Stepping down: General Sir Patrick Sanders officially ends time as head of the British Army
The "watch is ended" officially for General Sir Patrick Sanders, with General Sir Roly Walker taking over as the next head of the British Army.
Gen Sir Roly's appointment drew praise from his former colleague, Lieutenant General James Swift, who told the Sitrep podcast the service picked the right person for the job.
But what job is Gen Sir Roly stepping into? Forces News has taken a look at Gen Sir Patrick's time in office and the job he has done.
General Sir Patrick Sanders took charge of the British Army in June 2022 after three years leading Strategic Command.
Before that he had commanded operations in Northern Ireland, Kosovo, Bosnia, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Soon after becoming Chief of the General Staff, he cancelled an overseas deployment by 3 Para following a number of disciplinary incidents.
Before he stepped into his role, the decision had been made to reduce the Army's target strength from 82,000 to 72,500 by 2025.
However, the General spoke out against the cuts and called for them to be reversed, while also challenging the age of the Army's vehicle fleet – all within his first year.
Recruitment into the service has continued to struggle during his time in charge – contributing to lower numbers regardless of target figures.
With Russia's invasion already under way, Gen Sir Patrick acknowledged giving donations to Ukraine would make the Army "temporarily weaker".
But he nevertheless supported the cause, which eventually included Challenger 2 tanks being sent to the frontline.
During his tenure, the Army was also heavily involved in training Ukrainian soldiers on Operation Interflex.
He warned that soldiers were being forced to rely on ageing kit and equipment from the 1980s.
Gen Sir Patrick made the comments during an ABF The Soldiers' Charity General Talk podcast in which he was discussing the future of the British Army.
He said British soldiers lacked drones, artillery and ammunition, and the war in Ukraine had highlighted "gaps in our inventory".
It prompted a refresh of the UK's defence review – which saw no changes in personnel cuts, but committed to a smaller vehicle fleet, new and more digitised.
Russia's invasion prompted the adaptation of the Future Soldier concept – with the General saying Britain's would be the most modern and lethal force in Europe by the end of the decade.
During uncertain times in European defence, Gen Sir Patrick led the Army as it deployed on landmark exercises.
Iron Titan was its largest on land for more than 20 years, while Steadfast Defender was Nato's biggest since the Cold War.
Having opened up about his own mental health struggles, Gen Sir Patrick urged struggling personnel to seek help.
He encouraged members of the Armed Forces to "take the risk, put your hand up, ask someone for help" if they were struggling with their mental health.
In 2024, Gen Sir Patrick made headlines by suggesting Britain should train a "citizen army", warning that an increase in reserves wouldn't be enough to fight a future war.
He said increasing Army numbers ahead of a potential conflict would need to be a "whole-of-nation undertaking".
However, Gen Sir Patrick said even a mobilisation of this scale might not be enough, highlighting how the UK's allies in eastern and northern Europe were "laying the foundations for national mobilisation".
His comments were widely read as a potential warning that British men and women should be ready for a call-up to the Armed Forces if Nato ever goes to war with Russia.
Gen Sir Patrick has pushed for greater readiness of Britain's Armed Forces before.
In 2022, months after Russian President Vladimir Putin invaded Ukraine, the Army chief said: "This is our 1937 moment."
Comparing the situation to the build-up to the Second World War in 1937, the then-Chief of the General Staff said Britain must be prepared to act rapidly to ensure it was not drawn into a full-scale conflict through its failure to contain Russian expansionism.
During Gen Sir Patrick's time in charge, the Army contributed to both the funeral of Queen Elizabeth and the coronation of the King.
Stepping down from this role, Gen Sir Patrick is leaving behind an Army career spanning almost four decades.
When asked in 2023 if he had decided to leave or whether he would have preferred more time in the role, he said whatever time he had been given as Chief of the General Staff was a "privilege".
"I'm the longest-serving chief. I've done more time as a chief than almost any of my predecessors," he said.
"This is a job that is a privilege to be in and I have loved every minute that I've been in this job.
"It's not always a picnic, but I've loved it. Mainly because it's an opportunity and I've tried to add back to the soldiers I've had."
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