Nyt obituary

F ield Marshal Lord Vincent of Coleshill, who has died aged 87, was successively Vice Chief of the Defence Staff, Chief of the Defence Staff and Chairman of the Nato Military Committee between 1987 and 1996; it was a decade that wrought immense changes in the balance of power in Europe, with far-reaching implications for Britain’s Armed Forces. Vincent’s appointments coincided with the demise of the USSR, the collapse of the Warsaw Pact countries, the Gulf War, the implementation of the Conventional Forces in Europe (CFE) treaty and the re-unification of Germany. He also had to deal with the start of the conflicts in the former Yugoslavia and the consequent commitment of British forces to the UN’s Organisation Protection Force (Unprofor). These events raised important questions about British defence policy and structures. As the Cold War moved to its conclusion and the conflicts in the Balkans escalated, other Nato countries were reviewing their force structures, and one of … [Read more...] about Field Marshal Lord Vincent of Coleshill – obituary

He was the bad boy ladies’ man who was a fixture on the Coronation Street cobbles for 30 years. Tributes have flooded in for Johnny Briggs , who played Mike Baldwin on the soap, who has died aged 85 after a long battle with illness. The star, whose rivalry with arch-enemy Ken Barlow gripped the nation, after making his debut on the show in 1976 stayed in the role until 2006. After leaving Briggs won the British Soap Award for Lifetime Achievement in May 2006 and was made an MBE in the 2006 New Year Honours list. Bill Roache, who plays Ken, said: “As an actor, Johnny was impeccable, always good, and I was so fortunate to have worked with him for so many years,” he said. “He was a strong character who will be greatly missed.” John Whiston, head of ITV in the north, was also full of praise. He said: “For years Johnny was right at the centre of the show, playing the part of Mike Baldwin and bringing to the role huge energy, dynamism, professionalism and credibility. When … [Read more...] about ‘Johnny Briggs’ charisma made him irresistible to women in Corrie and its viewers’