Quick Facts
Biography
General Sir John Jeremy Mackenzie GCB, OBE, DL (born 11 February 1941) is a former British Army General who became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe.
Military career
Jeremy Mackenzie was commissioned into the Queen’s Own Highlanders in July 1961. He was appointed Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion Queen’s Own Highlanders in 1980. He was made Commander of the 12th Armoured Brigade in 1984 and Commandant of the Staff College, Camberley in March 1989 before becoming General Officer Commanding 4th Armoured Division in December 1989. On 2 December 1991 he was appointed the last Commander 1st (British) Corps with the acting rank of Lieutenant-General and in 1992 he formed the Allied Command Europe Rapid Reaction Corps and became its first Commander.
In 1994 he became Deputy Supreme Allied Commander Europe and was responsible for coordinating 52,000 troops from 34 nations who moved into Bosnia and Herzegovina. He retired from the Army in 1999.
He was also an Aide de Camp General to the Queen from 1992 to 1996. He was Governor of the Royal Hospital Chelsea from August 1999 to September 2006.
He is also a Deputy Lieutenant of Greater London.
In retirement Mackenzie became chairman of UK Gear (a footwear manufacturer), and chairman of AC Cars (a car manufacturer). He also became a director of Blue Hackle (a security business).