Ralph Wooddisse

Wooddisse was commissioned into the Royal Anglian Regiment on 3 September 1989.^[3] He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on 20 October 1999 in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during operations in Kosovo between January and June that year.^[4] He later served as a company commander in Iraq during the Iraq War, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2007 Birthday Honours,^[5] and became commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment in March 2009.^[2]

Wooddisse went on to be Assistant Head, Military Strategic Plans at the Ministry of Defence in May 2012, commander of 38th (Irish) Brigade in November 2013,^[6] and General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division in May 2017.^[7] Wooddisse was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours,^[8] and appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff in November 2018.^[9]

Wooddisse was promoted to lieutenant general and became Commander Field Army on 19 April 2021.^[10] He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2022 Birthday Honours.^[11] He took up the NATO post of Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in March 2024.^[12]

He was Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment until 2023,^[13] and a Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Adjutant General's Corps until September 2024.^[14] He was appointed Colonel Commandant of the Queen's Division on 1 November 2024,^[15] and Colonel of the Ranger Regiment in a new appointment on 30 April 2025.^[16]

In 2000, Wooddisse married Louise. Together they have three daughters.^[1]