▁– ▁ 5 ▁March ▁ 1 9 8 7 ) ▁was ▁a ▁senior ▁British ▁Army ▁officer . ▁ ▁Biography ▁Born ▁on ▁ 6 ▁September ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁John ▁Read ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Bed ford ▁School , ▁at ▁Mag dal ene ▁College , ▁Cambridge , ▁and ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁Academy , ▁W ool wich . ▁He ▁gained ▁his ▁first ▁commission ▁in ▁the ▁British ▁Army ▁in ▁ 1 9 3 7 ▁when ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁Second ▁Lieutenant ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Engine ers . ▁During ▁the ▁Second ▁World ▁War ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁France , ▁Belg ium , ▁Egypt , ▁Palest ine , ▁Greece ▁and ▁Austria . ▁Between ▁ 1 9 4 5 ▁and ▁ 1 9 5 7 ▁he ▁served ▁in ▁Austria , ▁Germany , ▁Hong ▁Kong ▁and ▁Singapore . ▁He ▁was ▁Ass istant ▁Command ant ▁of ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁Academy ▁Sand h urst , ▁between ▁ 1 9 6 6 ▁and ▁ 1 9 6 8 , ▁and ▁Director ▁of ▁Military ▁Oper ations ▁at ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence , ▁between ▁ 1 9 6 8 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 0 . ▁He ▁was ▁Ass istant ▁Chief ▁of ▁the ▁Def ence ▁Staff ▁at ▁the ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Def ence , ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 0 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁and ▁Director ▁of ▁International ▁Military ▁Staff ▁at ▁NAT O ▁Head quarters ▁in ▁Br uss els , ▁between ▁ 1 9 7 1 ▁and ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁ ▁Lieutenant ▁General ▁Sir ▁John ▁Read ▁retired ▁from ▁the