Monthly Archives: January 2024

By Ed Moloney and James Kinchin-White

One of the British Army’s most controversial senior officers during the Troubles, General Sir Frank Kitson has died, aged 97, his regimental headquarters has announced. Kitson was in charge of the British Army in the 39th Brigade area in Belfast at the start of the Troubles and will be remembered mostly for launching covert units, known as the MRF, or Mobile Reaction Force, attached to regular military units using IRA spies to assist in intelligence gathering operations. Two of his spies were uncovered by the IRA and were ‘disappeared’ in the early 1970’s and their spying activities largely covered up by the IRA. A third was betrayed by Sunday Times journalists and was badly shot up by the IRA and although gravely wounded he survived. Aside from his period running the British Army’s intelligence operations in Ireland he will best be remembered for his use of similar methods against the Mau-Mau in Kenya. Kitson’s death was announced by his regimental headquarters in the following statement:

“There are not many senior officers who have initiated and brought about a significant and lasting change in Army doctrine and practice. General Sir Frank Kitson, who has died aged 97 in early January, is certainly one of them. He is well remembered by all who served with him, first in the Rifle Brigade, which he joined after schooling at Stowe, and then in the Green Jackets where he became widely known for his inimitable style of leadership and decisive command. His name was also recognised throughout the Army at large as he rose through the ranks to become Commander of 39 Brigade in Belfast and 2nd Armoured Division commander in Germany, culminating in his top job as Commander in Chief of all troops in the United Kingdom. In his early days as a young officer in the Rifle Brigade based in Germany, he indulged his love of horses and he raced and rode in various Rhine Army events and hunts. He was also a keen shot. Later as a Captain in Kenya and as a Major commanding his company in Malaya, Frank was decisive, hard-headed and practical but above all his novel approach to dealing with insurrection marked him out as an officer with a great future. His actions in Kenya earned him a Military Cross for his outstanding achievements against the Mau Mau and a second one, a Bar, for his successful jungle operations during the emergency in Malaya. Much later, a year spent in Academia as a Defence Fellow at Oxford led to the publication of a book entitled “Low Intensity Operations” in which he highlighted the measures the Army should take to prepare for operations against subversion, insurrection and peacekeeping and this original work was eventually to influence the Army’s training and operational procedures. His first book had been published in 1960, called “Gangs and Counter Gangs” it described his experiences during the Mau Mau campaign in Kenya. Later on, he turned his attention to the task of peacekeeping in Cyprus and the much more demanding intelligence and operational problems he encountered in Northern Ireland when dealing with the IRA during the so called “Troubles”. Although many people found that reading “Low Intensity Operations” was hard going, Frank’s other books were both readable and instructive as he recalled his many and varied experiences and the lessons he learned. In his next book entitled “Bunch of Five” he described how he dealt with counter-insurgency and peacekeeping operations based on his involvement in four campaigns in Kenya, Malaya, Oman and Cyprus. The fifth and final digit was to have dealt with operations in Northern Ireland, but that potato was deemed to be too hot to handle so instead he set out his conclusions on the way in which operations should be conducted in these different areas. Frank’s least favourite jobs were in the War Office, later the MoD, and he was glad to have spent only two short spells there. He was an instructor at the Royal Naval College Greenwich and also attended the American Armed Forces Staff College where, although a student, he was much in demand to address various audiences of senior American officers anxious to hear his lessons learned during his already action-packed career. Successful command of a Green Jackets battalion in the UN Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus was followed by his year at Oxford and he was promoted to brigadier in 1970 to command 39 Brigade. This was a difficult two-year period, not only for Northern Ireland, but also for Frank and Elizabeth and they were to be affected by those events for the rest of their lives. Frank was inaccurately blamed for proposing and planning internment without trial of many Catholics in 1972. But such a highly sensitive operation was necessarily thought up and sanctioned at a much more senior level than that of a brigadier. More serious than the often scurrilous and inaccurate accusations and bad press coverage were the legal and actual physical threats to Frank personally. When, after Belfast, he moved to Warminster to command the School of Infantry, the family were more than once warned of a threat to their lives and had to take rapid evasive action. In 1976 Frank returned to Germany as a major general to command the 2nd Armoured Division and after that it was back to UK as Commandant of the Staff College at Camberley. On leaving the Staff College he became Deputy C in C UKLF at Wilton as well as the Inspector General of the Territorial Army. It was no surprise when, two years later, he moved up to be the Commander in Chief as a four star general and he became an ADC (General) to HM The Queen. During those two senior appointments he planned and brought about the reorganisation and rationale of the home command. The headquarters staff was streamlined and the savings in staff posts were used to create new posts on the staffs of District Commanders who were made directly responsible for the many roles of UK based troops, not least the enormous logistic task involved in reinforcing BAOR in the event of an attack by the Warsaw Pact. Frank retired a few months before his 60th birthday but not to a life of ease as he sat down once again with his word processor and produced two books on how the Army should be organised and run. These were called “Warfare as a Whole” and “Directing Operations”. He then changed tack and produced two military history books on Prince Rupert and another on the military career of Oliver Cromwell. In retirement Frank and Elizabeth enjoyed their lives in Devon where they were hospitable and generous hosts. Frank had given up his riding and shooting but he had more time to fish on the River Tamar. He became a DL and chaired the Devon County Royal British Legion. He was Chairman of the Mounted Infantry Club, a Governor of Stowe, his old school, and a member of Boodles. All those who served with Frank Kitson will have recognised him as an exceptional soldier, a caring commander and an inspirational leader. Our heartfelt condolences go to Elizabeth, his wife of 61 years, and their three daughters, and seven grandchildren. For those who wish to write to Lady Kitson OBE DL, please refer to the RGJ Association for the address. There will be a private family funeral and, at a later date, details of a memorial service will be sent out.”