General Sir Mike Jackson, former head of British Army, dies aged 80

Sir Mike was appointed Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, a month before the Iraq War in 2003.

General Sir Mike Jackson said the world was in ‘unchartered territory’ following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine (Niall Carson/PA) (PA Archive)

General Sir Mike Jackson, the former head of the British Army, has died aged 80.

He served as Chief of the General Staff between 2003 and 2006.

In a statement, the British Army announced his death, saying:” It is with great sadness that we have learnt of the death of General Sir Mike Jackson GCB, CBE, DSO, on 15 October surrounded by his family.

“General ‘Jacko’ served with distinction for over 40 years, finishing his career as Chief of the General Staff.

“He will be greatly missed, and long remembered. Utrinque Paratus.”

Sir Mike was born on 21 March 1944 and is survived by three children, from two marriages, and four grandchildren.

Commissioned from Sandhurst into the Intelligence Corps in 1963, he studied for an in-service degree in Russian Studies from 1964 to 1967.

Sir Mike went on to serve in Northern Ireland and Bosnia before he was appointed Chief of the General Staff (CGS), the professional head of the British Army, a month before the Iraq War in 2003.

He was succeeded as Chief of the General Staff by Sir Richard Dannatt in 2006, and retired from the Army after serving for almost 45 years.

During the Kosovo War, he famously refused an order from American General Wesley Clark to block the runways of Pristina Airport and isolate the Russian contingent that was positioned there. He reportedly told General Clark: ’I’m not going to start the Third World War for you”.

The incident earned Sir Mike the nickname “Macho Jacko” in British tabloid newspapers. 

General Sir Mike Jackson in 2005 (STEFAN ROUSSEAU/AFP/Getty Images)

General Sir Mike Jackson was awarded the MBE in 1979, the CBE in 1992, the CB in 1996 and the KCB in 1998.

Air Vice-Marshal Mick Smeath, former Commandant General of the RAF Regiment, paid tribute to Sir Mike.

“Very sad to hear of the passing of General Sir Mike Jackson,” he wrote on X.

“One of the most inspirational officers I have had the privilege to serve under. Rest in peace Sir.”

Andrew Fox, a former paratrooper said Sir Mike had “a voice like gravel” and a “wicked sense of humour”.

“I am so very sorry to learn of the passing of General Sir Mike Jackson,” Mr Fox wrote on X.

“A glare and a voice like gravel, who at ten yards could skewer a mid-level officer who had been asked to read out a contentious letter from the RSM at a regimental charity meeting.

“But also a tremendous capacity for drinking every other man in the mess under the table, and a wicked sense of humour. My honour to have spent time in his company on a couple of occasions.

“A regimental legend. Utrinque Paratus.”

Sir Mike supported The Independent’s Homeless Veterans Campaign in 2014. This publication and The Evening Standard raised £1.3m for ex-servicemen and women to give them a chance to start again and rebuild their lives.

Writing for The Independent at the time, Sir Mike said: “Collectively, we have a strong sense of duty and responsibility for our veterans. Support for our forces, in particular for those who have lost their lives or have been injured in conflict, rightly remains considerable. As many as one in ten people have spent time in our Armed Forces and some of them will require particular help as a result of their military service.”