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Maurice Robert Johnston

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Sir

Maurice Robert Johnston
Born(1929-10-27)27 October 1929
Died10 November 2024(2024-11-10) (aged 95)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Years of service1949–1982
RankLieutenant General
Service number403506
UnitRoyal Artillery
Commands20th Armoured Brigade
1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards
Battles / warsIndonesia–Malaysia confrontation
The Troubles
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Commander of the Royal Victorian Order
Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Other workLord Lieutenant of Wiltshire

Lieutenant General Sir Maurice Robert Johnston, KCB, CVO, OBE (27 October 1929 – 10 November 2024) was a British Army officer. He served as Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operational Requirements) from 1981 to 1982, and Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from 1996 to 2004.[1][2]

Early life and army career

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The son of Brigadier Allen Leigh Johnston OBE and of his wife Gertrude Geraldine Templer, Johnston was born on 27 October 1929.[3] He was educated at Wellington College and the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[3] From Sandhurst he was commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1949,[4] promoted lieutenant in 1951,[5] and captain in 1955,[6] when he also transferred to The Queen's Bays.[7] He served in Germany, Egypt, Jordan, Libya, Northern Ireland, and Borneo before being posted as an instructor at the Army Staff College from 1965 to 1967.[3] He was promoted major in 1962[8] and lieutenant colonel in 1967.[9] He was Military Assistant to the Chief of the General Staff from 1968 to 1971 and commanding officer the 1st The Queen's Dragoon Guards, 1971 to 1973,[3] before promotion to brigadier,[10] and command of the 20th Armoured Brigade from 1973 to 1975.[3] He was Brigadier (General Staff) at Headquarters UK Land Forces from 1977 to 1978, joined the Senior Directing Staff of the Royal College of Defence Studies in 1979,[3] with acting promotion to major general,[11] was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff in 1980,[12] his rank was made substantive in 1980,[13] and Chief of the Defence Staff (Operational Requirements) in 1981, with promotion to lieutenant general,[14] before retiring in 1984.[15]

Business career

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After retirement from the British Army in 1982, Johnston was managing director of Freshglen Limited (1984 to 1985) and of Unit Security Limited (1985 to 1988), then Chairman of Secondary Resources PLC, 1988 to 1991 and of Detention Corporation, 1988 to 1994. He was also a director of Partek Cargotec Limited from 1984, and of Shorrock Guards Limited from 1988 to 1991.[3]

Voluntary work

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Johnston served as a governor of Dauntsey's School since 1987 and was also a governor of St Mary's, Calne, from 1988 to 1994, as well as supporting Wiltshire County Scouts. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Wiltshire in 1990,[16] as High Sheriff of Wiltshire for 1993–1994,[17] and served as Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire from 1996 to 2004.[3][2][18] As Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire, he was an ex officio member of the Court of the University of Southampton.[19]

Personal life and death

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Johnston married Belinda Mary Sladen in 1960, and they had one son and one daughter.[3]

In 2004, Johnston was reported to be living at Ivy House, Worton, near Devizes.[18][20]

Johnston died at home on 10 November 2024, at the age of 95.[21]

Publications

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  • Johnston, Sir Maurice, 'More Power to the Centre: MOD Reorganisation' in RUSI Journal, March 1983[22]

Honours

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References

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  1. ^ "No. 54463". The London Gazette. 11 July 1996. p. 9361.
  2. ^ a b "No. 57490". The London Gazette. 9 December 2004. p. 15488.: appointment of successor, John Bush
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Who's Who 2003 (A. & C. Black, London, 2003), page 1146
  4. ^ "No. 38703". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 September 1949. pp. 4227–4228.
  5. ^ "No. 39283". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 July 1951. p. 4220.
  6. ^ "No. 40541". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 July 1955. p. 4220.
  7. ^ "No. 40544". The London Gazette (Supplement). 22 July 1955. p. 4293.
  8. ^ "No. 42728". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 July 1962. p. 5555.
  9. ^ "No. 44357". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 June 1967. p. 7383.
  10. ^ "No. 46174". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 January 1974. p. 267.
  11. ^ "No. 47745". The London Gazette (Supplement). 15 January 1979. p. 647.
  12. ^ "No. 48100". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 February 1980. p. 2625.
  13. ^ "No. 48229". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 June 1980. p. 8995.
  14. ^ "No. 48511". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 February 1981. p. 1561.
  15. ^ "No. 49619". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 January 1984. p. 685.
  16. ^ "No. 52202". The London Gazette. 4 July 1990. p. 11412.
  17. ^ "No. 53247". The London Gazette. 15 March 1993. p. 4679.
  18. ^ a b c Free at last for Sir Maurice[permanent dead link‍] in Salisbury Journal, 17 November 2004, online at salisburyjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2008
  19. ^ The University Court from Southampton University Calendar 2005, online at soton.ac.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2008
  20. ^ Johnston, Sir Maurice at Burkes Peerage. Retrieved 12 May 2012
  21. ^ "Lt Gen Sir Maurice Johnston KCB CVO OBE". The Times. 20 November 2024. Retrieved 20 November 2024.
  22. ^ Smith, Paul, Government & Armed Forces in Britain 1856–1990 (Continuum International Publishing Group, 2003, ISBN 1-85285-144-9), page 250 online at books.google.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2008
  23. ^ "No. 45262". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1970. p. 5.
  24. ^ "No. 48837". The London Gazette. 30 December 1981. p. 2.
  25. ^ "No. 50583". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 June 1986. p. 8717.
  26. ^ "No. 52691". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 October 1991. p. 16038.
  27. ^ "No. 54586". The London Gazette. 20 November 1996. p. 15365.
  28. ^ Agenda and Minutes[permanent dead link‍] of Special Meeting of Swindon Borough Council on Thursday, 18 November 2004, online at swindon.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2008: "...this Council resolves by virtue of Section 249(5) of the Local Government Act 1972, to hereby admit Sir Maurice Johnston, KCB, OBE, to be an Honorary Freeman of the Borough of Swindon as a token of the high esteem in which he is held by the townspeople of the Borough and in recognition of his eminent services to the community."
  29. ^ "No. 57509". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 2004. p. 3.
  30. ^ Sir Maurice is made a CVO[permanent dead link‍] dated 5 January 2005, at wiltshiretimes.co.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2008
  31. ^ Annual Accounts of the Shaw Trust Ltd for year ended Archived 28 May 2008 at the Wayback Machine 2 April 2005 online at shaw-trust.org.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2008
[edit]
Military offices
Preceded by Assistant Chief of the General Staff
January 1980 – December 1980 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operational Requirements)
1981–1983 		Succeeded by
Honorary titles
Preceded by Lord Lieutenant of Wiltshire
1996–2004 		Succeeded by
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