Lieutenant General Anthony Palmer was commissioned into the Royal Green Jackets in 1970. He commanded a platoon in Londonderry for a year at the start of the troubles, leaving shortly before Bloody Sunday in 1971. He has served in Germany (twice) and he attended the Staff College in Pakistan in 1981. Most of the active part of his career has been spent in Northern Ireland and he commanded 8th Infantry Brigade based in Londonderry. He left there in 1995 to attend the Royal College of Defence Studies. After that relaxing year, he spent three years grappling with the Army's budget in the Ministry of Defence. He was responsible for the Army input to the Strategic Defence Review in 1996. He left Whitehall in 1998 to take up the position as Director General Army Training and Recruiting. After this he spent 6 months in Sarajevo as Deputy Commander (Operations) of the Stabilisation Force in Bosnia. He became Deputy Chief of Defence Staff (Personnel) in July 2002.
In 1999, he was appointed the first Colonel Commandant of the Corps of Army Music and he was also Colonel Commandant of 1st Battalion The Royal Green Jackets and Regimental Colonel Commandant, The Royal Green Jackets. He has been Colonel Commandant The Light Division during the difficult period during which the Infantry has been reorganised. He has been President of both the Army Cricket and Football Association.
He retired in October 2005. He is married with three children and lives in North Dorset. His interests include music - he is a keen amateur pianist and fisherman. He plays tennis and golf and supports Southampton Football Club.
1951 - 1964 Sir Frederick Bourne KCSI CIE SPk
Former Governor of East Bengal
1964 - 1970 Sir Ambrose Dundas KCIE CSI
1970 - 1981 Sir Alexander MacFarquhar KBE CIE
Former Director of Personnel United Nations
1981 - 1989 The Rt. Hon. Sir Frederick Bennett PC MP HQA Member of Parliament
1989 - 1999 Sir Oliver Forster KCMG LVO
Former British High Commissioner to Pakistan
1999 - 2000 Mr Richard Fyjis-Walker CMG CVO
Former British Ambassador to Pakistan
2001 - 2002 Sir Nicholas Barrington KCMG LVO
Former British High Commissioner to Pakistan
2002 - 2005 Sir Christopher MacRae KCMG
Former British High Commissioner to Pakistan
