Peacekeeping in Bosnia: A Tragedy Recalled

Hear from Major General Peter Williams as he reveals what it was like to command the Coldstream Guards armoured infantry battalion during the civil war in Bosnia.

Throughout the winter of 1993-94, the Coldstream Guards armoured infantry battalion was deployed in central Bosnia as a key component of UNPROFOR, the United Nations protection force in the former Yugoslavia.

Its main task was to create and maintain the conditions for the secure distribution of humanitarian aid by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR). This mission was greatly complicated by the ongoing conflict between the Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and their Bosnian Croat neighbours, while the Bosnian Serbs watched on from positions of strength.

In this insightful talk, Major General Peter Williams will reveal how his Coldstream Guardsmen faced up to the many dangers and challenges that confronted them.

About the speaker

Peter Williams

Major General Peter Williams CMG OBE spent more than 30 years in the Coldstream Guards and enjoyed a hugely varied career in the British Army. During the Cold War, he specialised in intelligence, serving in Berlin and East Germany. In the 1990s, he completed three tours of duty in the former Yugoslavia. He was awarded an OBE for his service in Bosnia.