Michael Boyce, Baron Boyce

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Admiral The Lord Boyce GCB OBE DL
2 April 1943 –

Lord Boyce
Picture: Courtesy of the Submariners Association
Place of birth Cape Town, South Africa
Allegiance Flag of the United Kingdom United Kingdom
Service/branch Royal Navy
Years of service 1961 - 2003
Rank Admiral
Battles/wars Cold War
Falklands War
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath
Officer of the Order of the British Empire

Admiral Michael Cecil Boyce, Baron Boyce, GCB, OBE, DL (born 2 April 1943) is a cross bench member of the British House of Lords, a former First Sea Lord of the Royal Navy and Chief of Defence Staff.

[edit] Naval career

Educated at Hurstpierpoint College he joined the Royal Navy in 1961. He was a submariner who went on to command the submarines HMS Oberon, HMS Opossum and HMS Superb.[1] He went on to command the frigate, HMS Brilliant.[2] He was promoted to sub-lieutenant (from acting sub-lieutenant) in 1965,[3] lieutenant in 1966[4] and lieutenant-commander in 1974.[5]

From 1986 to 1991 he held several posts at the Ministry of Defence, first as Assistant Director of Naval Plans and then as Director of Naval Staff Duties. From 1992 to 1995 he was Flag Officer, Surface Flotilla and from 1995 to 1997 he was Commander-in-Chief Naval Home Command.[2]

He was appointed Commander-in-Chief Fleet in 1997, First Sea Lord and Chief of Naval Staff in 1998 and, then, Chief of the Defence Staff in 2001,[2] he retired from that position in 2003.[6]

Boyce was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1982 Queen's Birthday Honours.[7] He was knighted in the 1995 New Year Honours, as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB).[8] In 2002 he was made a Knight of the Venerable Order of Saint John.[9] He was created a life peer as Baron Boyce, of Pimlico in the City of Westminster in 2003 after retiring as Chief of the Defence Staff.[10] In 2004 he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London.[11]

[edit] Later career

Flag of Admiral Lord Boyce, as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
Flag of Admiral Lord Boyce, as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports

In retirement he was one of the several retired Chiefs of Defence Staff who spoke out in the House of Lords about the risk to servicemen facing liability for their actions - for which he claims politicians are ultimately responsible - before the International Criminal Court.[12]

Lord Boyce had also expressed concern regarding the legality of the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and sought an assurance from the Government that it was legal. The advice that it was has since been subject to sustained attack.

In July 2004 he was appointed Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports,[13][14] to succeed the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother. Lord Boyce was the first former Chief of the Naval Staff to hold this appointment.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Navy News Biography
  2. ^ a b c Submariners Association
  3. ^ London Gazette: no. 43836, page 11545, 10 December 1965. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  4. ^ London Gazette: no. 44099, page 9588, 30 August 1966. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  5. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 46174, page 264, 7 January 1974. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  6. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 57019, page 13881, 11 November 2003. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  7. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 49008, page 5, 11 June 1982. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  8. ^ London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 53893, page 2, 30 December 1994. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  9. ^ London Gazette: no. 56766, page 14391, 27 November 2002. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  10. ^ London Gazette: no. 56977, page 7693, 20 June 2003. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  11. ^ London Gazette: no. 57172, page 209, 8 January 2004. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  12. ^ Why Britain's top Serviceman would not end up in the Dock
  13. ^ London Gazette: no. 57496, page 15732, 15 December 2004. Retrieved on 2007-12-20.
  14. ^ Appointment as Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
Military offices
Preceded by
Sir Jock Slater		 First Sea Lord
1998–2001		 Succeeded by
Sir Nigel Essenhigh
Preceded by
Sir Charles Guthrie		 Chief of the Defence Staff
2001–2003		 Succeeded by
Sir Michael Walker
Honorary titles
Preceded by
HM Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother		 Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports
2004–Present		 Succeeded by
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First Sea Lords of the Royal Navy
Admiral of the Fleet
First Naval Lords (1828–1904)
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