Patrick Cordingley commanded the 7th (UK) Armoured Brigade during the 1991 Gulf War. His huge tank formation led the British and American attack, which breached the Iraqi defences. In 1992 he took command of the 2nd UK Division before being appointed as the military adviser to His Majesty Sultan Qaboos of Oman. Patrick Cordingley retired from the Army in September 2000 and then completed eight years as chairman of a technology company. He is now chairman of Defence and Security Forum. He was master of the Worshipful Company of Ironmongers and also a visiting scholar at Hull University, where he is a Doctor of Science. Working for many years, mainly for the BBC, he commentated on military matters and international affairs.