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 a ...

Michael James von Bertele (born 23 August 1956) is a retired 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. From 2009 to 2012, he was

Director General A director general or director-general (plural: ''directors general'', ''directors-general'', ''director generals'' or ''director-generals'' ) or general director is a senior executive (government), executive officer, often the chief executive offi ...

of the

Army Medical Services The Army Medical Services (AMS) is the organisation responsible for administering the corps that deliver medical, veterinary, dental and nursing services in the British Army. It is headquartered at the former Staff College, Camberley, near the ...

Early life

Von Bertele was born on 23 August 1956. He is the son of Otto Bertele von Grenadenberg and his wife Monica von Bertele (née Barrett). He was educated at the all-boys

St Mary's Grammar School St. Mary's Grammar School is a grammar school in Magherafelt, County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. History St. Mary's was founded in 1927 by the Holy Family of Bordeaux, Sisters of the Holy Family of Bordeaux. Ten girls were enrolled in the f ...

Darlington Darlington is a market town in the Borough of Darlington, County Durham, England. The River Skerne flows through the town; it is a tributary of the River Tees. The Tees itself flows south of the town. In the 19th century, Darlington underwen ...

. He worked as a

drayman A drayman was historically the driver of a dray, a low, flat-bed wagon without sides, pulled generally by horses or mules that were used to transport all kinds of goods. Modern use The word "drayman" is used in U.S. ports as the over the road ...

for Schwechat Brewery in Vienna from 1974 to 1976. Married Frances Loudon, younger daughter of Dr and Mrs Joe Loudon in April 1985, two daughters born 1987 and 1989 and one son born 1992.

Military career

On 24 September 1976, von Bertele was commissioned into the

Royal Army Medical Corps The Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC) is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all Army personnel and their families, in war and in peace. The RAMC, the Royal Army Veterinary Corps, the Royal Army Dental Corps a ...

as a

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

(on probation) (Medical Cadetship). He was given the service number 502799. He went on to study medicine at the Welsh National School of Medicine in Cardiff, Wales. He graduated with

Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery Bachelor of Medicine, Bachelor of Surgery ( la, Medicinae Baccalaureus, Baccalaureus Chirurgiae; abbreviated most commonly MBBS), is the primary medical degree awarded by medical schools in countries that follow the tradition of the United King ...

(MB BCh) in 1979. He was promoted to lieutenant (on probation) on 12 July 1979. He then underwent further medical training for a year as a Pre-registration house officer. On 1 August 1980, his commission was confirmed and he was promoted to

captain Captain is a title, an appellative for the commanding officer of a military unit; the supreme leader of a navy ship, merchant ship, aeroplane, spacecraft, or other vessel; or the commander of a port, fire or police department, election precinct, e ...

. Between 1980 and 1983, he was a Medical Officer in one of the Parachute Field Ambulance's. He was a member of a surgical team at Ajax Bay and was attached to the 3rd Battalion The Parachute Regiment for the assault on Mt Longdon during the

Falklands War The Falklands War ( es, link=no, Guerra de las Malvinas) was a ten-week undeclared war between Argentina and the United Kingdom in 1982 over two British dependent territories in the South Atlantic: the Falkland Islands and its territorial de ...

of 1982. In 1983, he began practising aviation medicine. He was promoted to

major Major (commandant in certain jurisdictions) is a military rank of commissioned officer status, with corresponding ranks existing in many military forces throughout the world. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators ...

on 1 August 1985. He was awarded a Diploma in Aviation Medicine in 1986. He was promoted to

lieutenant colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...

on 1 August 1992. He then became

Commanding Officer The commanding officer (CO) or sometimes, if the incumbent is a general officer, commanding general (CG), is the officer in command of a military unit. The commanding officer has ultimate authority over the unit, and is usually given wide latitu ...

of the 5th Field Ambulance. In the same year, he was awarded Membership of the Faculty of Occupational Medicine (MFOM). From April 1993 to November 1993, he commanded the British Medical Battalion of the United Nations Protection Force in the former Republic of Yugoslavia. Between 1996 and 1998, he was the Commander Medical 3rd (UK) Division. In 2000, he graduated from the Royal College of Defence Studies. He was promoted to colonel on 1 August 2000. From 2001 to 2003, he was Colonel of Employment Policy (Army). He was promoted to brigadier on 5 December 2003. He then joined the

Ministry of Defence {{unsourced, date=February 2021 A ministry of defence or defense (see spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is an often-used name for the part of a government responsible for matters of defence, found in states ...

as Director of Medical Operational Capability from 2004 to 2006. On 2 October 2006, he was promoted to major general and appointed Chief executive of the Defence Medical Education and Training Agency. He was appointed Commander Joint Medical Command in 2008. In 2009, he was appointed Director General

. He retired from the

on 25 December 2012 and was then appointed to the Reserve of Officers.

Later life

Following his retirement from the

, von Bertele joined Picker Institute Europe as Chief executive. It is a 'not-for-profit organisation that makes patients' views count in healthcare'. He resigned from the company in March 2013. From 2013 he served as Humanitarian Director for Save the Children International. In 2015, World Health Organization Director General Margaret Chan appointed von Bertele as member of the Advisory Group on Reform of WHO's Work in Outbreaks and Emergencies with Health and Humanitarian Consequences.Members of the Advisory Group on Reform of WHO’s Work in Outbreaks and Emergencies with Health and Humanitarian Consequences
World Health Organization.

Honours and decorations

On 26 April 1994, von Bertele was appointed

Officer of the Order of the British Empire The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is a British order of chivalry, rewarding contributions to the arts and sciences, work with charitable and welfare organisations, and public service outside the civil service. It was established o ...

(OBE) "in recognition of distinguished services in the former Republic of Yugoslavia during the period April 1993 to November 1993". He was appointed

Honorary Surgeon The Medical Household is the medical part of the Royal Household of the Sovereign of the United Kingdom. It mainly comprises a range of Physicians and Surgeons to the Sovereign and to the Royal Household. None have more than a nominal or occasion ...

to The Queen (QHS) on 10 March 2008. In the

2012 Birthday Honours The Birthday Honours List 2012 was released on 16 June 2012 in the United Kingdom. on 11 June 2012 in Australia on 4 June 2012 in New Zealand,Companion of the Order of the Bath Companion may refer to: Relationships Currently * Any of several interpersonal relationships such as friend or acquaintance * A domestic partner, akin to a spouse * Sober companion, an addiction treatment coach * Companion (caregiving), a caregive ...

(CB). In 2013 he was elected Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians FRCP.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Von Bertele, Michael 1956 births Living people British Army major generals Royal Army Medical Corps officers Companions of the Order of the Bath Officers of the Order of the British Empire British Army personnel of the Falklands War