Editing Gerald Templer (section)

==Later military career==
[[File:Coat of Arms of Sir Gerald Templer, KG, GCB, GCMG, KBE, DSO, SMN.png|thumb|right|220px|Garter-encircled arms of Sir Gerald Templer]]
Advanced to [[Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath]] in the [[Queen's Birthday Honours]] 1955,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40497 |supp=y|page=3259|date=3 June 1955}}</ref> Templer was appointed [[Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)|Chief of the Imperial General Staff]] on 29 September 1955.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40598 |supp=y|page=5555|date=30 September 1955}}</ref> In this capacity he advised the British Government on the response to the [[Suez Crisis]].<ref name="Page277">Heathcote, Anthony pg 277</ref> He was promoted to [[Field marshal (United Kingdom)|field marshal]] on 27 November 1956<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40935 |supp=y|page=6715|date=23 November 1956}}</ref> and retired on 29 September 1958.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=41508 |supp=y|page=5954|date=26 September 1958}}</ref>

Templer was also appointed Colonel of the Royal Irish Fusiliers from 1946, Colonel of the Malay Federation Regiment from 1954,<ref name="Page277"/> Colonel of the [[7th Duke of Edinburgh's Own Gurkha Rifles]] from 25 May 1956,<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=40785 |supp=y|page=3032|date=22 May 1956}}</ref> Colonel of the [[Royal Horse Guards]] from 1963 and Colonel of the [[Blues and Royals]] from 1969.<ref name="Page277"/>

In retirement Templer focused on his main passion which was establishing the [[National Army Museum]] in London, who have named their library, archive and reading room as "The Templer Study Centre" in his honour.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk/research/templerss2.shtml |title=Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer |publisher=National Army Museum |access-date=2 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071029133055/http://www.national-army-museum.ac.uk/research/templerss2.shtml |archive-date=29 October 2007 }}</ref> The Malaysian Government conferred on him the award of [[Order of the Defender of the Realm|Grand Commander of the Order of the Defender of the Realm]], which carries with it the [[Malay styles and titles|title]] ''Tun'', on 13 October 1960.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.iseas.edu.sg/HSLee/HSL0126.pdf |title=Correspondence re Royal Awards |publisher=ISEAS Library |access-date=2 January 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120414230204/http://www.iseas.edu.sg/HSLee/HSL0126.pdf |archive-date=14 April 2012 }}</ref> He also appointed a [[Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter]] on 16 September 1963<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=43108|page=7677|date=17 September 1963}}</ref> and [[Constable of the Tower]] on 1 August 1965.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=43731|page=7448|date=6 August 1965}}</ref> He chaired a committee of the rationalisation of air power in 1965<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/catalogue/displaycataloguedetails.asp?CATID=1771964&CATLN=6&accessmethod=5|title=Templer Committee: report on rationalisation of air power|publisher=National Archives|access-date=2 January 2012}}</ref> and was appointed [[Lord Lieutenant of Greater London]] on 28 December 1966.<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=44219|page=88|date=3 January 1967}}</ref> He died of [[lung cancer]] at his home in [[Chelsea, London|Chelsea]] on 25 October 1979.<ref name="Page277"/> He was buried in the Churchyard of St. Michael in the Wiltshire village of [[Wilsford cum Lake]].<ref name=odnb/><ref name="auto"/>

In 1981 the [[Society for Army Historical Research]] established the Templer Medal, awarded annually to the author of the book published during that year that has made the most significant contribution to the history of the British Army, to commemorate Templer's life and achievements and to mark his presidency of the Society between 1965 and 1979.<ref>{{cite web|title=Templer Medal|url=https://www.sahr.org.uk/templar-medal-book-prize.php|access-date=22 March 2021|publisher=Society for Army Historical Research}}</ref>