Brig Ben Banerjee QVRM DL VR RAMC completed his schooling at Newcastle Royal Grammar having served with the Combined Cadet Force for 5 years finishing as the Company Sergeant Major. He then attended Newcastle University Medical School joining 201(Northern) Field Hospital (V) in 1990. Graduating with MBBS in 1990, he then went onto pass his surgical exams achieving FRCSEd in 1995.

During this time he spent periods in British Military Hospital Rinteln and Iserlohn. Higher Surgical Training in the Northern Region ensued with a research thesis looking into varicose veins culminating in an MD (Newcastle) in 2003. That year also saw him complete his training by passing the intercollegiate surgical exam gaining FRCS(Gen Surg). In the Territorial Army he assumed the second-in-commands (2IC) post at 251 (Sunderland) Field Ambulance (V) and deployed with the unit to Bosnia and Kosovo for 6 months as the Officer Commanding Hosp Sqn, Camp Bondsteel, Kosovo and the Medical Regimental 2IC.

In 2004 he was appointed Consultant & Honorary Clinical Senior Lecturer in Vascular Surgery at City Hospitals Sunderland, delivering an acute vascular service for 450,000 patients and also being responsible for the delivery of undergraduate surgical education. 2007 saw him deploy to Afghanistan for 3 months on Op HERRICK 7A and again in 2010 for 2 months on Op Herrick 13A.

During this time he studied and achieved a Diploma in Management Development, been awarded an FRCSEng Ad Eundum, as well as becoming a regular feature at Army Medical Services Training Centre on HOSPEX and course lead on Military Operational Surgical Training passing on the lessons learnt to successively deploying Field Hospitals. 2012 saw him boarded twice, firstly as the Regimental 2IC with effect from November of that year, secondly, he became the first Reservist officer to be deployed at the rank of Colonel in the position of the Deployed Medical Director of the Role 3 Hospital, Camp Bastion, Afghanistan on Op Herrick 18A. Col Banerjee was recognised for his role in the Reserves regionally being appointed as Deputy Lieutenant to the Lord Lieutenant of Tyne and Wear in November 2014 and also nationally in the 2015 New Years honours list being awarded QVRM.

Col Ben Banerjee assumed Command of 201 (Northern) Field Hospital on 5 October 2015. His time in command at 201 has seen the Unit reach full recruitment and win accolades for infantry, sporting and healthcare performance. He has also raised over £2500 for Combat Stress, a military mental health charity along with significant contributions to the Army Benevolent Fund. He is currently Deputy Commander Reserves South supporting 5 reserve Field Hospitals and the Brigade.

Col Banerjee is married to Helen with two children, Luke and Jasmine. He is a keen fitness fanatic regularly running with or without his bergen.