Peter de la Billiere

General Sir Peter de la Billiere was born in 1934 and educated at Harrow School. He joined the King's Shropshire Light Infantry in 1952, and after commissioning into the Durham Light Infantry he saw active service in Korea and Egypt. He saw active service throughout the Middle and Far East over the next thirty years, much of it with the Special Air Service.

In October 1990 he assumed command of the British Forces in the Middle East - a position he held until the liberation of Kuwait from the invading Iraqi forces in 1991.