Military Provost Staff Corps

Soldier Details:

Surname: Townsend

Initials: P.E.

Rank: Major

Army No.: 481883

Notes: Provost Officer. Royal Corps of Transport. London Gazette 46557, 5517, 29/4/1975. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. Capt. F Townsend (481883) from RCT., to be Capt., 15/2/1975, with seniority 29/7/1972. London Gazette 47775, 2331, 20/2/1979. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. The undermentioned Capt to be Maj, 2/1/1978: P E Townsend (481883). (Duplicated in 47745, 654, 16/1/1979). London Gazette 52615, 11598, 30/7/1991. Corps of Royal Military Police Regular Army. The undermentioned Maj to be Lt/Col, 30/6/1991: P E Townsend, MBE. (481883). London Gazette 53835, 15273, 1/11/1994. AGC. Provost Branch. RMP. Regular Army. Lt/Col. P E Townsend, MBE. (481883) retires on retired pay, 1/11/1994 and is appointed to Res. of Offrs.

Decorations/Medals/Awards (3)

1. Decoration: Mention in Despatches

Gazette Date: 1968-01-23

Gazette Issue: 44508

Gazette Page: 879

Citation: South Arabia. Royal Corps of Transport, later RMP

2. Decoration: Member of the British Empire

Gazette Date: 1984-12-31

Gazette Issue: 49969

Gazette Page: 6

Citation: New Year Honours. Major Peter Errington Townsend (481883). o OC 113 Provost Company, RMP. BAOR Close Protection Officer. August 1982 - May 1984. Citation: In addition to his normal duties as officer Commanding, Major Townsend has been the BAOR Close Protection Officer from August 1982 to May 1984. This has entailed the detailed -planning, preparation and execution of armed operations to ensure the personal safety of members of the Royal Family, the Prime Minister, Government ministers and other visitors to BAOR culminating in the visit to Germany by HM The Queen. In all he has been personally responsible for 22 operations. He has impressed all by the magnificent way he has carried out these tasks. The operations have involved long painstaking hours spent in reconnaissance and preparation. He has carried them out with exceptional thoroughness. The strain of such armed duties and the responsibility for the safety of the principal were immense. Major Townsend met each task with a renewed vigour, complete dedication and devotion to duty which brought each operation to a successful conclusion in a most highly professional manner. In addition to the planning of the operations Major Townsend participated fully in each one, putting himself in potentially the most vulnerable and dangerous position in the immediate vicinity of the principal. He has fearlessly led from the front on all operations and the example he has set to his subordinates has been in the highest leadership tradition of the Service. He is most deserving of recognition for his outstanding, unflinching performance of particularly hazardous operations as BAOR Close Protection Officer for the period August 1982 to may 1984, these duties have been carried out in addition to his primary employment as Officer Commanding 113 Provost Company in support of an Armoured Division in BAOR. Recommended by: Col. PM BAOR. Maj. Gen. Chief of Staff, BAOR. Gen. C in C BAOR.

3. Decoration: Mention in Despatches

Gazette Date: 1989-10-31

Gazette Issue: 51920

Gazette Page: 12519

Citation: Northern Ireland.

Surname:	Townsend
Initials:	P.E.
Rank:	Major
Army No.:	481883
Notes:	Provost Officer. Royal Corps of Transport. London Gazette 46557, 5517, 29/4/1975. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. Capt. F Townsend (481883) from RCT., to be Capt., 15/2/1975, with seniority 29/7/1972. London Gazette 47775, 2331, 20/2/1979. Corps of Royal Military Police. Regular Army. The undermentioned Capt to be Maj, 2/1/1978: P E Townsend (481883). (Duplicated in 47745, 654, 16/1/1979). London Gazette 52615, 11598, 30/7/1991. Corps of Royal Military Police Regular Army. The undermentioned Maj to be Lt/Col, 30/6/1991: P E Townsend, MBE. (481883). London Gazette 53835, 15273, 1/11/1994. AGC. Provost Branch. RMP. Regular Army. Lt/Col. P E Townsend, MBE. (481883) retires on retired pay, 1/11/1994 and is appointed to Res. of Offrs.