Colonel Mark Charles Heath Underhill, OBE, DL (born c1960) is a retired British Army officer, and a current Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside. He also currently serves as the Chief Executive of the North West Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.[1]
Mark Underhill | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1959–1960 |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service |  British Army |
| Years of service | 1978 – 2013 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Service number | 507550 |
| Unit | Royal Corps of Transport Royal Logistic Corps |
| Commands | Royal Logistic Corps TA |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire |
| Alma mater | King William's College |
Military career
editUnderhill commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst on 7 April 1979, into the Royal Corps of Transport, initially on a short service commission.[2] He was promoted to lieutenant on 7 April 1981,[3] and after spending time as a troop commander in the Gurkha Transport Regiment in Hong Kong,[4] he completed the Regular Careers Course and was once more promoted to captain on 7 October 1985.[5] Upon promotion to major on 30 September 1990,[6] Underhill returned to Hong Kong in command of a squadron, and deployed with the UN as part of the United Nations Peacekeeping Force in Cyprus. After transferring to the Royal Logistic Corps upon its formation in April 1993,[7] he once more returned to Hong Kong as the second-in-command of the newly raised Hong Kong Logistic Support Regiment RLC.[4] Promotion to lieutenant colonel then followed on 30 June 2000,[8] along with the role of overseeing the formation of the tri-Service International Military Advisory and Training Team (Sierra Leone). After a posting at the Defence Transport and Movements Agency; and as Commander of Logistic Support, London District; Underhill was once more promoted to colonel on 30 June 2007,[9] and took up overall command of the Royal Logistic Corps Territorial Army units.[4]
As a staff officer, Underhill served as the Assistant Head for Operational Energy Management of the Defence Fuels Group; Commander, Logistic Support & Infrastructure at 4th Division; and finally as the Assistant Chief of Staff for Support, at Headquarters Support Command.[4] Underhill retired in 2013, at the rank of Colonel.[10]
Underhill has served as a Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside since 2019;[11] the Honorary Colonel of 158 Regiment RLC since 2013;[4][12] and the Honorary Life President of the Army Rugby Union since 2016.[10] He also currently serves as the Chief Executive of the North West Reserve Forces and Cadets Association.[13]
Underhill was appointed an MBE in the 2000 Queen's Birthday Honours.[14] He was further advanced to an OBE in the Operation TELIC honours list in 2003.[15]
Personal life
editUnderhill is married to Debbie and they have two adult children.[4]
References
edit- ^ "NW RFCA Chief Executive, Mark Underhill OBE appointed Deputy Lieutenant for county". North West RFCA. 8 April 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "No. 47858". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 June 1979. p. 7119.
- ^ "No. 48589". The London Gazette (Supplement). 16 April 1979. p. 5770.
- ^ a b c d e f "Colonel Mark C H Underhill OBE DL". Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "No. 50279". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 October 1985. p. 13875.
- ^ "No. 52288". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 October 1990. p. 15449.
- ^ "The Royal Logistic Corps and Forming Corps". The Royal Logistic Corps Museum. Archived from the original on 14 August 2013. Retrieved 13 May 2013.
- ^ "No. 55901". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 July 2000. p. 7245.
- ^ "No. 58381". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 July 2007. p. 9549.
- ^ a b "Mark Underhill OBE DL". Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "No. 62606". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 April 2019. p. 6094.
- ^ "Grantham soldiers march into a new future". East Midlands RFCA. 26 March 2014. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "Re-signing of the Armed Forces Covenant". Isle of Man Government. 14 June 2019. Retrieved 2 March 2021.
- ^ "No. 55879". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 June 2000. p. 55879.
- ^ "No. 57100". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 October 2003. p. 10.