With the approval of The Queen, HM Lord-Lieutenant of the Isle of Wight, Mrs Susie Sheldon JP, has appointed the new Vice Lord-Lieutenant. Brigadier Maurice Sheen CBE QVRM TD DL will succeed Lieutenant Colonel Sir Guy Acland Bt. LVO DL when he retires on 24th March this year.
Maurice was born, educated and grew up in Carisbrooke and gained two degrees before joining the teaching profession. For 39 years he served full and part time in the British Army in the UK, Germany, the Gulf region and the Balkans.
In particular, working closely with the officer corps of fledgling armies, he led British military teams that re-established the Iraqi Military Academy in 2005 and established the Afghan National Army Officers’ Academy in 2013. The media dubbed both academies as “Sandhurst in the Sand.”
Honoured for work in Iraq and Afghanistan
In addition to being invested with the Queen’s Volunteer Reserve Medal, Maurice was unusually honoured by the award of the United States Bronze Star for his work in Iraq and was created CBE for his service in Afghanistan.
He lives in Totland and amongst several voluntary activities he is currently the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Chair of South East Reserve Forces and Cadets Association, County Chair of St John Ambulance, a member of the Deanery Synod and a volunteer at Osborne House.
Sheen: Humbled and honoured
He said,
“I am both humbled and honoured by this opportunity to serve the diverse community of the Island, a place of great beauty and a place that wherever I have served in the world has always been my real home.
“If I can do half as good a job as Sir Guy, who has served the Island with great distinction over many years, I shall be a very happy man.”
News shared by Isle of Wight Council Media Team, in their own words. Ed
