NEW APPOINTMENT OF HONORARY COLONEL TO THE ROYAL MONTSERRAT DEFENCE FORCE

Her Excellency The Governor, Sarah Tucker, is pleased to confirm the appointment of Major  General Alex Turner as Honorary Colonel of the Royal Montserrat Defence Force (RMDF). 

Major General Turner was commissioned into the Irish Guards in 1998. He has previously deployed on operations to Kosovo, Northern Ireland, Iraq and Afghanistan. He served as an infantry instructor, an observer with the United Nations on the Kuwait/ Iraq border in 2002/3, as an analyst with the  MoD’s Defence Intelligence Staff and a stint with the Directorate of Training (Army) where he  designed individual training for operations.  

A published military historian, he has lectured and broadcast about the First World War and is an  active member of an organisation that explores and surveys Western Front tunnel systems. He is a  fellow of the MacDowell Arts Colony in New Hampshire USA for creative writing, and a keen, if cautious, mountaineer. 

Major General Turner, as Honorary Colonel and senior officer, will carry considerable moral authority  as the symbolic and ceremonial head of the Regiment. His role is in fostering ‘esprit de corps’ and  supporting the leadership without being involved in daily operations. He will also represent the unit within  civilian and military communities.

Lt. Col. Alvin Ryan, Commanding Officer of the RMDF began his military career in 1986 and made  history in 2022 as the first RMDF officer to reach the rank of Lt. Colonel. He said of the  appointment:  

“I am exceptionally proud of the long historical association that the RMDF has with the Irish Guards and Major General Turner’s appointment as Honorary Colonel is a signal of the special  relationship that endures between the two units. I plan to leverage his vast operational experience  to support the development of my officers and hope to have the opportunity of welcoming him to  Montserrat some time very soon!” 

Her Excellency commented, “The Royal Montserrat Defence Force plays a critical role within our  community, and I commend all of its membership. Having Major General Alex Turner as Honorary  Colonel will bolster the support and development of the RMDF and I hope rekindle the positive  relationship with the Irish Guards. I look forward to welcoming our Honorary Colonel to Montserrat  in the near future.”