Lieutenant General Sir Nicholas Robert Macrae Borton, KCB, DSO, MBE (born 1969), is a retired British Army officer, who served as commander of NATO's Allied Rapid Reaction Corps from 2021 to 2024.[1]

Sir Nicholas Borton
Major General Borton in 2019
Born1969 (age 54–55)
AllegianceUnited Kingdom
Service / branchBritish Army
Years of service1988–2024
RankLieutenant General
UnitRoyal Highland Fusiliers
CommandsAllied Rapid Reaction Corps
3rd (United Kingdom) Division
16 Air Assault Brigade
Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland
Battles / warsUnited Nations Protection Force
The Troubles
Iraq War
War in Afghanistan
AwardsKnight Commander of the Order of the Bath
Distinguished Service Order
Member of the Order of the British Empire

Early life and education

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Borton was born in 1969 in London, England.[2] His father and a grandfather had served in the Highland Light Infantry. He was educated at Canford School, an independent boarding school in Dorset, England. He went on to study history and English literature at the University of Stirling, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) in 1991.[2] He would later study for a Master of Arts degree in defence management and technology at the Royal Military College of Science.[3]

Military career

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Borton was commissioned into the Royal Highland Fusiliers on 4 September 1988.[4] After serving as a Staff Officer at the headquarters of Multi-National Division (South-East) (Iraq),[3] then Commanding Officer of the Royal Highland Fusiliers, 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland in 2008, Borton was awarded the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) on 6 March 2009 for his military service in Afghanistan.[5] He was appointed commander of 16 Air Assault Brigade in April 2013,[6] and Director of Overseas Operations at the Ministry of Defence in September 2015.[7]

Borton was appointed General Officer Commanding the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division in December 2016.[8] and then became Chief of Staff (Operations), Permanent Joint Headquarters in February 2019.[1] He was appointed commander of the Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in December 2021,[9] and was promoted to lieutenant general on 16 December 2021.[10] He handed over the responsibility of the corps to Sir Ralph Wooddisse in early 2024,[11] and retired from the army on 15 June 2024.[12]

Borton was Regimental Colonel of the Royal Regiment of Scotland until March 2024,[13][14] and is Colonel Commandant of the Army Air Corps.[15] He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2023 Birthday Honours.[16]

Publications

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  • Borton, N. R. M. (19 October 2007) [2002]. "The 14th Army in Burma: A Case Study in Delivering Fighting Power". Defence Studies. 2 (3): 27–52. doi:10.1080/14702430208405039.

References

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  1. ^ a b "Generals April 2019" (PDF). Retrieved 16 April 2019.
  2. ^ a b "Borton, Lt Gen. Sir Nicholas (Robert Macrae), (born 7 Nov. 1969), Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps, since 2021". Who's Who 2024. Oxford University Press. 1 December 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2024.
  3. ^ a b "Lieutenant Colonel NRM Borton MBE" (PDF). Royal Highland Fusiliers. 2008. p. 3. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  4. ^ "No. 51495". The London Gazette (Supplement). 10 October 1988. p. 11380.
  5. ^ "No. 58999". The London Gazette (Supplement). 6 March 2009. p. 4082.
  6. ^ "Rebel dropped in to lead the paras". Daily Express. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  7. ^ "Senior Tri-service and Ministry of Defence appointments" (PDF). Retrieved 13 December 2016.
  8. ^ "No. 61786". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 December 2016. p. 26344.
  9. ^ "Future ARRC Commander and Multinational Defence Attaches Visit Exercise Steadfast Leda 2021". NATO ARRC. 30 November 2021. Retrieved 16 December 2021.
  10. ^ "No. 63562". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 December 2021. p. 23205.
  11. ^ "Commander NATO ARRC". NATO. Retrieved 5 April 2024.
  12. ^ "No. 64435". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 June 2024. p. 11742.
  13. ^ "Message from the New Colonel of the Regiment" (PDF). 29 January 2020. Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  14. ^ "No. 64363". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 April 2024. p. 6958.
  15. ^ "@ArmyAirCorps Twitter post, 17 December 2020". Retrieved 14 February 2021.
  16. ^ "No. 64082". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 June 2023. p. B2.
Military offices
Preceded by General Officer Commanding the 3rd (United Kingdom) Division
2016–2018
Succeeded by
Preceded by Commander Allied Rapid Reaction Corps
2021–2024
Succeeded by