John Richards (Royal Marines officer)

Lieutenant General Sir John Charles Chisholm Richards, KCB, KCVO (21 February 1927 – 5 October 2004) was a Royal Marines officer who served as Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps in the Royal Household from 1982 to 1991.

Sir John Richards
Born	21 February 1927
Died	5 October 2004 (aged 77)
Allegiance	United Kingdom
Service/branch	Royal Marines
Years of service	1945–81
Rank	Lieutenant General
Commands held	Commandant General Royal Marines (1977–81) 3 Commando Brigade (1976–76) 42 Commando (1970–72) 45 Commando (1968–69)
Battles/wars	Malayan Emergency Aden Emergency
Awards	Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath Knight Commander of the Royal Victorian Order

Military career

Educated at Worksop College, Richards joined the Royal Marines in 1945.[1] He was appointed Commanding Officer of 45 Commando in 1968, Commander of 42 Commando in 1972,[2] and Commander of 3 Commando Brigade in 1975 before becoming Commandant General Royal Marines in 1977 and retiring in 1981.[1]

In retirement he became Her Majesty's Marshal of the Diplomatic Corps[3] in the Royal Household from 1982 to 1991.[1]

Family

In 1953 he married Audrey Hidson; they had two sons and one daughter.[1]

References

1. Debrett's People of Today 1994
2. Combat Zone
3. Catto, Henry E. (1998). Ambassadors at sea: the high and low adventures of a diplomat. University of Texas Press. p. 242. ISBN 978-0-292-71212-6. Retrieved 10 September 2010.