Field Marshal Lord Guthrie, known as 'Tony's General,' dies aged 86

Field Marshal Lord Guthrie, known as 'Tony's General' for his closeness to former prime minister Tony Blair, has died aged 86. The former head of the United Kingdom's armed forces oversaw key interventions in the Balkans and Sierra Leone during Blair's tenure and remained a respected figure within the military establishment and Parliament as a crossbench peer.

Lord Guthrie led the Army from 1994 to 1997 and then served as Chief of the Defence Staff from 1997 to 2001, the top uniformed position in Britain’s armed forces. His career spanned service in the SAS and the Guards, including early command roles in the 1960s as a Troop commander and later a Squadron Commander in G Squadron. After retiring from active command, he remained influential as a crossbench member of the House of Lords and took up a role as envoy to Pakistan. He was an outspoken voice on defence issues, warning against cuts that could undermine Britain’s military capability. He also held conservative views on cultural issues within the armed forces, notably opposing women serving on the frontline. He supported the invasion of Iraq at the time, but later described the 2003 campaign and its aftermath as a disaster.

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The spear-throwing incident that defined an earlier chapter of his career occurred in 1980 when he led an Anglo-French force that thwarted a political coup on Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides. Guthrie later recalled the episode as a moment that illustrated the unpredictable nature of crisis leadership, and he was quoted as saying he was probably the last British officer to have had a spear thrown at him in anger.

In his later years, Guthrie remained publicly engaged on defence matters, criticizing spending cuts and defending the capabilites of Britain’s military. He also served as an envoy to Pakistan after leaving the Army and remained a prominent voice in debates over the armed forces’ needs and strategic direction.

The general’s private life was marked by a high public profile, including a 2018 Trooping the Colour appearance that drew attention after he was unseated from his horse at the ceremony. Reports noted concerns for his health following that incident, though he continued to influence defence discourse through his parliamentary presence and public commentary.

Tributes poured in from fellow generals and former colleagues. Colonel Hamish de Bretton-Gordon said Guthrie was a 'very fine officer with the gravitas of the Guards and the skill of the SAS' who 'guided the armed forces through challenging times' and whose 'legacy will endure and history will look kindly upon him.'

Guthrie’s career spanned pivotal moments in late-20th-century British military history, including the Balkans, West Africa and the evolution of Britain’s role on the world stage. His leadership coincided with a period of reform and political sensitivity, as Britain sought to balance international intervention with domestic security and defense budgeting. His death closes a chapter on a figure who embodied the close ties between the political and military leadership of his era, and who remained a public voice on defense policy long after stepping back from front-line command.