MAJOR GENERAL Peter Pearson attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 1975 and was commissioned into the 10th Princess Mary's Own Gurkha Rifles.

After tours in Northern Ireland and Belize he moved to Warminster as an instructor at the Platoon Commanders' Division of the School of Infantry until 1981. There followed two years at Regimental Duty as Adjutant in Hong Kong and in the UK. In 1984, he commanded Support Company in the UK.

From Camberley he was posted to the British Army of the Rhine as Chief of Staff, Headquarters 20 Armoured Brigade. In 1989, he returned to his Regiment to command a rifle company in Brunei. On promotion to Lieutenant Colonel in October 1990, he became Military Assistant to the Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces. He returned to Hong Kong to assume command of 10GR in May 1993.

In April 1996 he became Assistant Chief of Staff J3 (LAND) in the newly formed Permanent Joint Headquarters (PJHQ). He assumed command of 19 Mechanized Brigade and Catterick Garrison in December 1997. At the time, the Headquarters was carrying out an operational tour in Bosnia, forming the nucleus of the Multi-National Division (South West). The Headquarters was later deployed to Pristina in Kosovo commanding Multi-National Brigade (Centre) from August 1999 to February 2000. For this operational tour he was made CBE.

In May 2000 he became Assistant Chief of Staff Training & Development at Headquarters Land Command and Chief of Staff Field Army in September 2001. From July 2002 until June 2003 Major General Pearson was Deputy Commander Operations in the NATO led Stabilisation Force in Bosnia.

His last appointment before becoming Commandant of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst was as Commander British Forces Cyprus and Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas of Akrotiri and Dhekelia, from September 2003 to April 2006.

He is married to Francesca and they have two sons and a daughter. He is a keen sportsman and is also an amateur picture framer. He is Colonel of The Royal Gurkha Rifles, President of the RGR Trust and a Trustee of the Gurkha Welfare Trust, the 10GR Trust and the British Forces Foundation. He is also author of the final volume of the 10GR Regimental History, published in March 2000, and President of the RGR Association.

Maj Gen Peter Pearson CBE