Lieutenant General Sir Ralph William Wooddisse, KCB, CBE, MC (born 8 January 1970) is a British Army officer who served as Commander Field Army since April 2021 until February 2024. He now serves as Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps.
Wooddisse was born on 8 January 1970 in Dhekelia, Cyprus.[1] He was educated at Denstone College, a private school in Staffordshire, England. He studied at University College London and underwent officer training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.[2]
Wooddisse was commissioned into the Royal Anglian Regiment on 3 September 1989.[3] He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on 20 October 1999 in recognition of gallant and distinguished services during operations in Kosovo between January and June that year.[4] He later served as a company commander in Iraq during the Iraq War, was appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2007 Birthday Honours,[5] and became commanding officer of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Anglian Regiment in March 2009.[2]
Wooddisse went on to be Assistant Head, Military Strategic Plans at the Ministry of Defence in May 2012, commander of 38th (Irish) Brigade in November 2013,[6] and General Officer Commanding 1st (United Kingdom) Division in May 2017.[7] Wooddisse was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours,[8] and appointed Assistant Chief of the General Staff in November 2018.[9]
Wooddisse was promoted to lieutenant general and became Commander Field Army on 19 April 2021.[10] He was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 2022 Birthday Honours.[11] He was Colonel of the Royal Anglian Regiment until 2023.[12] He took up the NATO post of Commander, Allied Rapid Reaction Corps in March 2024.[13]
In 2000, Wooddisse married Louise. Together they have three daughters.[1]