Doug Beattie
| Douglas Ricardo "Doug" Beattie | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for Upper Bann |
|
|
Assumed office 7 May 2016 |
|
| Preceded by | Sam Gardiner |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
13 October 1965 UK |
| Nationality | British |
| Political party | Ulster Unionist Party |
| Residence | Portadown, County Armagh, Northern Ireland |
| Alma mater | Sandhurst |
| Profession | Soldier |
| Awards |
Military Cross QCB |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1982-2016 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Royal Irish Regiment |
| Battles/wars |
Kosovo War War in Afghanistan |
|
Captain Doug Beattie MC |
|
|---|---|
| Birth name | Douglas Ricardo Beattie |
| Allegiance | British |
| Service/branch | Army |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Royal Irish Regiment |
| Awards | Military Cross, Queen's Commendation for Bravery |
Captain Douglas Ricardo "Doug" Beattie MC is a British soldier and politician. "Born in barracks" in 1965, his father was a warrant officer in the Royal Ulster Rifles. The family settled in Portadown when he was 10 following the cessation of his father's regular service but saw Beattie Snr enlist into the Ulster Defence Regiment shortly after.
At the age of 16 in 1982 he joined the Royal Irish Rangers which became the Royal Irish Regiment in 1992. In over 28 years of service rose from the rank of "Ranger" to that of Regimental Sergeant Major. During that time he served in Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Northern Ireland being awarded the General Officer NI commendation, the Queens Commendation for Bravery and the NATO Meritorious Service Medal. He was commissioned from the ranks in 2005 gaining promotion to captain.
His exploits in Afghanistan earned him the Military Cross and following his return he published the first of two books, An Ordinary Soldier, which became an immediate best seller in the United Kingdom and propelled him into the public eye.
After retiring from the army he joined the Ulster Unionist Party and successfully stood for a seat in a Portadown ward of Craigavon Borough Council. As of May 2016, Beattie is an Ulster Unionist MLA for Upper Bann.
As the son of a professional soldier not only was Doug Beattie "born in barracks" but moved from area to area as his father's unit was posted to different locations. Eventually, upon retirement from the army by Beattie Snr, the family returned to their native Portadown, County Armagh, in Northern Ireland; moving into a house in Union Street, situated in the densely populated Edgarstown area on the outskirts of the town centre.
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Wikipedia