Maj Gen Barney White-Spunner

Castledown Radio's Baz Reilly recently spoke to General White-Spunner, to listen to the interview Click here...

Major General Barney White-Spunner is the new General Officer Commanding the Army’s Bulford based Headquarters 3 (UK) Armoured Division. He succeeds Major General Richard Shirreff who is moving to a new post in Germany. As well as vast military expertise the General brings experience as an explorer to his new post.

Major General White-Spunner joined the Army in 1979 when was commissioned into the Blues and Royals. After a series of junior regimental appointments, he attended the Army Staff College and later commanded a United Nations Medium Reconnaissance Squadron in the UK. After two years working for the Military Secretary dealing with personnel issues, he was deputy leader of a joint Chinese/British expedition that made the first crossing of the Taklamakan Desert.

Following six months as a post-gradate student at King College London, he became Military Assistant to the Chief of the Defence Staff dealing with European and Balkans issues and from 1996 until 1998 he commanded the Household Cavalry Regiment during a time that included four squadron deployments to Bosnia.

In 1998 he became Deputy Director of Defence Policy in the Ministry of Defence dealing with long-term defence planning issues and this was followed by promotion to Brigadier and command of 16 Air Assault Brigade. He also commanded the NATO Task Force Harvest operation in the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and in 2002, the Kabul multi-National Brigade.

The following year he took over as Chief of Joint Force Operations and became Chief of Staff of the National Contingent in the Middle East in April that year. After a variety of operations in Africa and Asia he was promoted Major General in April 2005 and became Chief of Staff at Headquarters Land Command at Wilton before his new role at Bulford.

Maj General White-Spunner is married to Amanda, and they have three children, Letty, Christy and Florence. He is an Honorary Legionnaire (1st Class) in the French Foreign Legion.