Tony Hunter-Choat

Anthony Hunter-Choat (12 January 1936 – 12 April 2012) was a British soldier who served in the French Foreign Legion, the British Army, including in the Special Air Service, and as the commander of the Sultan of Oman's special forces.

Early life and education Hunter-Choat was born in Purley, London, the son of Frederick, who worked in insurance, and Iris, a schoolteacher. The family later moved to Ascot. He attended Dulwich College and Kingston College of Art, where he trained as an architect. In his youth, he developed a taste for travel and languages, hitchhiking around Europe in his holidays.

Military career

French Foreign Legion After deciding a career in architecture was not for him, Hunter-Choat travelled to Paris in March 1957 to join the French Foreign Legion. He was pursued by his mother, but by the time she caught up with him, he had already signed up. He was sent for basic training in Algeria, which at the time was experiencing the Algerian War. Hunter-Choat volunteered for the additional training to become a paratrooper. On 15 October, he was posted to 1st Foreign Parachute Regiment (1e REP), with whom he would serve for the next five years. He became the head of security for Aga Khan IV. This involved helping to create a base for the Aga Khan at Chantilly, Oise.

After the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Hunter-Choat became head of security for the Coalition Provisional Authority's Program Management Office (PMO), which was responsible for funding reconstruction projects in the country. He was involved in some scandal when the PMO awarded a contract worth $293 million to Aegis Defence Services headed by Tim Spicer, who Hunter-Choat knew personally. However, there was no suggestion that Hunter-Choat had acted improperly. He was later responsible for making security plans for USAID in Afghanistan and was an accomplished lecturer on leadership and security. French Foreign Legion 1831–71, by Martin Windrow, published by Osprey Publishing, is both dedicated to, and prefaced by, Hunter-Choat.

Personal life He married Maureen McCabe in 1964, but the marriage was later dissolved. He married again, to Linda Wood, in 1982. He had two daughters from his first marriage and two daughters and a son from his second marriage. Hunter-Choat had served as both president and secretary general of the British branch of the Foreign Legion Association and was a keen Freemason.

Awards Besides winning the Cross for Military Valour three times, and winning the Médaille militaire, Hunter-Choat was appointed OBE and awarded the Omani Order of Achievement. In 2001, he was appointed as an Officer of the Legion of Honour, and was raised to Commander in 2011. He was also a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts and a Freeman of the City of London.