Frank Kitson General Sir Frank Edward Kitson ( born 1926 ) is a retired British Army officer and writer on military subjects , notably low intensity operations . He rose to be Commander - in - Chief UK Land Forces from 1982 to 1985 and was Aide - de - Camp General to the Queen from 1983 to 1985 . Army career . Kitson joined the army as a second lieutenant on an emergency commission in the Rifle Brigade ( Prince Consort ' s Own ) , he was appointed to a regular commission as a lieutenant on 10 April 1948 ( with seniority from 15 December 1947 ) , and promoted to captain on 15 December 1953 . He was awarded the Military Cross ( MC ) on 1 January 1955 for service in the Mau Mau Uprising in Kenya , and was awarded a Bar to it on 23 May 1958 , for service in the Malayan Emergency the previous year , the citation for the bar read : He was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the 1959 Queen ' s Birthday Honours . He was promoted major on 15 December 1950 , and brevet lieutenant - colonel on 1 July 1964 , and to the substantive rank on 31 December 1966 . He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire ( OBE ) in the 1968 New Year Honours . He was promoted colonel on 31 December 1969 ( with seniority from 30 June 1969 ) , and brigadier on 30 June 1970 . From September 1970 Kitson commanded 39 Airportable Brigade , which comprised 8 ( frequently changing ) battalions on short , four month , tours . A further brigade was usually attached as brigade reserve , but this could be employed elsewhere as required . On 15 February 1972 he was promoted Commander of the Order of the British Empire ( CBE ) for his operational service in Northern Ireland the previous year . On 22 January 1976 he became General Officer Commanding 2 Division , with the acting rank of major - general , with substantive promotion following on 5 April 1976 ( and seniority from 2 June 1974 ) , and leading its re - designation as an Armoured Division in Germany before stepping down on 28 February 1978 . He was then Commandant of the Staff College , Camberley , 5 March 1978 – 18 January 1980 . He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath ( KCB ) in the 1980 New Year Honours . On 17 March 1980 he was appointed Deputy Commander - in - Chief UK Land Forces and Inspector General Territorial Army , with substantive promotion to lieutenant - general ( with seniority backdated to 17 August 1979 ) . He held those appointments until 30 May 1982 , and then became Commander - in - Chief , UK Land Forces on 1 July 1982 with local rank of general . As is traditional for senior officers of the British Army , Kitson held a number of more honorary positions , Colonel Commandant of 2nd Battalion , Royal Green Jackets 1 January 1979 – 1 January 1987 ; Honorary Colonel to the University of Oxford Officer Training Corps 21 July 1982 – 21 July 1987 ; Aide - de - Camp General to the Queen 14 February 1983 – 1985 . In 1985 he was promoted to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire ( GBE ) . He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Devon on 19 June 1989 . In retirement he has given evidence to the Saville Inquiry into Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland . Selected bibliography . He is author of the following books :