Gordon Messenger

Lieutenant General Gordon Kenneth Messenger DSO & Bar OBE ADC is a Royal Marines officer who served as British Commander of Task Force Helmand, during the 3 Commando Brigade Royal Marines deployment to Helmand province, Afghanistan on Operation Herrick IX from 2008 to 2009. As a colonel he commanded 40 Commando during the Iraq War, and led the Commando in the assault on the Al-Faw Peninsula.

Military career
Messenger was appointed an acting lieutenant on a short career graduate commission on 15 September 1983 (with seniority from 1 September 1982), transferring to a full career commission on 21 May 1986 with seniority from 1 September 1984. At this time he also qualified as a Mountain Leader. In 1995 he graduated from the Canadian Forces Command and Staff Course No 21. He was promoted substantive major on 30 June 1997, having previously held the rank locally.

Messenger served with British forces in the former Yugoslavia in 2000 (Kosovo), for which he was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). He was promoted substantive colonel on 30 June 2002, having previously held the rank on an acting basis. For his leadership of 40 Commando (and attached army units) in Iraq, including the initial assault on Al Faw peninsular, and an action against Iraqi armour at Abu Al Khasib, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 31 October 2003. After a sabbatical in Geneva, he joined the Joint Force Headquarters as Chief of Staff in July 2004, a job that saw him on various operations worldwide, including Operation Garron, the 2004 tsunami relief effort, Operation Highbrow, the Lebanon evacuation operation, and a six-month tour in command of the Operation Herrick preliminary operation in Afghanistan. He graduated from the UK Higher Command and Staff Course in 2007 and was promoted brigadier on 24 April 2007. On 1 April 2008 he was appointed an aide-de-camp to the Queen.

He served as the British Commander of Task Force Helmand, during the 3 Commando Brigade deployment to Helmand province, Afghanistan on Operation Herrick IX in 2008–2009. For his leadership during this operation he was awarded a Bar to his DSO on 11 September 2009, the first member of the Naval Service to receive the DSO and Bar for over 50 years. He was promoted major-general in late 2009, and appointed lead spokesman on British operations in Afghanistan. He went on to be Chief of Staff (Operations) at Permanent Joint Headquarters, Northwood in 2011 and became Director Force Reintegration HQ International Security Assistance Force in October 2012. He is currently Deputy Commander of NATO Allied Land Command(LANDCOM)-Izmir.

Family
He is married to Sarah and has three children enjoying running, rugby, rock climbing and real ale.