Who is General Sir Gwyn Jenkins? Senior general appointed new Royal Navy chief

General Sir Gwyn Jenkins, a senior British general and former head of UK Special Forces, has been named the new First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff, becoming the first Royal Marine to lead the Royal Navy.

He replaces Admiral Sir Ben Key, who was removed from the position amid an ongoing investigation into alleged misconduct.

Defence Secretary John Healey praised Jenkins as “a proven leader with a distinguished career in both the military and at the core of government.”

Jenkins said his appointment was “an honour” and that he felt “extremely privileged to lead the exceptional sailors and marines of the Royal Navy at this pivotal time for UK Defence.”

Panorama Controversy

The appointment comes just days after a BBC Panorama investigation reported that Gen Jenkins had overseen the rejection of hundreds of UK resettlement applications from Afghan commandos who had fought alongside British forces, including the SAS.

These rejections have sparked debate, especially as a UK public inquiry is investigating alleged SAS war crimes during those operations. Many of the Afghan commandos were present during the missions but cannot be forced to testify if they are not in the UK.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said there is no evidence that officials tried to block these Afghans from giving evidence. Gen Jenkins did not comment on the Panorama report.

Military Background

Gen Jenkins joined the Royal Marines in 1990 and later led operations in the Special Boat Service (SBS). He received an OBE for his work in Afghanistan and later served as the Prime Minister’s military assistant and in the Cabinet Office.

In 2017, he returned to military service and became Vice Chief of the Defence Staff. Since August 2024, he had been working as a strategic advisor to Defence Secretary Healey.

Departure of Admiral Ben Key

Gen Jenkins replaces Adm Sir Ben Key, who had planned to retire this summer after serving since 2021. However, he was removed early following allegations of an inappropriate relationship with a junior female colleague, as reported by The Sun.

The MoD confirmed the investigation but gave no further details.