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John Foley

b. 1939

British Army general

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About John Foley

Born 1939. John Foley is a British military leader.

Lieutenant-General Sir John Paul Foley, (born 22 April 1939) is a retired British Army officer with a long career in military intelligence. He is the great-grandson of Henry Hodgetts-Foley, and was educated at Bradfield College.

Military career Foley joined the Special Air Service as an enlisted man during his National Service. He served in BRIXMIS during the 1970s. He was commissioned into the Rifle Brigade in 1959 and rose to become Director SAS in 1983. He was later Director of General Intelligence, which involved ensuring intelligence provision in the theatre of war and making assessments for government ministers at the time of the Gulf War in 1990, and became Commander of British Forces in Hong Kong in 1992, before being named Chief of Defence Intelligence in 1994. He left that post, retiring from the Army three years later, in 1997. In 2000, he was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey, and served in that post for five years before retiring to his native Herefordshire.

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Important facts

Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
Bradfield College
Positions held
High Sheriff of Worcestershire, High Sheriff of Herefordshire
Awards
Military Cross; Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath; Officer of the Order of the British Empire
Also known as
Major-General Sir John Foley

People in John Foley's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped John Foley's

Frequently asked questions

Who is John Foley?

British Army general

When was John Foley born?

John Foley was born on 22 April 1939.

What is John Foley's occupation?

John Foley is a military leader.

What nationality is John Foley?

John Foley is British.

Sources & further reading

Β· Wikipedia: John Foley

Β· Wikidata: Q6233548

Β· DBpedia: John Foley (British Army officer)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). John Foley. https://biography.guide/john-foley/

MLA: "John Foley." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/john-foley/.

Chicago: "John Foley." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/john-foley/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 Β· Spot an error? Report a correction.

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