David Leakey
Template:Short description Template:Use British English Template:Use dmy dates Template:Infobox officeholder Lieutenant General Arundell David Leakey, Template:Post-nominals (born 18 May 1952<ref name=Birth>Template:Cite news</ref>) is a former British Army officer. He was Director General of the European Union Military Staff in the Council of the European Union, Brussels. In 2010 he was appointed Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, a role he held until February 2018.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Early life and family
{{#invoke:Labelled list hatnote|labelledList|Main article|Main articles|Main page|Main pages}} Leakey is the son of Major General Rea Leakey and nephew of Victoria Cross recipient Nigel Leakey. Leakey was educated at Sherborne School.<ref name="EU bio" /> He is also related to the Victoria Cross recipient Joshua Leakey.<ref name="Daily Telegraph - Heroism runs in the family for VC Para">Template:Cite news</ref>
Military career
After attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, Leakey was commissioned into the Royal Tank Regiment as a second lieutenant (on probation) on 27 February 1971. His service number was 491002.<ref name="LG 30 March 1971">Template:London Gazette</ref> From 4 September 1971<ref name="LG 11 October 1971">Template:London Gazette</ref> to 1 July 1974 he was a university cadet<ref name="LG 18 November 1974">Template:London Gazette</ref> while he read law at Fitzwilliam College, University of Cambridge.<ref name="EU bio">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref><ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> His commission was confirmed on 1 July 1974 with seniority from 1 February 1971.<ref name="LG 18 February 1975">Template:London Gazette</ref> He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 July 1974 with seniority from 1 February 1973,<ref name="LG 18 February 1975" /> and to captain on 1 August 1977.<ref name="LG 1 August 1977">Template:London Gazette</ref> He served in the UK, Northern Ireland, Germany, Bosnia and in Canada in armoured vehicles and in tanks (Chieftain and Challenger).<ref name="EU bio" />
Having attended the Staff College, Camberley, Leakey was promoted to major on 30 September 1984.<ref name="LG 15 October 1984">Template:London Gazette</ref> He was appointed Chief of Staff at 7th Armoured Brigade (Germany), Military Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff and then Commanding Officer of the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment.<ref name="EU bio" />
Leakey was promoted to colonel on 31 December 1993 with seniority from 30 June 1993.<ref name="LG 31 December 1993">Template:London Gazette</ref> He was then posted to the Ministry of Defence as a Colonel Military Operations. In that role, he was responsible for Operational planning and policy affecting Eastern and Western Europe. In early 1995, he attended the Higher Command and Staff Course. In late 1995, he was the UK's Military Representative at the peace negotiations to end the Bosnian War held in the United States. The successful negotiations resulted in the signing of the Dayton Agreement and an end to the three-and-a-half-year-long war.<ref name="EU bio" />
Leakey was promoted to brigadier on 31 December 1995 with seniority from 30 June 1995.<ref name="LG 29 December 1995">Template:London Gazette</ref> He was appointed Commander of 20th Armoured Brigade in Germany in 1996.<ref name="EU bio" /> With his brigade, he was posted to the former Yugoslavia from 21 December 1996 to 20 June 1997.<ref name="LG 4 December 1997" /> He returned to the Ministry of Defence as Director of Military Operations from July 1997 to December 1999.<ref name="Army Commands 1900-2011">{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref>
In 2000, Leakey attended the Royal College of Defence Studies. He was Chief of Staff at Headquarters Northern Ireland<ref name="EU bio" /> from February to December 2001.<ref name="Army Commands 1900-2011" /> He was promoted to major general on 15 December 2001.<ref name="LG 18 December 2001">Template:London Gazette</ref> From December 2001 to October 2004, he was Director General of Army Training and Recruiting.<ref name="Army Commands 1900-2011" /> On 6 October 2004, he was appointed Commander of European Union Force Althea,<ref name="LG 2 November 2004">Template:London Gazette</ref> the European Union peacekeeping force, which replaced the NATO-led SFOR in Bosnia and Herzegovina.<ref name="EU bio" /> He was promoted to lieutenant general on 28 February 2007.<ref name="LG 6 March 2007">Template:London Gazette</ref> From 1 March 2007<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> until 2010, he was Director General of the European Union Military Staff in Brussels.<ref name="EU bio" />
Leakey retired from the military on 22 September 2010.<ref name="LG 28 September 2010">Template:London Gazette</ref>
Later life
Leakey was appointed as Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod in the House of Lords from February 2011<ref>{{#invoke:citation/CS1|citation |CitationClass=web }}</ref> to December 2017. In early 2020 Leakey argued strongly against former Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow being appointed to the House of Lords, accusing him of bullying and explosive behaviour.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Shadow Home Secretary and Member of Parliament Diane Abbott has defended Bercow, stating that as a military man, Leakey was "unlikely to have been bullied by Bercow".<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
Personal life
Leakey was chairman of the National Children's Orchestra, but he resigned in June 2014. He has also been a member of the Parliament Choir.
He was appointed a Governor of Sherborne School and Sherborne School Group in 2018 and chairman in July 2020. He is also a trustee of numerous other Charitable and not for profit organisations.
He is an amateur piano player and singer. He is married with two sons. He enjoys classical music, playing squash, tennis, golf, most field sports, and chain sawing.<ref name="EU bio" />
Honours and awards
Leakey was Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Regiment from 21 August 2006<ref name="LG 3 October 2006">Template:London Gazette</ref> to 30 July 2010<ref name="LG 31 August 2010">Template:London Gazette</ref> and previously Deputy Colonel Commandant since 16 July 1999.<ref name="LG 5 October 1999">Template:London Gazette</ref> He was Honorary Colonel of the Dorset Yeomanry Squadron of the Royal Wessex Yeomanry until September 2024,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> Honorary Colonel of the Dorset Army Cadet Force until 1 July 2025,<ref>Template:London Gazette</ref> as well as Colonel of Cadet Force Music.
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References
External links
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- Pages with broken file links
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- 1952 births
- British military personnel of The Troubles (Northern Ireland)
- Living people
- Alumni of Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge
- Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies
- British Army lieutenant generals
- British officials of the European Union
- Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George
- Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order
- Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
- Directors General of the European Union Military Staff
- Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst
- Graduates of the Staff College, Camberley
- Leakey family
- People educated at Sherborne School
- Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service
- Royal Tank Regiment officers
- Ushers of the Black Rod
- 21st-century British Army personnel