# Anthony Birks > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Anthony_Birks > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Anthony_Birks.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Birks > Source revision: 1352378240 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2022}} {{short description|New Zealand army general (1941-2002)}} {{Infobox military person |name= Anthony Birks |image= |image_size= |alt= |caption= |nickname= Tony |birth_date= {{birth date|1941|12|30|df=yes}} |birth_place= |death_date= {{death date and age|2002|01|21|1941|12|30|df=yes}} |death_place= |burial_place= |allegiance= New Zealand |branch= [New Zealand Army](/source/New_Zealand_Army) |service_years= 1961–1999 |rank= [Lieutenant General](/source/Lieutenant_General) |service_number= |unit= |commands= [Chief of Defence Force](/source/Chief_of_Defence_Force_(New_Zealand))
[Chief of the General Staff](/source/Chief_of_Army_(New_Zealand))
3rd Task Force
2/1st Battalion, [Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment](/source/Royal_New_Zealand_Infantry_Regiment) |battles= [Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation](/source/Indonesia%E2%80%93Malaysia_confrontation)
[Vietnam War](/source/Vietnam_War) |awards= [Companion of the Order of the Bath](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath)
[Officer of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) |relations= |other_work= }} [Lieutenant General](/source/Lieutenant_General) '''Anthony Leonard Birks''', {{postnominals|country=NZL|size=100|sep=,|CB|OBE}} (30 December 1941 – 21 January 2002) was a senior officer in the [New Zealand Army](/source/New_Zealand_Army). He served as the [Chief of the General Staff](/source/Chief_of_Army_(New_Zealand)), the professional head of the New Zealand Army, from 1992 to 1995, and in New Zealand's most senior military post as [Chief of Defence Force](/source/Chief_of_Defence_Force_(New_Zealand)) from 1995 until his retirement in 1999. ==Biography== Born in [Wellington](/source/Wellington), New Zealand, on 30 December 1941, Anthony Birks, known as Tony, attended [St. Andrew's College](/source/St_Andrew's_College%2C_Christchurch), in [Christchurch](/source/Christchurch), and then went onto [Nelson College](/source/Nelson_College).{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=57}} In 1959 Birks entered the [Royal Military Academy](/source/Royal_Military_Academy_Sandhurst) in [Sandhurst](/source/Sandhurst%2C_Berkshire) in the United Kingdom, and on completion of his studies two years later was commissioned as a [second lieutenant](/source/second_lieutenant) in the [New Zealand Army](/source/New_Zealand_Army). He served as a [platoon](/source/platoon) commander with the [Royal New Zealand Infantry Regiment](/source/Royal_New_Zealand_Infantry_Regiment) (RNZIR) in Malaysia, during the [Indonesia–Malaysia confrontation](/source/Indonesia%E2%80%93Malaysia_confrontation). In 1968, he served in South Vietnam as a liaison officer to the [1st Australian Task Force](/source/1st_Australian_Task_Force). In 1970, he served with the United States forces on attachment, posted to a field force headquarters. He received further military education at the [Australian Army Staff College](/source/Australian_Defence_College), and then went on to command an infantry battalion of the RNZIR at [Burnham Military Camp](/source/Burnham_Military_Camp).{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=57}}{{cite news|title=Sympathy Extended to Family of Top Soldier|url=http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0201/S00102/sympathy-extended-to-family-of-top-soldier.htm|publisher=[Scoop](/source/Scoop_(website))|date=23 January 2002|accessdate=17 July 2019}} In the [1978 New Year Honours](/source/1978_New_Year_Honours_(New_Zealand)), Birks was appointed a [Member of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Member_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) (Military Division).{{London Gazette |issue=47420 |date=31 December 1977 |page=44 |supp=3}} From 1985 to 1990, he was commander of the 3rd Task Force,{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=57}} and during this time he was promoted to [Officer of the Order of the British Empire](/source/Officer_of_the_Order_of_the_British_Empire) in the [1987 Queen's Birthday Honours](/source/1987_Birthday_Honours_(New_Zealand)).{{London Gazette |issue=50950 |date=13 June 1987 |page=34 |supp=4}} He spent a period of time in the United Kingdom studying at the [Royal College of Defence Studies](/source/Royal_College_of_Defence_Studies) before becoming [Chief of the General Staff](/source/Chief_of_Army_(New_Zealand)), with the rank of [major general](/source/Major-general_(United_Kingdom)), in 1992. During his time in this role, he strengthened the combat capacity of the New Zealand Army.{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=57}} In the [1994 New Year Honours](/source/1994_New_Year_Honours_(New_Zealand)), he was made a [Companion of the Order of the Bath](/source/Companion_of_the_Order_of_the_Bath).{{London Gazette |issue=53528 |date=31 December 1993 |page=36 |supp=2}} In 1995, he was promoted to [lieutenant general](/source/lieutenant_general) and became [Chief of the Defence Force](/source/Chief_of_Defence_Force_(New_Zealand)), and worked towards updating the equipment of all three branches of the military. During his time in the role, which ended in 1999, he also dealt with gender discrimination.{{sfn|McGibbon|2000|p=57}} On his retirement in February 1999, he moved to the [Bay of Plenty](/source/Bay_of_Plenty). He died of a heart attack on 21 January 2002 in [Whakatāne](/source/Whakat%C4%81ne) and was given a full military burial with 400 attendees and an honour guard at [Waiouru](/source/Waiouru_Military_Camp). A private ceremony followed in Taupō, and his remains were cremated. He was survived by his wife Georgina, who he met during his time in Malaysia, and the couple's children.{{cite news |last=Pickmere|first=Arnold|title=Obituary: Tony Birks |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/iobituaryi-tony-birks/OQP74Z3E6DADFC5ZAQLWBCYWNQ/ |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=New Zealand Herald |date=26 January 2002}}{{cite news |last1=Aronson |first1=Cathy |title=400 gather at Waiouru to mourn death of general |url=https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/400-gather-at-waiouru-to-mourn-death-of-general/PBMSHRZ2SYUH7THW3DWA6KGLKM/ |access-date=5 January 2021 |issue=New Zealand Herald |date=25 January 2002}} ==Notes== {{reflist}} ==References== *{{cite book|editor-last=McGibbon|editor-first=Ian|editor-link=Ian McGibbon|title=The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History|year=2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Auckland, New Zealand|isbn=0-19-558376-0}} {{s-start}} {{s-mil}} {{s-bef|before=Vice Admiral [Sir Somerford Teagle](/source/Somerford_Teagle)}} {{s-ttl|title=[Chief of Defence Force](/source/Chief_of_Defence_Force_(New_Zealand))|years=1995–1999}} {{s-aft|after=Air Marshal [Carey Adamson](/source/Carey_Adamson)}} |- {{s-bef|before=Major General [Bruce Meldrum](/source/Bruce_Meldrum)}} {{s-ttl|title=[Chief of the General Staff](/source/Chief_of_Army_(New_Zealand))|years=1992–1995}} {{s-aft|after=Major General [Piers Reid](/source/Piers_Reid)}} {{s-end}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Birks, Anthony}} Category:1941 births Category:2002 deaths Category:Graduates of the Royal College of Defence Studies Category:Graduates of the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst Category:New Zealand Companions of the Order of the Bath Category:New Zealand generals Category:New Zealand military personnel of the Vietnam War Category:New Zealand Officers of the Order of the British Empire Category:People educated at Nelson College Category:Military personnel from Wellington City --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Anthony Birks](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Birks) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthony_Birks?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.