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Peace, War and Whitehall: A Memoir
'Charles Guthrie has been one of Britain's foremost soldiers as well as a terrific personality throughout his remarkable life. It is great that he is now telling his own story.' - Sir Max Hastings
Field Marshal the Lord Guthrie commanded at every level in the British Army from platoon to army group, and was Britain's senior military commander at a time of great change. He oversaw the modernization of the armed forces following the Cold War years and led Britain's military involvement in operations in the Balkans and Sierra Leone.
Charles Guthrie was commissioned into the British Army in 1959 at a time when Britain's influence was shrinking throughout the world, and Peace, War and Whitehall describes his operational experience with both the Welsh Guards and 22 SAS in Aden, Malaya, East Africa, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.
As a senior officer he commanded the Welsh Guards during an operational tour of the Bandit Country of South Armagh at the height of the Troubles, before leading an armoured brigade in Germany in the midst of the Cold War, and eventually being appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Army of the Rhine and Northern Army Group as the Cold War ended and the former Yugoslavia began to disintegrate into savage internecine warfare.
Peace, War and Whitehall details Lord Guthrie's extraordinary career from a young platoon commander through to Chief of the Defence Staff.
Field Marshal the Lord Guthrie commanded at every level in the British Army from platoon to army group, and was Britain's senior military commander at a time of great change. He oversaw the modernization of the armed forces following the Cold War years and led Britain's military involvement in operations in the Balkans and Sierra Leone.
Charles Guthrie was commissioned into the British Army in 1959 at a time when Britain's influence was shrinking throughout the world, and Peace, War and Whitehall describes his operational experience with both the Welsh Guards and 22 SAS in Aden, Malaya, East Africa, Cyprus and Northern Ireland.
As a senior officer he commanded the Welsh Guards during an operational tour of the Bandit Country of South Armagh at the height of the Troubles, before leading an armoured brigade in Germany in the midst of the Cold War, and eventually being appointed Commander-in-Chief of the British Army of the Rhine and Northern Army Group as the Cold War ended and the former Yugoslavia began to disintegrate into savage internecine warfare.
Peace, War and Whitehall details Lord Guthrie's extraordinary career from a young platoon commander through to Chief of the Defence Staff.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published December 28, 2021
15 people want to read
About the author
Charles Guthrie
13 booksField Marshal Charles Ronald Llewelyn Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank GCB, LVO, OBE, DL
Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Welsh Guards upon graduation from Sandhurst (1959) and rose through the officer ranks of the British Army during a career spanning 42 years. He served as Chief of the General Staff (1994-1997) and Chief of the Defence Staff (1997-2001, his retirement).
He served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and in the Bosnian and Kosovo wars.
Among his honors and appointments, he was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 1977, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980, raised to a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in 1984, appointed Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps in 1986, invested a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1990, in 1994 he was appointed an Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Queen Elizabeth II and raised to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB), in 1999 he was appointed Colonel of the Life Guards and Gold Stick-in-Waiting (a bodyguard position in the service of the Sovereign), he was also received the Legion of Merit (officer class, United States), appointed Colonel Commandant of the Special Air Service (SAS) in 2000, given a life peerage as Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank in 2001, promoted to the rank of honorary Field Marshal in 2012, became Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University in 2013, as a convert to Roman Catholicism he was invited to become a Knight of Malta, and became a Patron of the Cardinal Hume Centre (a Catholic charity to help the homeless) as well as a patron of several other charitable organizations.
Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst.
Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Welsh Guards upon graduation from Sandhurst (1959) and rose through the officer ranks of the British Army during a career spanning 42 years. He served as Chief of the General Staff (1994-1997) and Chief of the Defence Staff (1997-2001, his retirement).
He served in Northern Ireland during the Troubles and in the Bosnian and Kosovo wars.
Among his honors and appointments, he was appointed a Member of the Royal Victorian Order (MVO) in 1977, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1980, raised to a Lieutenant of the Royal Victorian Order (LVO) in 1984, appointed Colonel Commandant of the Intelligence Corps in 1986, invested a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in 1990, in 1994 he was appointed an Aide-de-Camp (ADC) to Queen Elizabeth II and raised to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB), in 1999 he was appointed Colonel of the Life Guards and Gold Stick-in-Waiting (a bodyguard position in the service of the Sovereign), he was also received the Legion of Merit (officer class, United States), appointed Colonel Commandant of the Special Air Service (SAS) in 2000, given a life peerage as Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank in 2001, promoted to the rank of honorary Field Marshal in 2012, became Chancellor of Liverpool Hope University in 2013, as a convert to Roman Catholicism he was invited to become a Knight of Malta, and became a Patron of the Cardinal Hume Centre (a Catholic charity to help the homeless) as well as a patron of several other charitable organizations.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
January 15, 2022
If I have hero it is Field Marshall Sir Alan Brooke. Chief of the Imperial General Staff from 1941-46 and the British Government’s principal advisor and military strategist during the most perilous years of British history. I suspect few members of the public who pass his statue in Whitehall have any idea how much they owe to this man for protecting the freedoms they take for granted today. Field Marshall Lord Charles Guthrie, one of Brooke!s successors as head of the Army and later Chief of the Defence Staff, was cut from the same excellent cloth.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lord Charles’ memoirs which portray the modesty, integrity, determination and loyalty of this considerable man. They are rich in both military anecdote and the precepts of effective leadership which can be applied to any career. Lord Charles conveys the deep sense of family which comes from membership of a regiment which lives, fights, celebrates and grieves together. Like Sir Alan Brooke, he cared deeply about the welfare of soldiers under his command and recognised that discipline is founded in respect and integrity and not the barking of orders.
Lord Charles was as effective on the ‘battlefields’ of Whitehall as he was on operational duty. He is fulsome in his praise for those he feels deserve it and he rates Michael Portillo, George Robertson, Lord Carrington and Denis Healy as outstanding Ministers of Defence. In stark contrast, he is equally honest in his utter contempt for Gordon Brown who he felt sent the army to Afghanistan underfunded, unsupported and poorly equipped. French Presidents D’Estaing and De Gaulle are also condemned rightly as “pompous and preposterous” demagogues.
A very enjoyable book by an exceptional individual who has given Britain dedicated and loyal service throughout his life. These memoirs provide a thoughtful insight from the centre of complex and dangerous historical events. They are also a must for those who wish to better understand the essence of effective and inspiring leadership whatever their chosen career.
I thoroughly enjoyed reading Lord Charles’ memoirs which portray the modesty, integrity, determination and loyalty of this considerable man. They are rich in both military anecdote and the precepts of effective leadership which can be applied to any career. Lord Charles conveys the deep sense of family which comes from membership of a regiment which lives, fights, celebrates and grieves together. Like Sir Alan Brooke, he cared deeply about the welfare of soldiers under his command and recognised that discipline is founded in respect and integrity and not the barking of orders.
Lord Charles was as effective on the ‘battlefields’ of Whitehall as he was on operational duty. He is fulsome in his praise for those he feels deserve it and he rates Michael Portillo, George Robertson, Lord Carrington and Denis Healy as outstanding Ministers of Defence. In stark contrast, he is equally honest in his utter contempt for Gordon Brown who he felt sent the army to Afghanistan underfunded, unsupported and poorly equipped. French Presidents D’Estaing and De Gaulle are also condemned rightly as “pompous and preposterous” demagogues.
A very enjoyable book by an exceptional individual who has given Britain dedicated and loyal service throughout his life. These memoirs provide a thoughtful insight from the centre of complex and dangerous historical events. They are also a must for those who wish to better understand the essence of effective and inspiring leadership whatever their chosen career.
April 30, 2022
Well written and captures the life of a british officer in the post 2nd world war world army very well. My primary interest in it is that i am familiar with a lot of the people he mentions and worked with, which will pf course not be the case for most readers. Guthrie is of course a true gent and that jumps out of the pages.
March 28, 2024
A fantastic book that offers a great insight into the Armed Forces and gives a great account of arguably one of the best Officers to ever Commission. Highly recommended especially to anyone with an interest in the Military.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews