Peter Inge British Field Marshal Date of Birth: 05.08.1935 Country: Great Britain

1. Early Life and Military Career
2. Command and Staff Appointments
3. Senior Appointments
4. Post-Military Career

Early Life and Military Career

Field Marshal Sir Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank, GCB, LVO, OBE, DL (born 1938) is a retired British Army officer who served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1994 to 1997. He was the last person to be appointed a Field Marshal in peacetime and is currently a life peer in the House of Lords.

Guthrie attended Wellington College, Shropshire, before joining the British Army in 1956. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1959 and served with British forces in Hong Kong, Germany, and Libya.

Command and Staff Appointments

Guthrie's military career included numerous command and staff appointments. He commanded a company in Northern Ireland and a battalion from 1972. He also served as a staff officer with the British Army of the Rhine (BAOR) and commanded a training unit at a staff college.

In 1983, Guthrie became General Officer Commanding (GOC) North East District and then Head of Home Defence Operations in the Ministry of Defence. He was appointed Commander of 1st Corps in 1987 and promoted to Lieutenant General.

Senior Appointments

Guthrie's senior appointments included Commander of BAOR (1989-1992) and Commander of NATO's Northern Army Group. He was promoted to General in 1989. In 1992, he became Chief of the General Staff (CGS) of the British Army.

In March 1994, Guthrie was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), the highest military post in the United Kingdom. He was promoted to Field Marshal on appointment and received the barony of Guthrie of Craigiebank when he retired in April 1997.

Post-Military Career

Since retiring from the military, Guthrie has remained an active figure in public life. He was a member of the Butler Review, which investigated the use of intelligence in the lead-up to the Iraq War. He has also been a vocal critic of British involvement in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars.

In 2008, Guthrie co-authored a controversial memorandum calling for a return to the concept of pre-emptive nuclear strikes. He has also advocated for reforms to NATO's decision-making process, including a shift towards majority voting and the removal of veto powers.

Guthrie remains an influential voice on matters of defence and is widely respected for his strategic insights and his commitment to public service.