Commandant General Royal Marines

Major General Ed Davis was commissioned into the Royal Marines on 17 September 1981. His first tour, as a young Officer under training, included two 6-month tours of duty with 40 Commando Royal Marines in the Falklands and Cyprus during the period September 1982 to March 1985.

Returning to the UK he was appointed to Comacchio Group Royal Marines where he served as a Troop Commander with particular responsibility for the security of Britain’s independent nuclear deterrent.

From June to December 1991 he attended the Junior Division of the Army Staff College. Having been promoted to Captain in December 1991, he took over as Officer Commanding Y Company 45 Commando Group Royal Marines in December 1992. There then followed an intensive year of regimental duty in 45 Commando during which he completed Cold Weather Warfare Training in Norway and a six-month tour of duty in Belize.

In December 1993 he assumed the appointment of unit Operations Officer. After this 2-year appointment he attended Army Command and Staff Course (ACSC) 30. Having successfully completed ACSC he was promoted Major and then assumed the appointment of Chief of Staff at the Headquarters of the Combat Service Support Group (UK) in December 1996.

During this appointment he completed an operational tour of duty in Bosnia. Promoted to Lieutenant Colonel in December 1998, he was then employed in two staff appointments, initially in Fleet Headquarters and then the Ministry of Defence (MoD).

After promotion to Colonel on 30 June 2004, he spent 2 years as Director of the Equipment Capability Directorate (Special Projects) in the MoD. Between May and November 2007 he returned to the Royal Marines for a short placement as Chief of Staff to the Commander of the UK’s Amphibious Forces which included an operational tour to Afghanistan as Chief Joint Effects in Headquarters International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).

He was appointed once again to the MoD on 5 November 2007 in the rank of Brigadier before assuming the appointment of Commander 3 Commando Brigade on 22 January 2010. On 2 December 2011 he was promoted to Major General and took over as CGRM/CAF.

He was awarded the MBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours on 15 June 1996 and an OBE in the Queen’s New Year Honours on 31 December 2005 for his contribution to the operations.

He is married to Lorraine and they have no children. His interests are enjoying the countryside and gardening.