Kitson joined the
British Army as a
second lieutenant on an emergency commission in the
Rifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own) on 23 February 1946. He was appointed to a regular commission as a lieutenant on 10 April 1948 (with seniority from 15 December 1947), and promoted to
captain on 15 December 1953. He was awarded the
Military Cross (MC) on 1 January 1955 for service in the
Mau Mau Uprising in
Kenya, and was awarded a
Bar to it on 23 May 1958, for service in the
Malayan Emergency (also known as the Anti-British National Liberation War) the previous year. The citation for the Bar read: Kitson was appointed a
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the
1959 Birthday Honours. He was promoted
major on 15 December 1960,
brevet lieutenant-colonel on 1 July 1964, and to the substantive rank on 31 December 1966. He was appointed an
Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the
1968 New Year Honours. He was promoted
colonel on 31 December 1969 (with seniority from 30 June 1969), and
brigadier on 30 June 1970. From September 1970, Kitson commanded
39 Airportable Brigade, which comprised eight (frequently changing) battalions on short four-month tours. A further brigade was usually attached as brigade reserve, but this could be employed elsewhere as required. In 1971 Kitson established the
Military Reaction Force in Northern Ireland, a plainclothes army unit that sought intelligence on the IRA but is believed to have shot dead several unarmed Catholic civilians. On 15 February 1972, he was promoted
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for his operational service in
Northern Ireland the previous year. On 22 January 1976, he became
General Officer Commanding 2nd Division, with the acting rank of
major-general, with substantive promotion following on 5 April 1976 (and seniority from 2 June 1974), and leading its re-designation as an Armoured Division in
Germany before stepping down on 28 February 1978. He was then Commandant of the
Staff College, Camberley, 5 March 1978 – 18 January 1980. He was appointed
Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the
1980 New Year Honours. On 17 March 1980, he was appointed
Deputy Commander-in-Chief UK Land Forces and Inspector General
Territorial Army, with substantive promotion to
lieutenant-general (and seniority backdated to 17 August 1979). He held those appointments until 30 May 1982, and then became
Commander-in-Chief, UK Land Forces on 1 July 1982 with local rank of general. As is traditional for senior officers of the British Army, Kitson held a number of more honorary positions:
Colonel Commandant of 2nd Battalion,
Royal Green Jackets from 1 January 1979 to 1 January 1987; Honorary Colonel to the
University of Oxford Officer Training Corps from 21 July 1982 to 21 July 1987; and
Aide-de-Camp General to the Queen from 14 February 1983 to 1985. In the
1985 New Year Honours he was promoted to
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire (GBE). He was appointed a
Deputy Lieutenant of
Devon on 19 June 1989.
Post-Northern Ireland In retirement Kitson gave evidence to the
Saville Inquiry into the events of
Bloody Sunday in Northern Ireland. ==Personal life==