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als:Reaktion bg:Реакция (пояснение) cs:Reakce de:Reaktion et:Reaktsioon el:Αντίδραση es:Reacción eo:Reakcio fa:واکنش fr:Réaction gl:Reacción ko:리액션 hr:Reakcija it:Reazione nl:Reactie ja:反応 no:Reaksjon pl:Reakcja pt:Reação ro:Reacție ru:Реакция simple:Reaction fi:Reaktio uk:Реакція zh:反應

Name	General Lord Dannatt
Birth date	December 23, 1950
Birth place	Broomfield, Essex
Allegiance
Serviceyears	1971–2009
Rank	General
Branch
Commands	1st Batallion, Green Howards4th Armoured Brigade3rd Infantry DivisionCOMBRITFOR, Kosovo ForceDeputy Commander, Stabilisation ForceHeadquarters Allied Rapid Reaction CorpsLand CommandChief of the General Staff
Unit	Green Howards
Battles	The TroublesKosovo War
Awards	Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the BathKnight Commander of the Order of the BathCommander of the Order of the British EmpireMilitary CrossQueen's Commendation for Valuable Service
Laterwork	Constable of the Tower }}

General Francis Richard Dannatt, Baron Dannatt, (born 23 December 1950) is a retired British Army officer and the incumbent Constable of the Tower of London. He was commissioned into the Green Howards in 1971, and his first tour of duty was in Belfast as a platoon commander. During his second tour of duty, also in Northern Ireland, Dannatt was awarded the Military Cross. Following a major stroke in 1977, Dannatt considered leaving the Army, but was encouraged by his commanding officer to stay. After staff college, he became a company commander and eventually took command of the Green Howards in 1989. He attended and then commanded the Higher Command and Staff Course, after which he was promoted to brigadier. Dannatt was given command of 4th Armoured Brigade in 1994 and commanded the British component of the Implementation Force (IFOR) the following year.

Dannatt took command of 3rd Mechanised Division in 1999 and simultaneously commanded British forces in Kosovo. After a brief tour in Bosnia, he was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff (ACGS). Following the attacks of 11 September 2001, he became involved in planning for subsequent operations in the Middle East. As Commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (ARRC), a role he assumed in 2003, Dannatt led the ARRC headquarters in planning for deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan. The ARRC served in Afghanistan in 2005, but by this time Dannatt was Commander-in-Chief, Land Command—the day-to-day commander of the Army. He was responsible for implementing a controversial reorganisation of the infantry which eventually resulted in his regiment, the Green Howards, being amalgamated into the Yorkshire Regiment.

Dannatt was appointed Chief of the General Staff (CGS) in August 2006, succeeding General Sir Mike Jackson. Dannatt faced controversy over his outspokenness, in particular his calls for improved pay and conditions for soldiers and for a drawdown of operations in Iraq in order to better man those in Afghanistan. He also set about trying to increase his public profile, worried that he was not recognisable enough at a time when he had to defend the Army's reputation against alleged prisoner abuse in Iraq. He later assisted with the formation of Help for Heroes to fund a swimming pool at Headley Court and, later in his tenure, brokered an agreement with the British press that allowed Prince Harry to serve in Afghanistan. He was succeeded as CGS by Sir David Richards and retired in 2009, taking up the largely honorary post of Constable of the Tower of London.

Between November 2009 and the British general election in May 2010, Dannatt served as a defence advisor to David Cameron. He resigned when Cameron's Conservative Party won the election, stating that, as prime minister, Cameron should rely on the advice of the incumbent service chiefs. Dannatt published an autobiography in 2010 and continues to be involved with a number of charities and organisations related to the armed forces. He is married with four children, one of whom served as an officer in the Grenadier Guards.

Early life

Dannatt, the son of Anthony and Mary (née Chilvers), was born at home in Broomfield—now a suburb of Chelmsford—in Essex. His father and grandfather were architects, working from a practice in Chelmsford, and his mother was a part-time teacher at the London Bible College. He had an elder sister who died from breast cancer in 1988. Dannatt was heavily influenced by his paternal great-grandfather, a Victorian farmer and devout Christian who devised an early drainage system.

Dannatt and his sister were sent to separate boarding schools. He attended Felsted Junior School, where he gained an ambition to become a professional cricketer. For his secondary education, he was sent to St. Lawrence College in Ramsgate, Kent, where he joined the Combined Cadet Force (CCF) and eventually rose to senior under-officer. While at school, he developed a dislike of his first name, Francis, after it was mistaken for a girl's and he was invited to a birthday party at which he was the only boy. He eventually switched to his middle name, Richard, when he was fifteen. By then aspiring to become a barrister, Dannatt applied to study law at Emmanuel College, Cambridge but was turned down after an interview, at which point his ambition switched towards a military career.

Early military career

Having initially been interested in a tank regiment, Dannatt was interviewed at the Regular Commissions Board (later renamed the Army Officer Selection Board) by an officer from the Green Howards, who persuaded him to consider the infantry and arranged for a visit to a barracks near Colchester. There he met Peter Inge, then a major, and Dannatt became set on joining the Green Howards. He entered the Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst in September 1969 After a short period of leave, he was sent to Belfast, Northern Ireland, as a platoon commander. Upon completion of the tour, Dannatt returned to the British mainland to take a platoon commanders' course, after which he rejoined the Green Howards at their barracks in West Germany. He and his platoon returned to Belfast in late 1972. For gallantry on an operation in which his platoon came under fire in East Belfast, he was later awarded the Military Cross. His first promotion was to lieutenant on 30 January 1973. Having completed his tour in Northern Ireland, Dannatt applied to take an "in-service" degree—a degree at a civilian university sponsored by the Army—at Durham University. He was accepted, and commenced study of economic history later in 1973. During his first year at university, Dannatt attended a debate at Trinity College, Dublin—a rare opportunity for a serving British officer at the height of The Troubles.

As part of the arrangement for the "in-service" degree, Dannatt was required to return to the Green Howards during the summer holidays. For both summers, the regiment was serving in Northern Ireland—in Armagh in 1974 and South Armagh in 1975. It was during the 1975 tour that Dannatt was involved in an operation to destroy an improvised explosive device. However, the device was booby-trapped and an attempt to disable it resulted in its detonation. Dannatt was uninjured but four soldiers, including Dannatt's company commander—Major Peter Willis—were killed. Shortly after, Dannatt arrested a man in connection with the incident and later gave evidence against him in court. Dannatt graduated in 1976 and, rejoining his regiment, was posted to Berlin. He was appointed battalion adjutant and promoted to captain in July 1977. On 11 November 1977, Dannatt, then just 26, suffered a major stroke and spent most of the next two years recovering, but was allowed to return to duty in 1978. He was posted to Northern Ireland, accompanied by his wife, who gave birth to the couple's first son in Craigavon Area Hospital a few weeks into the tour.

Dannatt left Northern Ireland ahead of the rest of the battalion and was posted to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in Surrey, then under the command of Major (later General Sir) Rupert Smith, and expected this to be his last posting in the light of his stroke. He applied for a variety of jobs outside the Army but, after Smith's encouragement, sat the entrance exams for Staff College, Camberley, also in Surrey. He passed the entrance exams and turned down two civilian job offers to accept his place. Before Camberley, in late 1980, Dannatt was posted to Catterick Garrison, North Yorkshire, as a company commander. In early 1981, his company took over the running of HM Prison Frankland during a month-long strike by prison officers. Shortly after the end of the strike, he was posted to Cyprus with the United Nations peacekeeping force before returning to Surrey for the start of the one-year Command and Staff Course at Camberley. After completing the course, he was promoted to major on 30 September 1982, and appointed chief of staff to 20th Armoured Brigade, based in West Germany.

After two years as chief of staff, Dannatt returned to the Green Howards, then also based in West Germany, to command a company for the second time in his career. He was posted to Northern Ireland for six months in 1985, his fifth tour of the province, though it was significantly quieter than his previous tours. He was appointed Military Assistant to the Minister of State for the Armed Forces in 1986, his first position at the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in London. Promoted to lieutenant colonel on 30 June 1987, Dannatt spent three years at the MoD, in a role he described as "bridging the gap" between the military and politicians, most of whom did not have first-hand experience in the armed forces. At the end of his tenure, he was involved with Field Marshal Sir Nigel Bagnall's ''British Military Doctrine'' in its final stages as it was submitted for ministerial approval. The Green Howards celebrated their 300th anniversary in 1988 and Dannatt took command of the regiment in 1989. He was responsible for overseeing its transition into an airmobile role, forming part of 24th Airmobile Brigade. He served his sixth and final tour in Northern Ireland in 1991 when the Green Howards were deployed to South Armagh for a month.

Returning to Staff College, Camberley, Dannatt took the Higher Command and Staff Course (HCSC), and tasked with the running of the HCSC, as well as updating the ''British Military Doctrine'' in the light of the end of the Cold War. He also drafted the campaign plan for Lieutenant General (later General Sir) Mike Rose's command of the United Nations Protection Force (UNPROFOR) in the Balkans. Dannatt was promoted to brigadier on 31 December 1993, backdated to 30 June 1993, and took command of 4th Armoured Brigade, based in Germany. He spent 1994 commanding the brigade and overseeing training and, in 1995, was posted to Bosnia along with his headquarters staff, leaving the rest of the brigade in Germany and taking command of separate units already deployed in Bosnia. He commanded UNPROFOR's Sector South West, composed of troops from multiple nations, while also serving as Commander of British Forces (COMBRITFOR), responsible for overseeing operations of all British troops in Bosnia. After the signing of the Dayton Agreement in November 1995, UNPROFOR became the NATO-led Implementation Force and Dannatt's brigade was incorporated into a multi-national division commanded by Mike Jackson. Dannatt was later appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his service in the Balkans. Handing over 4th Armoured Brigade to David Richards, Dannatt was appointed Director, Defence Programme Staff at the MoD in 1996 and was responsible for part of the implementation of the Strategic Defence Review, produced by the Labour government that had come to power in 1997.

High command

After three years at the MoD, Dannatt attained general officer status with promotion to major general, and took command of the 3rd Mechanised Division in January 1999. Later in the year, the prospect of NATO intervention in the Kosovo War became likely, and Dannatt and his staff began planning for a potential ground invasion of the territory. In the event, Slobodan Milošević agreed to withdraw Serbian–Yugoslav forces from Kosovo, the practicalities of which were negotiated by Mike Jackson. It was decided, given the large number of British troops serving as part of the multinational Kosovo Force (KFOR), that the 3rd Division's headquarters would deploy to oversee British operations, with Dannatt as COMBRITFOR. Not long after Dannatt's arrival, a Russian armoured column moved into Kosovo and took control of Pristina Airport. Wesley Clark, NATO's Supreme Allied Commander Europe, subsequently ordered Jackson, commander of KFOR, to block the runways of the airport and prevent Russia flying in reinforcements. The issue eventually became moot but Dannatt, as COMBRITFOR, had been ordered to veto the use of British troops—known in NATO as a "red card", afforded to each national contingent commander—for any such operation. He was later awarded the Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service for his conduct in Kosovo.

Returning to the 3rd Division, Dannatt planned two exercises at the British Army Training Unit Suffield in Canada. The first was, at the time, the largest exercise the Army had run since the end of the Cold War; the second only took place after Dannatt's tenure as commander had expired. Dannatt gave evidence as an expert witness in the trial of Radislav Krstić in relation to the Srebrenica massacre, shortly after which he was posted to Bosnia, where he served as deputy commander of NATO's Stabilisation Force in 2000. His tour, originally scheduled to last a full year was cut short when Sir Michael Willcocks took early retirement from the Army in order to become Black Rod. The resulting personnel changes to fill the vacancy meant that Dannatt was appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff (ACGS) in April 2001. In September 2001, he was on a visit to British troops in Cyprus and watched the immediate aftermath of the September 11 attacks on television. As ACGS, he was peripherally involved in planning for the Army's subsequent involvement in Afghanistan and later Iraq, as well as standing in for the Chief of the General Staff (then Michael Walker) when Walker was unavailable. Dannatt was succeeded as ACGS by David Richards, to whom he had handed over command of 4th Armoured Brigade in 1996 and who later succeeded Dannatt as Chief of the General Staff.

Dannatt was appointed Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps (COMARRC) on 16 January 2003 and promoted to lieutenant general the same day. During his tenure, he was predominantly concerned with planning for possible deployment of the ARRC in Iraq and Afghanistan. It was eventually deployed to Afghanistan, but not until after Dannatt had handed over its command to David Richards. Dannatt was knighted with his investiture as a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in June 2004. He succeeded Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman as Commander-in-Chief, Land Command (CINCLAND)—responsible for day-to-day running of the Army—on 7 March 2005, and was promoted to full general the same day. The prevailing issue during his tenure as Commander-in-Chief was the reorganisation of the infantry, an emotive issue as it resulted in the loss of many historic regimental names, including Dannatt's regiment, the Green Howards, which became 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards). However, his term also coincided with an increase in the intensity of simultaneous operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and Dannatt formed the view that government spending priorities did not accurately reflect the commitments of the British Armed Forces at the time.

Chief of the General Staff

Upon the retirement of Sir Mike Jackson, Dannatt was appointed Chief of the General Staff (CGS)—the professional head of the British Army—on 29 August 2006. Concerned that the formation of the British Armed Forces Federation meant that soldiers were losing confidence in generals to lobby on their behalf, his first act as CGS was to write a long letter to the Secretary of State for Defence, Des Browne, which he copied to the MoD's senior civil servant, Bill Jeffrey; Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, Chief of the Defence Staff; and to the First Sea Lord and Chief of the Air Staff—his opposite numbers in the Royal Navy and Royal Air Force respectively. In the letter, he asserted his view that the Army was over-stretched by operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and that essential equipment, such as helicopters, was unavailable or ineffective and outdated, like the Snatch Land Rover. He also raised concerns with the standard of accommodation provided for soldiers at home and with soldiers' wages. The following weekend, he travelled to Afghanistan on his first official visit as CGS. He met Des Browne in person for the first time two days after becoming CGS and later acknowledged the difficulties faced by defence secretaries in the little time they have to prepare for the role.

Later in his tenure as CGS, Dannatt became concerned that his public profile was not high enough that he would be listened to outside of the Army, especially given the ongoing controversy surrounding the courts-marshal of soldiers alleged to be involved in the death of Baha Mousa. As such, he accepted an invitation to an informal gathering of officers and journalists at the Cavalry and Guards Club in September 2006. During the gathering, he raised issues with journalists about defence spending in general and soldiers' wages in particular. To his surprise, and as a result of media pressure and internal lobbying, a bonus for soldiers who had served six-month tours in Iraq and Afghanistan was announced a month later. Dannatt appeared in newspaper headlines in October 2006 when he gave an interview for Sarah Sands of the ''Daily Mail'' in which he opined that a drawdown of troops from Iraq was necessary in order to allow the Army to focus on Afghanistan, and that wounded soldiers should recover in a military environment rather than civilian hospitals. Several newspapers portrayed his comments as an attack on the government, and on on Tony Blair—then the prime minister—personally. His comments were supported by several journalists and retired officers, though others believed Dannatt had acted improperly and called for his resignation, while Simon Jenkins of ''The Times'' called Dannatt's comments "either daringly brave or totally naive".

Dannatt went on to chair a conference of welfare providers to military personnel in order to show that the Army understood the issues affecting its soldiers and to organise a series of smaller conferences, hosted by himself and Sir Freddie Viggers—then Adjutant-General to the Forces—to discuss welfare issues with commanding officers across the UK. In 2007, Dannatt and his wife, Pippa, visited Headley Court, an MoD rehabilitation centre for wounded personnel, where the commanding officer informed the Dannatts of his desire for a swimming pool, but accepted that it was unlikely to receive government funding. Some time later, the Dannatts were introduced to Bryn and Emma Parry by Sarah-Jane Shirreff—the wife of Sir Richard Shirreff—and the Dannatts assisted the Parrys with the formation of Help for Heroes, set up with the specific aim of funding the swimming pool at Headley Court. Dannatt initially worried that the charity's ₤2 million goal might be unattainable, but it eventually raised enough money to build both the pool and a gymnasium, which were opened in 2010. He and Pippa later assisted both Help For Heroes and SSAFA Forces Help in efforts to build houses to accommodate the families of wounded servicemen at Headley Court and the Royal Centre for Defence Medicine in Birmingham, inspired by the difficulties faced by the family of George Cross–recipient Peter Norton.

Another of Dannatt's priorities was tackling the perception of the British operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, as he was concerned the news media and the British public were unaware of the purpose or the intensity of the missions. Disgruntled by increasingly negative coverage, he interrupted a family holiday in Cornwall to fly to Afghanistan in an effort to change the coverage through a series of interviews. During the visit, he managed to meet with his son, Bertie, who was serving in the country with the Grenadier Guards. Later in 2007, Dannatt raised the same issue in a lecture to the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London. Earlier that year, Dannatt had taken the decision not to allow Prince Harry to serve in Iraq. However, after Dannatt had brokered an understanding with the British press, Harry was able to serve in Afghanistan for three months in late 2007 and early 2008 until the story broke and he was ordered home. Dannatt was raised from Knight Commander to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB) in the 2008–2009 New Year Honours List. His tenure as CGS expired in August 2008 and he was succeeded for the last time by Sir David Richards. The government took the unusual decision to extend the tenure of Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup as Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), rather than promote one of the outgoing service chiefs. Thus all three, including Dannatt, retired, amid claims that Dannatt's potential promotion to CDS had been personally vetoed by Prime Minister Gordon Brown. His last act as CGS was to nominate Nick Houghton to become the next Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

Honorary titles

Dannatt was appointed Colonel, The Green Howards, succeeding Field Marshal Peter Inge on 1 December 1994. He was in turn relieved by Brigadier John Powell in May 2003. Dannatt succeeded Sir Christopher Wallace as Deputy Colonel Commandant of the Adjutant General's Corps on 1 April 1999, holding the title until 17 June 2005, when he was relieved by Major General Bill Rollo. He was appointed Colonel Commandant of the King's Division, in succession to Sir Scott Grant, on 1 July 2001. He relinquished the title on 10 December 2005 to fellow Green Howard, Lieutenant General (later General Sir) Nick Houghton.

Between appointments in 2002, Dannatt spent six weeks at the School of Army Aviation at Army Air Corps Middle Wallop, where he was trained as a helicopter pilot in order to fulfil his duties as Colonel Commandant of the Army Air Corps (AAC), to which he was appointed on 1 April 2004, succeeding Michael Walker. Also in succession to Walker, he was appointed Aide de Camp General (ADC Gen) to Queen Elizabeth II on 5 June 2006. He was succeeded in his position with the AAC by Major General Adrian Bradshaw on 1 July 2009, and relinquished the appointment of ADC Gen on 1 September 2009.

Retirement

It was announced in February 2009 that, after his retirement, Dannatt would be installed as the 159th Constable of the Tower of London. The tenure of the previous incumbent, General Sir Roger Wheeler, also a former CGS, expired on 31 July and Dannatt became constable on 1 August 2009. The Constable has been the most senior official at the Tower of London since the eleventh century. Today, the role is largely ceremonial, and conferred on field marshals or retired generals who usually serve a five-year term.

After leaving office as CGS, Dannatt effectively retired from the Army, but technically remained a serving officer until November 2009. Shortly after leaving office, Dannatt was approached by David Cameron, then leader of the Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition. Cameron invited Dannatt to become a defence advisor for the shadow cabinet once he was officially retired from the Army and no longer bound by Queen's Regulations, which mandate political neutrality in the armed forces. Although uncommon for a former service chief to align himself with one political party, Dannatt accepted the role on an informal basis. The timing of the decision, which became public in October 2009—within two months of Dannatt's effective retirement—attracted some controversy, with some former ministers and civil servants suggesting it potentially compromised the neutrality of the armed forces. He advised Cameron and his shadow cabinet until he resigned, shortly after the 2010 general election, stating that Cameron, by then prime minister, should turn to the incumbent chiefs of staff for defence advice and citing no desire to become a special adviser. He was nominated for a life peerage by David Cameron while Cameron was Leader of the Opposition. Although nominated for a political peerage on the Conservative Party benches, he opted to sit as a crossbencher and was ennobled in November 2010.

The Council of the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), a politically independent think tank dedicated to defence and security issues, elected Dannatt as the Institute's Chairman in June 2009. He took up the appointment on 1 September 2009, but resigned in October the same year after the announcement that he was to become an advisor to David Cameron, believing that his resignation was necessary for RUSI to maintain its political neutrality. He was eventually succeeded by former Defence Secretary John Hutton, Baron Hutton of Furness.

Dannatt has written an autobiography, titled ''Leading from the Front'', published by Bantam Press in 2010. In the book, he was critical of the Labour government that led the UK from 1997 to 2010 and of Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer and later prime minister, in particular, accusing him of "malign intervention" and, while chancellor, of refusing to fund Tony Blair's defence policy. He also criticised Tony Blair for allowing himself to be effectively overruled by Brown and said of Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, then CDS, that "although brilliant at what he did, [he] could not have been expected to understand the sights, sounds and smells of the battlefield". ''The Daily Telegraph'' called the book a "a searing indictment of how New Labour, and to some extent the military's high command, failed to properly lead, fund and equip the armed forces for the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan".

In July 2010, Dannatt gave evidence to the Iraq Inquiry, focusing predominantly on his role as ACGS in 2002. He described an initial reluctance to commit the Army and stated that planning had been for a minimal land commitment and the provision of naval and air support to the United States. He also repeated his previous assertions that the army had been over-stretched by simultaneous operation in Iraq and Afghanistan in 2006 and re-stated his view that Afghanistan was the more important for British interests. Dannatt's evidence was followed by that of his predecessor as CGS, General Sir Mike Jackson.

Personal life

Dannatt met his wife, Philippa ("Pippa"; née Gurney) during his first year at Durham University in 1973. The couple became engaged, and married in March 1977, after which Pippa accompanied Dannatt on his return to Berlin. They had four children—three boys and one girl. Bertie, their eldest son, served with the Grenadier Guards—Pippa's father's regiment—in Iraq and Afghanistan, earning a mention in despatches and reaching the rank of captain before leaving the Army in 2008.

In 1977, then just 26, Dannatt suffered a major stroke, rendering him unable to speak and leaving the right-hand side of his body paralysed. He spent much of the subsequent two years recovering and was eventually allowed to return to duty, though he still tires more quickly on his right-hand side than on his left and has other minor residual effects. During his recovery, Dannatt, a devout Christian, was pointed to two Bible verses, which prompted him to believe that his commitment to his faith had thus far been "half-hearted" and inspired him to make a greater commitment which, according to his autobiography, "helped define who I [Dannatt] then became, both as a person and as a soldier". Dannatt later attributed surviving his stroke and several other near-death experiences—including the incident for which he was awarded the Military Cross—to a challenge from God to "devote his life to Christ".

Dannatt has been Vice President of the Armed Forces Christian Union since 1998 and President of the Soldiers' and Airmen's Scripture Readers Association since 1999. He was President of the Army Rifle Association from 2000 to 2008 and of the Royal Norfolk Agricultural Association in 2008, presiding over that year's Royal Norfolk Show, attended by Prince Harry at Dannatt's invitation. He has served as a trustee of the Windsor Leadership Trust since 2005 and as patron of Hope and Homes for Children since 2006, and continues his patronage of Help for Heroes, which he assisted in founding while CGS. He lists his leisure interests as cricket, tennis, fishing and shooting.

References

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Category:1950 births Category:Living people Category:People from Chelmsford Category:English Anglicans Category:Evangelical Anglicans Category:Old Felstedians Category:Old Lawrentians Category:Alumni of Durham University Category:Sandhurst graduates Category:Green Howards officers Category:British Army generals Category:Commanders of the Order of the British Empire Category:Knights Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Category:Recipients of the Military Cross Category:Recipients of the Commendation for Valuable Service Category:Witnesses of the Iraq Inquiry Category:People of The Troubles (Northern Ireland) Category:Chiefs of the General Staff (United Kingdom) Category:Crossbench life peers

de:Richard Dannatt es:Richard Dannatt ja:リチャード・ダナット no:Richard Dannatt sv:Richard Dannatt ur:رچرڈ ڈینٹ

name	Bam Margera
birth date	September 28, 1979
birth place	West Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.
birth name	Brandon Cole Margera
residence	Castle Bam in Pocopson Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania
occupation	StuntmanDirectorActorSkateboarder
spouse	Melissa "Missy" Rothstein (2007–present)
years active	1998–present
website
profession	Skateboarder }}

Brandon Cole "Bam" Margera (pronounced ; born September 28, 1979) is an American professional skateboarder, television and radio personality, actor and daredevil. He released a series of videos under the CKY banner and came to prominence after being drafted into MTV's ''Jackass'' crew. He has since appeared in MTV's ''Viva La Bam'' and ''Bam's Unholy Union'', all three ''Jackass'' movies, and ''Haggard'' and ''Minghags'', both of which he co-wrote and directed.

Early life

Margera was born in West Chester, Pennsylvania, to Phil and April Margera. He is the younger brother of Jess Margera and nephew of Vincent Margera. His grandfather nicknamed him "Bam" at the age of three after his habit of running into walls. He attended East High School and cites friend Chris Raab as his only reason for attending high school, and dropped out after Raab got expelled for smearing feces on a locker. He later received his GED at the insistence of his parents.

Television and film

Margera began shooting videos of himself and his friends skateboarding and doing stunts, which eventually turned into the CKY video series. He independently released ''CKY''. ''CKY2K'', ''CKY3'' and ''CKY4'' have also been released. CKY stands for "Camp Kill Yourself", a reference to the film ''Sleepaway Camp''. These early videos feature many of Margera's friends, including Ryan Dunn, Brandon DiCamillo, Rake Yohn, Chris Raab, Brandon Novak and others who form a loose collective known as the CKY Crew. CKY is also the name of a rock band featuring his brother Jess, and the history and relationship between the video and band projects is heavily interlinked.

Following the CKY success, former ''Big Brother'' editor Jeff Tremaine noticed Margera's videos and drafted him into the team which would eventually become MTV's ''Jackass''. Margera and Ryan Dunn became mainstays of the cast while other CKY crew members played supporting roles to various degrees. Margera went on to appear in ''Jackass: The Movie'', ''Jackass Number Two'', and ''Jackass 3D''. Several skits in the first ''Jackass'' movie were CKY style pieces filmed in and around West Chester, but similar scenes in the second movie were removed after the arrest of Margera's uncle Vincent Margera.

After ''Jackass'', Margera was given his own MTV series entitled ''Viva La Bam'', which ran for five seasons between 2003-2005. The show followed Margera and his crew as they performed various stunts and missions. The show was primarily filmed in West Chester, Pennsylvania but also visited New Orleans, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Brazil, Finland, Mexico, Amsterdam and Transylvania. In addition to the regular series, special episodes have included "Viva La Spring Break" and a "lost" episode included on the ''Viva La Bands'' CD.

Following the show, in 2007, Margera was engaged and the wedding was filmed for ''Bam's Unholy Union'' as a follow-up to ''Viva la Bam''. The show follows Margera, his then fiancée Melissa Rothstein and their friends in the lead-up to their wedding. Also in 2008, Margera had a "prominent, non-sex role in" a pornographic film by Gina Lynn called ''The Fantasstic Whores 4'' with Brandon Novak.

In 2009, Margera appeared on ''Nitro Circus''.

In October 2010, Margera appeared in ''Jackass 3D'' and the movie broke box office records. He visited Europe doing press for the movie in late October.

Margera appears with Dunn and pro-skateboarder Tim O'Connor on ''Bam's World Domination'', a half-hour Spike TV program that debuted on October 13, 2010. The first episode showcased Margera and his friends' attempt to conquer an obstacle course race, in the Tough Guy Competition, held outside London, England.

Skateboarding career

Since 2003, Margera has been a member of Team Element, the demonstration team for Element Skateboards. He is also sponsored by Speed Metal Bearings, Adio Footwear, and Fairman's Skateshop.

Independent films

Margera has written, produced and starred in three independent films. Margera co-wrote, directed and starred in ''Haggard'' (2003), an independent film based on real events in the life of his friend Ryan Dunn. Dunn played himself as the main character while Margera played "Valo", a character based on himself and elements of HIM singer and friend Ville Valo.

Margera also directed ''Minghags'', formerly titled ''Kiss a Good Man's Ass''. The film is a loose sequel to ''Haggard'' and will feature the "garbage juicer" invention from that film. This film was confirmed on Radio Bam and the front page of FilthyNote Records by Tim Glomb. Filming started April 5, 2007. On an episode of Radio Bam, Margera said that they are trying to make the movie PG-13 rated, but with the amount of swearing and a shot of nudity, an 'R' Rating could not be avoided. They had its first viewing of the rough version of the film on August 7, 2007, at Sikes Hall. The movie was released in December 2008. The film was a straight-to-DVD release.

Subsequently, Margera released a Christmas-themed movie entitled ''Bam Margera Presents: Where the#$&% Is Santa?'' in December 2008. The movie is about Bam and his friends going to the Arctic Circle in Finland on a quest to find Santa Claus. The film features Ville Valo from HIM, The Dudesons, Hanoi Rocks, Mark the Bagger, and more.

Radio Bam and music

Margera began a weekly Sirius Satellite Radio show on Sirius channel 28 Faction on November 24, 2004 called ''Radio Bam''. The show features Margera along with friends from the CKY and Jackass crews.

In 2005, Margera started a music label, Filthy Note Records, and has directed music videos for Clutch, Turbonegro, Viking Skull, Vains of Jenna and several for CKY. He also directed seven music videos, "Buried Alive By Love", "The Sacrament", "And Love Said No", and "Solitary Man",for the Finnish band HIM, and three for The 69 Eyes, "Lost Boys", "Dead Girls are Easy" and "Dead N Gone". He also plays the keyboard in a novelty band called Gnarkill along with Brandon DiCamillo, Jess Margera, Rich Vose and Matt Cole.

Other projects

Margera has been animated as a character in pro-skateboarder Tony Hawk's video games ''Pro Skaters'' ''3'' and ''4'', ''Underground'' and ''Underground 2'', ''American Wasteland'', ''Project 8'' and ''Proving Ground''. He also voiced a character in the video game ''Scarface: The World Is Yours''. He made cameo appearances in the movies ''Grind'' and ''Destroying America.''

In late September 2008, Margera opened a bar/theater called "The Note", in his hometown of West Chester, Pennsylvania.

In late 2009, Margera released a book containing private writings and pictures titled ''Serious as Dog Dirt''.

Personal life

Relationships

Margera was previously engaged to Jenn Rivell, a divorced single mother six years his senior. Rivell played a prominent part in several of his projects and the couple appeared to be co-habiting in various episodes of ''Viva La Bam''. However, the relationship ended in 2005. In November 2006, Margera filed for "Protection From Abuse" from Rivell after she allegedly broke into his house. He further alleged that Rivell had exhibited irrational and aggressive behavior towards him on several previous occasions including stealing several computers and vandalizing his house immediately after their initial breakup. The judge dismissed the allegations as "speculative" and "hearsay". Their break-up was attributed to rumors Margera had slept with pop star Jessica Simpson, which Margera initially denied before admitting they had been "intimate". Margera reasserted that nothing untoward had happened after he and Simpson met at an MTV Video Music Awards after-party in 2006.

In 2006, Margera became engaged to childhood friend Melissa "Missy" Rothstein. The events leading up to their wedding (with about 350 friends and family in attendance) on February 3, 2007, in downtown Philadelphia, were chronicled on the MTV series ''Bam's Unholy Union''. The couple's honeymoon was in Dubai. In 2008, during an appearance LA Ink, Bam told Kat Von D about $13,000 in damages done to the hotel for his marriage, saying " I was kind of ready for it though. I was like: 'I’m inviting the Jackass crew. If something doesn’t get broken then that’s not right'."

In July 2009, Margera was taken to the hospital by paramedics and state troopers from his West Chester home after his wife Missy called 911 after a four day alcohol binge. On the drinking binge, Margera said "I may get a divorce . . . booze helps." In October 2010, Margera told Howard Stern he and Missy were living in separate cities, they meet once a week and Missy knows about his girlfriend in San Francisco and another in West Chester.

Name, residence and assault

In an October 24, 2007 interview with the ''Cleveland Free Times'', Margera stated that although he had completed paperwork that would legally change his first name to Bam, he was "still debating" filing it after a conversation with his father.

Margera currently resides in "Castle Bam", a large house in Wawaset, Pennsylvania. The house has a gothic theme, a skatepark in the driveway and is situated on of land. In January 2007, Margera built a ramp in his backyard, near the old casino seen in ''Viva La Bam''. The ramp itself caused trouble with the township. Margera's parents and select members of the CKY Crew lived in the house while shooting ''Viva La Bam'', with Margera's uncle residing in a house on the property.

On Saturday, June 12, 2010, Margera was allegedly attacked with a baseball bat outside of his bar, The Note, in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Margera spent the night at Crozer-Chester Medical Center where he was treated for head injuries. According to Elizabeth Ray, the alleged assailant, Margera used "the n-word, with black in front of it". Ray denies attacking Margera. Margera, on the other hand, denies having said the words, claiming "I called her a crazy bitch and an idiot, but I definitely didn't use the n-word".

TV, film, and releases

TV

''Jackass'' (MTV, 2000–2002)

''Viva La Bam'' (MTV, 2003–2006)

''Bam's Unholy Union'' (MTV, 2007)

''Jackassworld.com: 24 Hour Takeover'' (MTV Special, 2008)

''Nitro Circus'' (MTV, Two episodes in 2009)

''Bam's World Domination'' (Spike, 2010)

Movies

''Jackass: The Movie'' (2002)

''Charlie's Angels: Full Throttle'' (2003)

''Grind'' (2003)

''Haggard'' (2003)

''Jackass Number Two'' (2006)

''The Dudesons Movie'' (2006)

''Jackass 2.5'' (2007)

''Bam Margera Presents: Where the ♯$&% Is Santa?'' (2008)

''The Fantasstic Whores 4'' (Gina Lynn Productions, 2008)

''Minghags'' (2009)

''Jackass 3D'' (2010)

''Dreamseller

DVDs/Videos

''CKY video series: CKY, CKY2K, CKY3 and CKY4''. (1999–2003)

''Hook-Ups Presents: Destroying America'' (2001)

Book

Bam Margera, ''Serious as Dog Dirt'' (MTV; November 17, 2009) ISBN 1439147736

References

External links

Bam Margera's skate video filmography.

Filthy Note Records Official website

Category:1979 births Category:American skateboarders Category:American stunt performers Category:CKY Category:Living people Category:Participants in American reality television series Category:People from Chester County, Pennsylvania

ca:Bam Margera cs:Bam Margera cy:Bam Margera da:Bam Margera de:Bam Margera et:Bam Margera es:Bam Margera fr:Bam Margera id:Bam Margera is:Bam Margera it:Bam Margera he:באם מרג'רה lt:Bam Margera nl:Bam Margera ja:バム・マージェラ no:Bam Margera pl:Bam Margera pt:Bam Margera ru:Марджера, Бэм simple:Bam Margera sk:Bam Margera sl:Bam Margera fi:Bam Margera sv:Bam Margera tr:Bam Margera

name	Ryan Dunn
birth name	Ryan Matthew Dunn
birth date	June 11, 1977
birth place	Medina, Ohio, U.S.
death date	June 20, 2011
death place	West Goshen Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania, U.S.
occupation	Stunt performer, television personality, actor
yearsactive	1997–2011

Ryan Matthew Dunn (June 11, 1977 – June 20, 2011) was an American reality television personality and daredevil best known for being a member of the ''Jackass'' and ''Viva La Bam'' crew. He hosted ''Homewrecker'' and ''Proving Ground''. A member of the CKY Crew, Dunn played one of the main characters in Bam Margera's 2003 film ''Haggard: The Movie'', which was based on a failed relationship Dunn had experienced. He died at the age of 34 in an alcohol-related car crash in West Goshen Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania.

Early years

Dunn was born in Medina, Ohio, the son of Linda and Ronald Dunn. He grew up in Williamsville, New York, before moving to West Chester, Pennsylvania, with his parents in his early teens. He first came to public attention while appearing in four videos alongside his friends in the CKY Crew.

Career

Dunn took part in the characteristic stunts that made ''Jackass'' famous. Arguably, Dunn's most infamous skit in ''Jackass: The Movie'' featured Dunn placing a toy car into his rectum. The car was placed inside a condom and was covered in lubricant. He then visited a doctor and complained of pain in his tailbone. An x-ray session revealed that a small car was lodged in his body bringing surprise to the doctor. Dunn was featured in ''Jackass Number Two''.

In 2006, Dunn and Bam Margera participated in the Gumball 3000 road rally in Margera's Lamborghini Gallardo. He later went on a tour with Don Vito called "The Dunn and Vito Rock Tour" for which the DVD was released on March 20, 2007. Dunn and Margera again participated in the rally in 2008.

Bam Margera stated during a December 2, 2008, radio interview with ''Big O and Dukes'' of 106.7 WJFK-FM, that he and Dunn would be going to Italy to film ''Where the F*%# are my Ancestors''. That same month, Dunn appeared on the episode "Smut" of ''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' in December 2008. He is also featured in a movie called ''Street Dreams'' which was released in spring 2009. He co-starred along with Rob Dyrdek and Paul Rodriguez Jr. Dunn was also featured on a show with fellow ''Jackass'' star Bam Margera about them traveling through Europe in a ''Viva la Bam''-like show called ''Bam's World Domination'' for Spike. He appeared in ''Jackass 3D'', which was released on October 15, 2010. Dunn co-hosted G4's ''Proving Ground'' along with Jessica Chobot, which made its premiere on June 14, 2011, six days before his death. However, according to a G4 spokesperson, the channel decided to not to hold postpone the airing of further episodes. The spokesperson added, "The show is off the schedule as of today until we discuss next steps." On June 27, G4 announced they would air the remaining episodes starting on July 19, 2011.

Death

On June 20, 2011, at around 3:30 a.m. EDT, Dunn and Zachary Hartwell, a production assistant on ''Jackass Number Two'', died when Dunn's Porsche 911 GT3 came off the road and hit a tree in West Goshen Township, Chester County, Pennsylvania. Hours before the accident, Dunn had posted a photo to his Twitter account of himself and Hartwell drinking at a West Chester bar. Dunn was identified in the police report as the vehicle's driver, and a subsequent toxicology report showed Dunn had a blood alcohol level of 0.196% — more than twice the state's legal limit of 0.08%. Police stated ''"...that speed may have been a contributing factor in the accident..."'' and preliminary investigations suggested that the car had been traveling between in a zone. Dunn flipped his car eight times in the same location 15 years ago in 1996, according to Bam Margera, who was a passenger at the time.

The Tuesday after Dunn's death, Bam Margera visited the crash site for the first time and broke down crying. The following day, Dunn's ''Jackass'' co-stars Johnny Knoxville and Bam Margera, along with Phil Margera, April Margera, Jeff Tremaine and Bam's wife Missy Margera attended a private memorial service held in West Chester, Pennsylvania. Dunn's remains were brought back to his home state of Ohio for burial.

Works

;Television

''Jackass'' (MTV, 2000–2002)

''Viva La Bam'' (MTV, 2003–2006)

''Homewrecker'' (MTV, 2005)

''Bam's Unholy Union'' (MTV, 2007)

''Jackassworld.com: 24 Hour Takeover'' (MTV Special, 2008)

''Law & Order: Special Victims Unit'' (NBC, 2008, One episode)

''Bam's World Domination'' (Spike, 2010)

''Proving Ground (TV series)'' (G4 TV, 2011)

''Minute to Win It'' (NBC, 2011)

;DVDs and videos

''Landspeed presents: CKY (1999)

''CKY2K (2000)

''CKY3'' (2001)

''CKY Documentary'' (2001)

''Don't Try This At Home - The Steve-O Video Vol. 1'' (2001)

''Don't Try This At Home - The Steve-O Video Vol. 2: The Tour'' (2002)

''CKY4: The Latest & Greatest'' (2002)

''Steve-O - Out On Bail'' (2003)

''Dunn & Vito's Rock Tour'' (2008)

;Films

''Jackass: The Movie'' (2002)

''Haggard: The Movie'' (2003)

''Jackass Number Two'' (2006)

''The Dudesons Movie'' (2006)

''3000 Miles'' (2007)

''Blonde Ambition'' (2007)

''Jackass 2.5'' (2007)

''Bam Margera Presents: Where the ♯$&% Is Santa?'' (2008)

''Minghags: The Movie'' (2009)

''Street Dreams'' (2009)

''Jackass 3D'' (2010)

''Living Will'' (filmed in 2010)

''Booted'' (2011)

''Close-Up'' (2011)

''Jackass 3.5'' (2011)

''Welcome to the Bates Motel'' (2012)

;Music

The Alter Boys - ''The Exotic Sounds of the Alter Boys'' (2005)

References

Dunn was also working on the film, "Welcome to the Bates Motel", which is slated for release in Spring 2012.

External links

Category:1977 births Category:2011 deaths Category:Alcohol-related deaths Category:Alcohol-related deaths in Pennsylvania Category:American stunt performers Category:American television personalities Category:CKY Category:People from Chester County, Pennsylvania Category:People from Medina County, Ohio Category:Pranksters Category:Road accident deaths in Pennsylvania

cs:Ryan Dunn da:Ryan Dunn de:Ryan Dunn es:Ryan Dunn fr:Ryan Dunn gl:Ryan Dunn is:Ryan Dunn it:Ryan Dunn hu:Ryan Dunn nl:Ryan Dunn no:Ryan Dunn pl:Ryan Dunn pt:Ryan Dunn ru:Данн, Райан fi:Ryan Dunn sv:Ryan Dunn