Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Sir David Robert Bill, (born 17 November 1954) is a senior

British Army The British Army is the principal land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces along with the Royal Navy and the Royal Air Force. , the British Army comprises 79,380 regular full-time personnel, 4,090 Gurk ...

officer who served as Commandant of the

Royal College of Defence Studies The Royal College of Defence Studies (RCDS) instructs the most promising senior officers of the British Armed Forces, His Majesty's Diplomatic Service and Civil Service in national defence and international security matters at the highest lev ...

Early life and education

Bill was born on 17 November 1954 to Robert Bill, DSO, RN and Wendy Jean Bill (née Booth). He was educated at Charterhouse School and

Welbeck College Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College (stylised as Welbeck – The Defence Sixth Form College), formerly named and often referred to as simply Welbeck College, was an independent, selective sixth form college in Leicestershire, England. While run a ...

Military career

Bill was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in 1973. After commanding 33 Independent Field Squadron in

Northern Ireland Northern Ireland ( ga, Tuaisceart Éireann ; sco, label= Ulster-Scots, Norlin Airlann) is a part of the United Kingdom, situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, that is variously described as a country, province or region. Nort ...

, he became commanding officer of 39 Engineer Regiment at

Waterbeach Waterbeach is an expanding village north of Cambridge on the edge of The Fens, in the South Cambridgeshire district of Cambridgeshire, England. It was designated a "new town" in 2018. History Early periods Waterbeach is on the Car Dyke, a Ro ...

. He was posted to UK Land Forces in 1997 first as Commander, Royal Engineers and then as Brigadier, General Staff. Promoted to

major general Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of ...

in 2002, Bill became General Officer Commanding UK Support Command (Germany) at Rheindahlen. He went on to be Deputy Commander NATO Rapid Deployable Corps (Italy) in September 2006 and UK Military Representative to NATO in October 2008. He became Commandant of the

in 2012.Royal College of Defence Studies: About us
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Family

Bill is married to Gabrielle; they have two sons and a daughter.

References

, - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Bill, David 1954 births Living people British Army lieutenant generals Knights Commander of the Order of the Bath People educated at Charterhouse School Royal Engineers officers British military personnel of The Troubles (Northern Ireland) People educated at Welbeck Defence Sixth Form College