Peter Chiswell known often as 'Chis' was educated at Allhallows School commissioned in 1951 into The Devonshire Regiment and later transferred to The Parachute Regiment. He served as Officer Commanding (OC) D (Patrol) Company 3 PARA during the Borneo campaign and went on to command 3 PARA from 1969-71. He was involved in the campaign in Kenya. Officially transferring to PARA in 1958, he had been involved in operations against the EOKA in Cyprus and took part in Suez in 1956.

Among his many and varied appointments during a long and distinguished career he was DAAG Berlin Inf Bde, BM (COS) 16 PARA Bde 1967-68, OC (DPtl) Coy 3 PARA in the Borneo campaign and CO 3 PARA 69-71, serving in NI at the start of the ‘Troubles’.

On promotion to Colonel he was appointed Col Army Trg 1971-4 introducing a new training system for Northern Ireland, then DCOS UNFICYP/Comd BRITCON 1974-6 in Cyprus shortly after the Turkish invasion. As a Brigadier he was the last Comd of 44 PARA Bde 1976-8, and with great sadness presided over its disbandment.

Following his Bde Comd appointment he served as ACOS HQ NORTHAG in Germany 1978-80. On promotion to Maj Gen he became commander of Land Forces in Northern Ireland in 1982 and General Officer Commanding Wales in 1983.

In retirement Maj Gen Chiswell was involved in a host of charitable activities, not least of which was the work he did in the early 1990s towards the establishment of what we know today as the Parachute Regiment an Airborne Forces Charity.

Major General PI Chiswell CB, CBE, DL died on 24 June 2025. He was 95. He is survived by his wife Felicity and his two sons, one of whom is retired Maj Gen James Chiswell CB, CBE, MC (late PARA).  His funeral was held at St Michael Archangel Church, Cwmdu, Powys, on 25 July 2025. A memorial service for General Peter Chiswell will be held at St Lawrence Jewry in the City of London later in 2025.

Information sourced from RHQ PARA.