Ramsay was commissioned into the Royal Highland Fusiliers in 1964. He commanded a rifle company of the Sultan of Oman"s Armed Forces during the Dhofar Rebellion and became commanding officer of the Ulster Defence Regiment in 1990 during the Troubles. He retired in 2000.
He went on to become Chief of Staff at the Sovereign Base Areas in Cyprus in 1992, chief of Staff of the United Nations Force in Bosnia in 1993 and Commander of the Multi-National Division (South-West) in Bosnia in 1997 before becoming Commander of British Forces Cyprus and Administrator of the Sovereign Base Areas in 1998.
