Major General Robert Benbow CB (4 January 1933 – 9 January 2014) was a British Army general officer.
The son of a soldier also called Robert Benbow, and his wife Blanche Augusta Norris, he was born in Secunderabad, Hyderabad, a princely state which was not part of British India. He graduated from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and on 31 July 1953 was commissioned into the Royal Corps of Signals.The London Gazette, Supplement 39965, 18 September 1953, p. 5043 He was promoted to Lieutenant on 31 July 1955The London Gazette, Supplement 40550, 29 July 1955, p. 4426 Captain on 31 July 1959,The London Gazette, Supplement 41777, p. 4795 Major on 31 July 1966,The London Gazette, Supplement 44069, 29 July 1966, p. 8606 Lt. Colonel on 31 December 1972,The London Gazette, Supplement 45867, 1 January 1973, p. 91, and full Colonel on 30 June 1977.The London Gazette, Supplement 47264, 4 July 1977, p. 8744 When promoted to Brigadier in December 1978, he was described as "late R. Signals".The London Gazette, Supplement 47745, 15 January 1979, p. 651
From 1978 to 1980, Benbow was Commandant of the School of Signals. In 1983, he was promoted to Major GeneralThe London Gazette, Supplement 49545, 21 November 1983, p. 15397 and was appointed as Colonel Commandant of the Royal Corps of Signals and Signal-Officer-in-Chief, serving in this post until December 1985. From that month until April 1987, he was President of the Regular Commissions Board."Army Commands", Gulabin, accessed 27 March 2026 He then retired.The London Gazette, Supplement 50913, 11 May 1987, p. 6125
Benbow died on 9 January 2014, aged 81, in Dorchester, Dorset. Honours In the 1986 New Year Honours, Benbow was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath.The London Gazette, Supplement 50361, 31 December 1985, p. 2 : "Major General Robert BENBOW (430224), Colonel Commandant Royal Corps of Signals."
Benbow was the Honorary Colonel of the Queen's Gurkha Signals.The London Gazette, Issue 52045, 12 February 1990, p. 1969
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