Robert Benbow
British Army general (1933–2014)
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Major General Robert Benbow CB (4 January 1933 – 9 January 2014) was a British Army general officer.
The son of a soldier also called Robert Benbow, and his wife Blanche Augusta Norris, he was born in Secunderabad, Hyderabad, a princely state which was not part of British India. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and on 31 July 1953 was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals.[1] He was promoted to Lieutenant on 31 July 1955[2] Captain on 31 July 1959,[3] Major on 31 July 1966,[4] Lt. Colonel on 31 December 1972,[5] and full Colonel on 30 June 1977.[6] When promoted to Brigadier in December 1978, he was described as "late R. Signals".[7]
From 1978 to 1980, Benbow was Commandant of the School of Signals.[8] In 1983, he was promoted to Major General[9] and was appointed as Colonel Commandant of the Royal Corps of Signals and Signal-Officer-in-Chief, serving in this post until December 1985.[10][8] From that month until April 1987, he was President of the Regular Commissions Board.[8] He then retired.[11]
Benbow died on 9 January 2014, aged 81, in Dorchester, Dorset.
Honours
In the 1986 New Year Honours, Benbow was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.[10]
Benbow was the Honorary Colonel of the Queen's Gurkha Signals.[12]