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Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)

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Not to be confused with Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom).

Chief of the General Staff
British Army insignia
Flag of the Chief of the General Staff
Incumbent
General Sir Roland Walker
since 15 June 2024
Ministry of Defence
British Army
AbbreviationCGS
Member ofDefence Council
Army Board
Chiefs of Staff Committee
Reports toChief of the Defence Staff
NominatorSecretary of State for Defence
AppointerThe Monarch
On the advice of the Prime Minister, subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council
Term lengthNo fixed length
PrecursorCommander-in-Chief of the Forces
Formation1904, 1964
First holderSir Neville Lyttelton
DeputyDeputy Chief of the General Staff

The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) has been the title of the professional head of the British Army since 1964. The CGS is a member of both the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Army Board; he is also the Chair of the Executive Committee of the Army Board. Prior to 1964, the title was Chief of the Imperial General Staff (CIGS). Since 1959, the post has been immediately subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Staff, the post held by the professional head of the British Armed Forces.

The current Chief of the General Staff is General Sir Roland Walker, who succeeded General Sir Patrick Sanders in the role on 15 June 2024.[1]

Responsibilities

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The Chief of the General Staff (CGS) is the professional head of the Army, with responsibility for developing and generating military capability from an integrated Army (Regular and Reserve) and for maintaining the fighting effectiveness, efficiency and morale of the Service. The CGS reports to the Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) and, as a Service COS, has a right of direct access to the Secretary of State and the Prime Minister. The CGS is a member of the Defence Council and the Army Board, the Armed Forces Committee, the Chiefs of Staff Committee and the Senior Appointments Committee. Responsibile for:

  • Maintains the institutional health of the Army by exercising Full Command responsibility for all Army personnel
  • Ensures the efficient and effective governance of the service
  • Chairs the Executive Committee of the Army Board and the Army Command Group
  • Contributes to the conduct of defence higher level business, with a particular responsibility for providing specialist advice on Army matters
  • Develops future Army capability within the context of Defence strategic direction and resource allocation
  • Leads the senior management team of the British Army[2]

Background

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The title was also used for five years between the demise of the Commander-in-Chief of the Forces in 1904 and the introduction of Chief of the Imperial General Staff in 1909. The post was then held by General Sir Neville Lyttelton and, briefly, by Field Marshal Sir William Nicholson.

Throughout the existence of the post the Chief of the General Staff has been the First Military Member of the Army Board.[3]

Professional heads of the English/British Armed Forces
Royal Navy British Army Royal Air Force Combined
1645 N/A Commander-in-Chief of the Forces (1645/60–1904, intermittently) N/A. The RAF was formed in 1918
1689 Senior Naval Lord (1689–1771)
1771 First Naval Lord (1771–1904)
1904 First Sea Lord (1904–1917) Chief of the General Staff (1904–1909) Inter-service co-ordination was carried out from 1904 by the Committee of Imperial Defence under the chairmanship of the Prime Minister
1909 Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1909–1964)
1917 First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff (1917–present)
1918 Chief of the Air Staff (1918–present)
1923 Chairman of the Chiefs of Staff Committee (1923–1959, held by one of the service heads until 1956)
1959 Chief of the Defence Staff (1959–present)
1964 Chief of the General Staff (1964–present)

Roles

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The Chief was responsible for commanding the entire British Army. During the Second World War, General Brooke focused on grand strategy, and his relationships, through the Combined Chiefs of Staff with his American counterparts. He was also responsible for the appointment and evaluation of senior commanders, allocation of manpower and equipment, and the organisation of tactical air forces in support of land operations of field commanders; he also had primary responsibility for supervising the military operations of the Free French, Polish, Dutch, Belgian, and Czech units reporting to their governments in exile in London. Brooke vigorously allocated responsibilities to his deputies, and despite the traditional historical distrust that had existed between the military and the political side of the War Office, he got along quite well with his counterpart, the Secretary of State for War, first David Margesson and later, Sir James Grigg. [4]

Appointees

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The following table lists all those who have held the post of Chief of the General Staff or its preceding positions. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their tenure:

No. Portrait Name Took office Left office Time in office Ref.
Chiefs of the General Staff
1
Sir Neville Lyttelton
Lyttelton, NevilleGeneral
Sir Neville Lyttelton
(1845–1931)		12 February 19042 April 19084 years, 50 days[5]
2
Sir William Nicholson
Nicholson, WilliamField Marshal
Sir William Nicholson
(1845–1918)		2 April 190822 November 19091 year, 234 days[6]
Chiefs of the Imperial General Staff
2
Sir William Nicholson
Nicholson, WilliamField Marshal
Sir William Nicholson
(1845–1918)		22 November 190915 March 19122 years, 114 days[7]
3
Sir John French
French, JohnField Marshal
Sir John French
(1852–1925)		15 March 19126 April 19142 years, 22 days[8]
4
Sir Charles Douglas
French, JohnGeneral
Sir Charles Douglas
(1850–1914)		6 April 191425 October 1914 †202 days[9]
5
Sir James Wolfe Murray
Murray, JamesLieutenant-General
Sir James Wolfe Murray
(1853–1919)		25 October 191426 September 19151 year, 154 days[10]
6
Sir Archibald Murray
Murray, ArchibaldLieutenant-General
Sir Archibald Murray
(1860–1945)		26 September 191523 December 191588 days[11]
7
Sir William Robertson
Robertson, WilliamGeneral
Sir William Robertson
(1860–1933)		23 December 191519 February 19182 years, 58 days[12]
8
Sir Henry Wilson
Wilson, HenryField Marshal
Sir Henry Wilson
(1864–1922)		19 February 191819 February 19224 years[13]
9
Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan
Lambart, RudolphField Marshal
Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan
(1865–1946)		19 February 192219 February 19264 years[14]
10
Sir George Milne
Milne, GeorgeField Marshal
Sir George Milne
(1866–1948)		19 February 192619 February 19337 years[15]
11
Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd
Montgomery, ArchibaldField Marshal
Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd
(1871–1947)		19 February 193315 May 19363 years, 86 days[16]
12
Sir Cyril Deverell
Deverell, CyrilField Marshal
Sir Cyril Deverell
(1874–1947)		15 May 19366 December 19371 year, 205 days[17]
13
John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
Vereker, JohnGeneral
John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort
(1886–1946)		6 December 19373 September 19391 year, 271 days[18]
14
Sir Edmund Ironside
Ironside, EdmundGeneral
Sir Edmund Ironside
(1880–1959)		4 September 193926 May 1940266 days[19]
15
Sir John Dill
Dill, JohnField Marshal
Sir John Dill
(1881–1944)		26 May 194025 December 19411 year, 213 days[20]
16
Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke
Brooke, AlanField Marshal
Alan Brooke, 1st Viscount Alanbrooke
(1883–1963)		25 December 194125 June 19464 years, 182 days[21]
17
Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
Montgomery, BernardField Marshal
Bernard Montgomery, 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein
(1887–1976)		26 June 19461 November 19482 years, 129 days[21][22]
18
Sir William Slim
Slim, WilliamField Marshal
Sir William Slim
(1891–1970)		1 November 19481 November 19524 years[23]
19
Sir John Harding
Harding, JohnField Marshal
Sir John Harding
(1896–1989)		1 November 195229 September 19552 years, 332 days[24]
20
Sir Gerald Templer
Templer, GeraldField Marshal
Sir Gerald Templer
(1898–1979)		29 September 195529 September 19583 years[25]
21
Sir Francis Festing
Festing, FrancisField Marshal
Sir Francis Festing
(1902–1976)		29 September 19581 November 19613 years, 33 days[26]
22
Sir Richard Hull
Hull, RichardGeneral
Sir Richard Hull
(1902–1989)		1 November 1961April 19642 years, 5 months[27][28][29]
Chiefs of the General Staff
22
Sir Richard Hull
Hull, RichardField Marshal
Sir Richard Hull
(1902–1989)
[a]		April 19648 February 196510 months-
23
Sir James Cassels
Cassels, JamesGeneral
Sir James Cassels
(1907–1996)		8 February 19651 March 19683 years, 22 days[28]
24
Sir Geoffrey Baker
Baker, GeoffreyGeneral
Sir Geoffrey Baker
(1912–1980)
[b]		1 March 19681 April 19713 years, 31 days[30][31][32]
25
Sir Michael Carver
Carver, MichaelField Marshal
Sir Michael Carver
(1915–2001)
[a]		1 April 197119 July 19732 years, 109 days[33][31]
26
Sir Peter Hunt
Hunt, PeterGeneral
Sir Peter Hunt
(1916–1988)
[b]		19 July 197315 July 19762 years, 362 days[34][35]
27
Sir Roland Gibbs
Gibbs, RolandGeneral
Sir Roland Gibbs
(1921–2004)
[b]		15 July 197614 July 19792 years, 364 days[36][37]
28
Sir Edwin Bramall
Bramall, EdwinField Marshal
Sir Edwin Bramall
(1923–2019)
[a]		14 July 19791 August 19823 years, 18 days[38][39][40]
29
Sir John Stanier
Stanier, JohnGeneral
Sir John Stanier
(1925–2007)
[b]		1 August 198228 July 19852 years, 361 days[35][41][42]
30
Sir Nigel Bagnall
Bagnall, NigelGeneral
Sir Nigel Bagnall
(1927–2002)		28 July 198510 September 19883 years, 44 days[43]
31
Sir John Chapple
Chapple, JohnGeneral
Sir John Chapple
(1931–2022)		10 September 198814 February 19923 years, 157 days[44]
32
Sir Peter Inge
Inge, PeterGeneral
Sir Peter Inge
(1935–2022)
[a][b]		14 February 199215 March 19942 years, 29 days[35][45][46]
33
Sir Charles Guthrie
Guthrie, CharlesGeneral
Sir Charles Guthrie
(born 1938)
[a]		15 March 19943 February 19972 years, 325 days[46][47]
34
Sir Roger Wheeler
Wheeler, RogerGeneral
Sir Roger Wheeler
(born 1941)
[b]		3 February 199717 April 20003 years, 74 days[48][49]
35
Sir Michael Walker
Walker, MichaelGeneral
Sir Michael Walker
(born 1944)
[a]		17 April 20001 February 20032 years, 290 days[50][51][52]
36
Sir Mike Jackson
Jackson, MikeGeneral
Sir Mike Jackson
(1944–2024)		1 February 200329 August 20063 years, 209 days[53]
37
Sir Richard Dannatt
Dannatt, RichardGeneral
Sir Richard Dannatt
(born 1950)
[b]		29 August 200628 August 20092 years, 364 days[54][55]
38
Sir David Richards
Richards, DavidGeneral
Sir David Richards
(born 1952)
[a]		28 August 200915 September 20101 year, 18 days[56][57]
39
Sir Peter Wall
Wall, PeterGeneral
Sir Peter Wall
(born 1955)		15 September 20105 September 20143 years, 355 days[58]
40
Sir Nick Carter
Carter, NickGeneral
Sir Nick Carter
(born 1959)
[a]		5 September 201411 June 20183 years, 279 days[59]
41
Sir Mark Carleton-Smith
Carleton, MarkGeneral
Sir Mark Carleton-Smith
(born 1964)		11 June 201813 June 20224 years, 2 days[60]
42
Sir Patrick Sanders
Sanders, PatrickGeneral
Sir Patrick Sanders
(born 1966)		13 June 202215 June 20242 years, 188 days[61]
43
Sir Roland Walker
Walker, RolandGeneral
Sir Roland Walker
(born 1970)		15 June 2024186 days[1]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Later served as Chief of the Defence Staff.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Later made Constable of the Tower of London.

References

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  1. ^ a b "General Sir Roly Walker KCB DSO". GOV.UK. Retrieved 17 June 2024.
  2. ^ "General Sir Patrick Sanders KCB CBE DSO ADC Gen". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 June 2023. Text was copied from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  3. ^ Arnold-Foster, Hugh Oakeley (1906). The Army in 1906: a Policy and a Vindication. London: John Murray. p. 481.
  4. ^ Roberts, Andrew (2010). Masters and Commanders: How Four Titans Won the War in the West, 1941–1945. HarperCollins. pp. 61–62. ISBN 9780061228582.
  5. ^ "No. 27645". The London Gazette. 12 February 1904. p. 939.
  6. ^ "No. 28125". The London Gazette. 3 April 1908. p. 2567.
  7. ^ "No. 28311". The London Gazette. 23 November 1909. p. 8662.
  8. ^ "John French, 1st Earl of Ypres". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/33272. Retrieved 5 February 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  9. ^ "No. 28819". The London Gazette. 7 April 1914. p. 3002.
  10. ^ "Sir James Wolfe-Murray". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35164. Retrieved 29 January 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  11. ^ "No. 29353". The London Gazette. 5 November 1915. p. 10912.
  12. ^ "No. 29426". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 December 1915. p. 120.
  13. ^ "No. 30559". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 March 1918. p. 2867.
  14. ^ "No. 32615". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 February 1922. p. 1489.
  15. ^ "No. 33134". The London Gazette. 19 February 1926. p. 1242.
  16. ^ Harris, J.P. (2004). "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35082. Retrieved 13 January 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  17. ^ Heathcote, T. A. (1999). The British Field Marshals 1736–1997. Barnsley: Leo Cooper. p. 102. ISBN 0-85052-696-5.
  18. ^ "No. 34464". The London Gazette. 17 December 1937. p. 7917.
  19. ^ Cairns, John C. (2004). "Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/34113. Retrieved 19 February 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  20. ^ "No. 34858". The London Gazette (Supplement). 24 May 1940. p. 3175.
  21. ^ a b Fraser (1997), pp. 174, 485
  22. ^ Hamilton (1986), pp. 621, 725
  23. ^ "William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. 2004. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/36120. Retrieved 19 February 2012. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
  24. ^ "No. 39689". The London Gazette (Supplement). 4 November 1952. p. 5863.
  25. ^ "No. 40598". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 September 1955. p. 5555.
  26. ^ "No. 41508". The London Gazette (Supplement). 26 September 1958. p. 5954.
  27. ^ "No. 42503". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 October 1961. p. 7925.
  28. ^ a b "No. 43569". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 February 1965. p. 1361.
  29. ^ "No. 43712". The London Gazette (Supplement). 13 July 1965. p. 6717.
  30. ^ "No. 44539". The London Gazette (Supplement). 1 March 1968. p. 2655.
  31. ^ a b "No. 45337". The London Gazette (Supplement). 5 April 1971. p. 3336.
  32. ^ "Constable of the Tower of London". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 24 April 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  33. ^ "No. 46109". The London Gazette (Supplement). 23 October 1973. p. 12551.
  34. ^ "No. 46046". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 August 1973. p. 9395.
  35. ^ a b c "General Sir Richard Dannatt announced as new Constable of the Tower". Historic Royal Palaces. 5 February 2009. Archived from the original on 1 January 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  36. ^ "Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs". The Daily Telegraph. 2 November 2004. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  37. ^ "No. 46965". The London Gazette (Supplement). 19 July 1976. p. 9899.
  38. ^ "Lord Bramall". Parliament of the United Kingdom. Archived from the original on 27 December 2010. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  39. ^ "No. 49142". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 October 1982. p. 13571.
  40. ^ "No. 47916". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 July 1979. p. 9695.
  41. ^ "Field Marshal Sir John Stanie". The Times. 13 November 2007. Archived from the original on 8 July 2008. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  42. ^ "No. 49069". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 August 1982. p. 10134.
  43. ^ "No. 50226". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 August 1985. p. 11147.
  44. ^ "No. 51467". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 September 1988. p. 10255.
  45. ^ "No. 52838". The London Gazette (Supplement). 17 February 1992. p. 2789.
  46. ^ a b "No. 53645". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 April 1994. p. 5799.
  47. ^ "No. 54726". The London Gazette (Supplement). 7 April 1997. p. 4170.
  48. ^ "No. 54668". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 February 1997. p. 1419.
  49. ^ "No. 56294". The London Gazette. 6 August 2001. p. 1001.
  50. ^ "No. 55823". The London Gazette (Supplement). 18 April 2000. p. 4372.
  51. ^ "No. 56992". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 July 2003. p. 8463.
  52. ^ "2014 Birthday Honours for service personnel and defence civilians". Ministry of Defence. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
  53. ^ "No. 56837". The London Gazette (Supplement). 3 February 2003. p. 1389.
  54. ^ "No. 58081". The London Gazette (Supplement). 29 August 2006. p. 11754.
  55. ^ "No. 59144". The London Gazette. 31 July 2009. p. 13209.
  56. ^ "No. 59177". The London Gazette (Supplement). 8 September 2009. p. 15384.
  57. ^ "No. 59593". The London Gazette (Supplement). 2 November 2010. p. 21039.
  58. ^ "No. 59550". The London Gazette (Supplement). 21 September 2010. p. 18235.
  59. ^ "No. 60984". The London Gazette (Supplement). 9 September 2014. p. 2.
  60. ^ "Lieutenant General Mark Carleton-Smith appointed new Chief of the General Staff". gov.uk. 5 May 2018. Retrieved 5 May 2018.
  61. ^ "General Patrick Sanders to be appointed new Chief of the General Staff". BFBS Forces News. 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.

Bibliography

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