Stuart William Peach, Baron Peach (born 22 February 1956) is a British retired seniorRoyal Air Force officer. After training as anavigator, Peach commandedIX (Bomber) Squadron and then became Deputy Station CommanderRAF Bruggen. He was deployed as NATO Air Commander (Forward) inKosovo in 2000. He went on to beChief of Defence Intelligence in 2006,Chief of Joint Operations in 2009 and the first Commander ofJoint Forces Command in December 2011 before being appointedVice-Chief of the Defence Staff in May 2013. Peach succeeded GeneralSir Nick Houghton asChief of the Defence Staff on 14 July 2016. He succeeded GeneralPetr Pavel asChairman of the NATO Military Committee on 29 June 2018, serving as such until his retirement from NATO in June 2021.
Peach was born on 22 February 1956 inWalsall,Staffordshire to Clifford Peach and Jean Mary Peach (nee Noakes).[2] He was educated atAldridge Grammar School, inAldridge, Staffordshire.[3] He studied geography, economics, and social history at theUniversity of Sheffield, graduating with aBachelor of Arts (BA) degree in 1977.[2][3] He later studied atDowning College, Cambridge, and completed aMaster of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in 1997.[2]
Peach was appointed an actingpilot officer on 1 September 1974[4] and was commissioned on graduation from university as a substantive pilot officer on 15 July 1977;[5] he was promoted toflying officer on 15 January 1978[6] and toflight lieutenant on 15 October 1978.[7] A navigator, Peach was posted toNo. 13 Squadron in 1979[2] and served a tour on theEnglish Electric Canberra in the photographic reconnaissance role before being transferred toIX (Bomber) Squadron in 1982 where he served on the ground attack variant of thePanavia Tornado in the UK.[8] He transferred toNo. 31 Squadron in 1984 and served on the Tornado in Germany.[8] Promoted tosquadron leader on 1 July 1986,[9] he became a Qualified Weapons Instructor[8] and received theQueen's Commendation for Valuable Service in the Air in the1990 Birthday Honours List.[10]
AfterStaff College in 1990 he returned to Germany to serve as Personal Staff Officer to, in turn, Deputy Commander RAF Germany, Commander-in-Chief RAF Germany and CommanderSecond Allied Tactical Air Force (of which RAF Germany formed a part),[8] being promoted towing commander on 1 July 1991.[11] Peach saw action as a Detachment Commander inSaudi Arabia duringOperation Jural.[3] From 1994 to 1996 Peach commandedIX (Bomber) Squadron operating in the Strike, Attack andSEAD role, also acting as Deputy Station CommanderRAF Bruggen.[8]
Following promotion togroup captain on 1 July 1996,[12] Peach became Director Defence Studies (Royal Air Force) in 1997, commissioning scholarship, editing books and writing articles onair power: he secured anMPhil fromDowning College, Cambridge at that time.[2] In 1999 he was appointed Assistant Director of the Higher Command and Staff Course at theJoint Services Command and Staff College (having previously graduated from that course).[8] He served as Commander British Forces Italy from 1999 to 2000 and NATO Air Commander (Forward) inKosovo in 2000,[8] as a result of which he was appointed aCommander of the Order of the British Empire on 6 April 2001.[13]
From July 2000 to June 2003, Peach was Commandant of theAir Warfare Centre,[14] and Assistant Chief of Staff Intelligence atRAF Strike Command.[8] He was promoted toair commodore on 1 January 2001.[15]
Promoted toair vice marshal on 1 August 2003,[16] Peach served as Director General Intelligence Collection from July 2003 to March 2006.[8] He was promoted toair marshal on 17 March 2006,[17] and appointedChief of Defence Intelligence,[18] becomingChief of Joint Operations in March 2009,[19] having been appointedKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the2009 New Year Honours List.[20]
Peach was promoted toair chief marshal and appointed the first commander of the newJoint Forces Command in December 2011.[21] He went on to becomeVice-Chief of the Defence Staff in May 2013.[22][23] As of 2015, Peach was paid a salary of between £190,000 and £194,999 by the department, making him one of the 328 most highly paid people in the British public sector at that time.[24] He was appointedKnight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE) in the2016 New Year Honours.[25]
On 22 January 2016, theMinistry of Defence announced that Peach would succeed GeneralSir Nick Houghton asChief of the Defence Staff in summer 2016.[26][27][28][29] Peach took over on 14 July 2016.[30] He succeeded GeneralPetr Pavel asChairman of the NATO Military Committee on 29 June 2018.[31] For his services in the role, Peach was awarded the Joint Staff Medal from Italy, appointed aCommander First Class of the Order of King Abdulaziz by Saudi Arabia, and award theCommander of the Legion of Merit andNational Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal by the United States.[32] In December 2021 Peach became the Prime Minister's Special Envoy for the Western Balkans.[33] He retired in March 2022.[1]
It was announced on 14 October 2022 that Peach would be appointed alife peer by KingCharles III.[34] On 21 November 2022, he was createdBaron Peach,ofGrantham in the County ofLincolnshire.[35] He sits as acrossbencher.[36]
He carriedCurtana, the Sword of Mercy, at theCoronation of Charles III and Camilla.[37]
On St George's Day 2024, Peach was appointed aKnight Companion of the Order of the Garter.[38][39]
Peach married Brigitte Ender in 1986; they have one son and one daughter.[2] He was President of theRAF Rugby League;[3] he is interested in sport, military history and cooking.[2]
Peach has anhonorary DTech degree fromKingston University[3] and an honorary LittD degree from the University of Sheffield.[40] He is an Honorary Fellow ofDowning College, Cambridge.[41]
| Military offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by | CommandantAir Warfare Centre 2000–2003 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Director General Intelligence Collection 2003–2006 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of Defence Intelligence 2006–2009 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Chief of Joint Operations 2009–2011 | Succeeded by |
| New title | Commander,Joint Forces Command 2011–2013 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff 2013–2016 | Succeeded by |
| Chief of the Defence Staff 2016–2018 | Succeeded by | |
| Preceded by | Chair of the NATO Military Committee 2018–2021 | Succeeded by |
| Orders of precedence in the United Kingdom | ||
| Preceded by | Gentlemen Baron Peach | Followed by |
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| Sovereign |
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|---|---|---|
| Royal Knights and Ladies (Companion) | ||
| Stranger Knights and Ladies Companion | ||
| Knights and Ladies Companion |
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| International | |
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| National | |
| People | |
