Lt Gen Adrian Bradshaw joined the 14th/20th King’s Hussars in 1980 after gaining a BSc in Agriculture at Reading University.  He has since gained Masters degrees in Defence Studies and International Relations from King’s College London.  He served as a tank troop leader, Intelligence Office and later, helicopter pilot, in Germany, as well as doing flying tours in Northern Ireland and the Falklands.  He then carried out further tours at troop and squadron command level in both Special Forces and armour.  These involved overseas deployments in several theatres including Africa, the Middle East, South West Asia, the Americas and the Balkans.   He also carried out an operations staff appointment in the MOD and attended the UK Army Staff Course.  From 1994-1996, he commanded the King’s Royal Hussars (KRH), first providing the enemy force at the UK Armoured Training Area in Alberta, Canada, and then on operations in Bosnia.

After command, he went on to the UK Higher Command and Staff Course, and served in Military Operations in the MOD.  On promotion to brigadier, he went to 3rd (US) Army in Kuwait, planning for Land operations in Iraq.  He then became Deputy Commander of US Task Force West before Commanding 7th Armoured Brigade in Iraq.  After attending the Royal College of Defence Studies in London, he became the UK Director Special Forces and was promoted in post to Major General in Nov 07.  In Mar 09, he took command of 1st (UK) Armoured Division based in Germany, training brigades for operations in Afghanistan.  Since relinquishing command, he has attended the US Army Strategic Leadership Programme (Advanced), the US Joint Pinnacle Course and has been a Visiting Defence Fellow at Balliol College, Oxford.  He became DCOM ISAF in late 2011.

In addition to his UK awards, Lt Gen Bradshaw holds the US Legion of Merit (Officer) and the German Bundeswehr Cross of Honour (Gold).  He also holds the appointment of Colonel Commandant of the UK Army Air Corps. 

Lt Gen Bradshaw is married to Sally.  They have 3 children, Katy, Ben and Freddy.  They enjoy gardening and lurchers.  In addition Lt Gen Bradshaw shoots, plays polo and sketches with watercolours.  He also lays hedges and the odd course of bricks.