15th June 1947 – 13th December 2022
We, at the OABF, wanted to share our tribute to Colonel Michael Vickery OBE – CEO and Secretary of our partner organisation, the Lady Grover’s Fund, which provides healthcare cover to officers’ families:
In January of this year, together with his family and friends, we remembered the life of a remarkable man, Colonel Michael Vickery OBE, our long-standing CEO and Secretary of the Lady Grover’s Fund.
Mike, as he was affectionately known, was appointed OBE (Military) recognising “meritorious service” for his role in the Gulf War (2 Aug 1990 – 28 Feb 1991). He was Commanding Officer of the 14th/20th King’s Hussars, regiment of tanks, for Operation Desert Storm, playing a decisive role in the conclusion of the conflict. The journalist Robert Fox, embedded with the regiment at the time, remarked on Mike’s “gentlemanly approach”, and how he preferred to speak quietly to small groups rather than formally addressing the squadrons: “He was friendly, funny and dry, commanding great loyalty among the NCOs, who both liked and trusted him.”
Mike was born in Yorkshire in 1947, the middle child and younger son of Wing Commander Lionel Vickery, and Audery (nee Howorth). He was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, and after a short teaching stint, he entered Sandhurst in 1966.
He was a passionate equestrian, excelling at polo and managing the rare achievement of attending both the technical “long armour course” at the Royal Armoured Corps Centre in Bovington, and the “long equitation course” at the French cavalry school at Saumur, where he also perfected his French.
In 1999 he left the army to become project manager for Computing Devices of Canada, and later with General Dynamics (UK), and latterly becoming our CEO and Secretary of Lady Grover’s Fund.
He is survived by his wife, Suzie and their three children: Jonathan, an equine veterinary surgeon; Tom, a property agent, and Katie, a marketing executive.
