Richard Leslie Peck | |
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Born | Rushden, Northamptonshire, England | 27 May 1937
Allegiance |
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Service/ |
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Years of service | 1957–1997 |
Rank | Major-general |
Unit |
Royal Engineers Brigade of Gurkhas |
Battles/wars | Gulf War |
Awards | Companion of the Order of the Bath |
Richard Leslie Peck (born 27 May 1937) CB is a former English first-class cricketer and British Army officer. Peck served mostly with the Royal Engineers in a military career that spanned from 1957 to 1997, rising to the rank of major-general. He also played two first-class cricket matches for the Combined Services cricket team.
Peck was educated at Wellingborough School, [1] before attending the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. He graduated from Sandhurst in December 1957, where upon he entered the Royal Engineers as a second lieutenant. [2] In December 1959, he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant. [3] Promotion to captain came in December 1963. [4] He became a major in December 1969, with seniority antedated to June 1969. [5] His promotion to lieutenant colonel followed in June 1974. [6] He was promoted to the rank of colonel in December 1979, [7] and to brigadier in December 1981, antedated to June 1981. [8] Peck was appointed to the position of Chief in Engineer at the Ministry of Defence in January 1988, [9] at which point he was also promoted to the substantive rank of major-general in February 1988, with seniority to January 1987. [10] He was appointed as a companion to the Order of the Bath in the 1991 New Year Honours. [11] In the lead up to military operations in the Gulf War, Peck was involved in terrain analysis. [12] He relinquished the position of Chief in Engineer at the Ministry of Defence in August 1991. [13] Though he retired from service in December 1991, [14] he later served as colonel of the Brigade of Gurkhas, a position he had taken up in March 1993, [15] until his tenure expired in April 1996, at which point he was replaced by major-general Anthony Pigott. [16] His tenure as colonel commandant of the Royal Engineers expired in December 1997, a position he had held since October 1991, [17] at which point he was succeeded by major-general John Drewienkiewicz. [18] Following his retirement, Peck became a trustee of the Lord Kitchener Memorial Fund, which runs university scholarships for armed services members or their children. [19]
Peck played two first-class cricket matches for the Combined Services cricket team, in 1960 against Surrey at The Oval, and in 1962 against Ireland at Belfast. [20] He scored 24 runs across these two matches, as well as taking 2 wickets. [21] These wickets came in the only over he bowled in first-class cricket, during the match against Ireland when he dismissed Stanley Bergin and Noel Ferguson for the cost of one run. [22]
He later played minor counties cricket for Berkshire, making two appearances in the 1969 Minor Counties Championship and two further appearances in the 1971 Minor Counties Championship. [23] His brother David also played cricket at first-class level. [21]