The British Army will have its highest ranked female officer in its history when Major General Sharon Nesmith becomes the new Deputy Chief of the General Staff.

When she takes up the post in August she will be promoted to lieutenant general, the first woman to hold the three-star rank, the second highest currently used within the military.

Maj Gen Nesmith was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals 30 years ago and has served in the Balkans and Iraq.

She said: “I feel deeply honoured to be appointed as the Deputy Chief of the General Staff at such a pivotal time for the British Army. I look forward to playing my part in leading our future soldier transformation to become a more lethal, agile, digitised and expeditionary force.”

She will serve as deputy to Chief of the General Staff General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, the professional head of the army.

She will be the first woman to hold the prestigious appointment at the army’s headquarters. 

Gen Carleton-Smith said: “She is the right person at the right time to drive the Army’s transformation and she brings a wealth of experience, energy and fresh ideas.”