in the Chelsea district of central London, adjacent to the Royal Hospital Chelsea, the home of the " Chelsea Pensioners". The museum is a non-departmental public bo ...

from 1981 to 2003, a trustee of the World Wildlife Fund UK from 1988 to 1993, President of the

Zoological Society of London The Zoological Society of London (ZSL) is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats. It was founded in 1826. Since 1828, it has maintained the London Zoo, and since 1931 Whipsnade Park. History On 29 ...

from 1992 to 1994 and

Governor of Gibraltar The governor of Gibraltar is the representative of the British monarch in the British overseas territory of Gibraltar. The governor is appointed by the monarch on the advice of the British government. The role of the governor is to act as the ...

from 1993 to 1995.

Personal life

In 1959 Chapple married Annabel Hill, whom he met through a university friend; they have one son and three daughters. Their daughter, Rachel Lucy Chapple, is a social anthropologist. Their son, David Chapple, is a consultant orthopaedic and spinal surgeon. Chapple's interests included military history.'' Who's Who 2010'', A & C Black, 2010, Chapple died on 25 March 2022, aged 90, at his home in Salisbury after a short illness.

Early life

Early military career

High command

Later career

Personal life

See also

References

Further reading