Major General Skempton 's military career has extended from service with The Cheshire Regiment, commanding 1st Battalion in Chester. He has been Mentioned in Despatches twice on operations and earned the CBE for his logistic input to operations in Angola, Rwanda, Kuwait and the Former Republic of Yugoslavia. He earned a Queen's Commendation for Valuable Service setting up the Kosovo operation in 1999. He has been fully involved in national, UN and NATO operations. He was Colonel of The 22nd (Cheshire) Regiment from 1999-2006. He remains a Trustee of The Cheshire Military Museum and is President for SSAFA in Cheshire. He was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Cheshire in September 2006.
Since leaving the Armed Forces, he has been involved in project work for Denis Ferranti Group (Electronic and Mechanical Engineering - Business Development) and Chester Cathedral (Director of Operations). He has been Defence Sector Lead to Capita's Property and Infrastructure division from July 2010 - July 2016 and since then has been an independent consultant, although he is now retired. Keith Skempton has been a Fellow of the Chartered Management Institute (FCMI)(2002-2013). In 2022 he was awarded an Honorary Master of Business Administration (MBA) by the University of Chester.
Painting by Michael Fennell c2005 Smoke on Panel - Shown at National Portrait Gallery (100cmx80cm)
Thinkpiece
"The Cheshires" are now incorporated into The Mercian Regiment. The 1st Battalion, The Mercian Regiment, is now in an armoured infantry role based in Bulford. The unit has been engaged in a number of operational and training deployments primarily in Eastern Europe. The 4th Battalion is a Reserve unit based within the Mercian recruiting area, including Cheshire.
The Regiment lost both its second and third regular battalion as a result of the two Defence Review since the formation in 2007. 1st Battalion is due to remain in Bulford and currently equipped with the Warrior armoured fighting vehicle. It will eventually be equipped with the new 'Boxer' wheeled armoured vehicle entering service next year.
Details on the Regiment are available from the RHQ and Museum at The Castle, Chester.
The Mercian Regiment has a Regimental Headquarters at the Castle in Chester in addition to its main HQ in Lichfield. The Castle also houses the Cheshire Military Museum. For details on the Cheshire Regiment Association, The Cheshire Regiment and Cheshire Military History, visit the Cheshire Military Museum at the Castle.