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Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Nominated by Recommendation of Secretary of State for Defence to the Prime Minister
Appointed by Approved by the Monarch
Incumbent General Sir Roland Walker

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. 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 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.[1]

Chief of the General Staff General Sir Peter Wall – succeeded his predecessor, General Sir David Richards in September 2010. He was in turn succeeded by General Sir Nick Carter in 2014, General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith in 2018, General Sir Patrick Sanders in 2022, and General Sir Roland Walker in 2024.

Chiefs of the General Staff (1904–1909)[]

Rank Name Image In office Notes Reference
General Sir Neville Lyttelton Nlyttleton 12 February 1904 – 2 April 1908 First CGS [2]
Field Marshal Sir William Nicholson Wnicholson 2 April 1908 – 22 November 1909 [3]

Chiefs of the Imperial General Staff, 1909–1964[]

Rank Name Image Assumed office Notes Reference
Field Marshal Sir William Nicholson Wnicholson 22 November 1909 – 15 March 1912 [4]
Field Marshal Sir John French John French, 1st Earl of Ypres, Bain photo portrait, seated, cropped 15 March 1912 – 6 April 1914 [5]
General Sir Charles Douglas Cdouglas 6 April 1914 – 25 October 1914 [6]
Lieutenant General Sir James Wolfe-Murray James Murray Vanity Fair 4 May 1905 October 1914–26 September 1915 [7]
General Sir Archibald Murray Murray1 26 September 1915 – December 1915 [8]
General Sir William Robertson Sir William Robertson 23 December 1915 – February 1918 [9]
Field Marshal Sir Henry Wilson Henry Hughes Wilson, British general, photo portrait standing in uniform 19 February 1918 – 19 February 1922 [10]
Field Marshal Frederick Rudolph Lambart, 10th Earl of Cavan File:Frederic Rudoloph Lambart.jpg 19 February 1922 – 19 February 1926 [11]
Field Marshal Sir George Milne File:George Francis Milne.jpg 19 February 1926 – 19 February 1933 [12]
Field Marshal Sir Archibald Montgomery-Massingberd Mmassingberd February 1933 – February 1936 [13]
Field Marshal Sir Cyril Deverell File:Cdeverell.JPG February 1936–6 December 1937 [14]
General John Vereker, 6th Viscount Gort Lord Gort and Lieutenant General Pownall cropped 6 December 1937 – 3 September 1939 [15]
General Sir Edmund Ironside Edmund Ironside 4 September 1939 – 26 May 1940 [16]
Field Marshal Sir John Dill The British Army in North Africa, 1941 E2384E 26 May 1940 – 25 December 1941 [17]
Field Marshal Sir Alan Brooke Alan Brooke at desk 1942 25 December 1941 – 25 June 1946 [18]
Field Marshal Sir Bernard "Monty" Montgomery Bernard Law Montgomery 26 June 1946 – 31 November 1948 [19][20]
Field Marshal Sir William Slim FM william Slim 31 November 1948 – 1 November 1952 [21]
Field Marshal Sir John Harding Jharding 1 November 1952 - 29 September 1955 [22]
Field Marshal Sir Gerald Templer Sir gerald templer 29 September 1955 - 29 September 1958 [23]
Field Marshal Sir Francis Festing Ffesting 29 September 1958 - 1 November 1961 [24]
Field Marshal Sir Richard Hull 1 November 1961 - April 1964 Last CIGS and first CGS; first Army officer to be Chief of the Defence Staff, 1965–1967 [25][26][27]

Chiefs of the General Staff (post 1964)[]

Rank Name Image Assumed office Notes Reference
Field Marshal Sir Richard Hull (Until 8 February 1965) The post of Chief of the Imperial General Staff was renamed Chief of the General Staff in the 1960s
Field Marshal Sir James Cassels 8 February 1965 [26]
Field Marshal Sir Geoffrey Baker 1 March 1968 Master Gunner, St James's Park, 1970–1976; Constable of the Tower of London, 1975–1980 [28][29][30]
Field Marshal Sir Michael Carver 1 April 1971 CDS, 1973–1976 [29][31]
General Sir Peter Hunt 19 July 1973 Constable of the Tower of London, 1980–1985 [32][33]
Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs 15 July 1976 Constable of the Tower of London, 1985–1990 [34][35]
Field Marshal Sir Edwin Bramall Lord Bramall 14 July 1979 Lord Lieutenant of Greater London, 1986–1998; CDS, 1982–1985 [36][37][38]
Field Marshal Sir John Stanier 1 August 1982 First CGS after World War II not to have served in that war; Constable of the Tower of London, 1990–1996 [33][39][40]
Field Marshal Sir Nigel Bagnall 28 July 1985 [41]
Field Marshal Sir John Chapple 10 September 1988 [42]
Field Marshal Sir Peter Inge Field Marshal Sir Peter Inge KG, GCB 14 February 1992 CDS, 1994–1997; Last CGS to hold the rank of field marshal; Constable of the Tower of London, 1996–2001 [33][43][44]
Field Marshal Sir Charles Guthrie General Guthrie 15 March 1994 CDS, 1997–2004. Promoted to the honorary rank of field marshal in June 2012.[45] [44][46]
General Sir Roger Wheeler 3 February 1997 Constable of the Tower of London, 2001–2009 [47][48]
General Sir Michael Walker General Sir Michael Walker 17 April 2000 Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), 2003–2006 [49][50]
General Sir Mike Jackson GeneralSirMikeJackson cropped 1 February 2003 [51]
General Sir Richard Dannatt General Sir Francis Richard Dannatt, KCB, CBE, MC - York 2007-09-22 (RLH) 29 August 2006 Currently Constable of the Tower [52][53]
General Sir David Richards Gen. Sir David Richards at NATO Summit in Chicago May 20, 2012 28 August 2009 Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), 2010–2013 [54][55]
General Sir Peter Wall General Sir Peter Wall in No 1 uniform 15 September 2010 5 September 2014 [56]
General Sir Nick Carter 5 September 2014 11 June 2018
General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith 11 June 2018 13 June 2022
General Sir Patrick Sanders 13 June 2022 15 June 2024
General Sir Roland Walker 15 June 2024 Incumbent

See also[]

References[]

  1. The Army in 1906: A Policy and a Vindication By Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster, Page 481 Bibliobazaar, 2008, ISBN 978-0-559-66499-1
  2. "No. 27645". 12 February 1904. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/27645/page/ 
  3. "No. 28125". 3 April 1908. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28125/page/ 
  4. "No. 28311". 23 November 1909. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28311/page/ 
  5. "John French, 1st Earl of Ypres". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/33272?docPos=3. Retrieved 5 February 2012. 
  6. "No. 28819". 7 April 1914. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/28819/page/ 
  7. "Sir James Wolfe-Murray". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. 2004. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35164?docPos=1. Retrieved 29 January 2012. 
  8. "No. 29353". 5 November 1915. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29353/page/ 
  9. "No. 29426". 31 December 1915. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29426/page/ 
  10. "No. 30559". 5 March 1918. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/30559/page/ 
  11. "No. 32615". 20 February 1922. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/32615/page/ 
  12. "No. 33134". 19 February 1926. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/33134/page/ 
  13. Harris, J.P. (2004). "Oxford Dictionary of National Biography". Oxford University Press. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/35082. Retrieved 13 January 2012. 
  14. Heathcote, p.102
  15. "No. 34464". 17 December 1937. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34464/page/ 
  16. "Edmund Ironside, 1st Baron Ironside". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/34113. Retrieved 19 February 2012. 
  17. "No. 34858". 24 May 1940. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/34858/page/ 
  18. David Fraser, Alanbrooke|page 174; IBID page 485
  19. David Fraser, Alanbrooke|page 174; IBID page 485
  20. Nigel Hamilton, Monty: Final Years of the Field Marshall 1944–1976|page 621: IBID page 725
  21. "William Slim, 1st Viscount Slim". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/36120?docPos=1. Retrieved 19 February 2012. 
  22. "No. 39689". 4 November 1952. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/39689/page/ 
  23. "No. 40598". 30 September 1955. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/40598/page/ 
  24. "No. 41508". 26 September 1958. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/41508/page/ 
  25. "No. 42503". 31 October 1961. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/42503/page/ 
  26. 26.0 26.1 "No. 43569". 5 February 1965. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/43569/page/ 
  27. "No. 43712". 13 July 1965. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/43712/page/ 
  28. "No. 44539". 1 March 1968. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/44539/page/ 
  29. 29.0 29.1 "No. 45337". 5 April 1971. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/45337/page/ 
  30. "Constable of the Tower of London". Parliament.uk. http://services.parliament.uk/hansard/Lords/ByDate/20100114/writtenanswers/part004.html. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
  31. "No. 46109". 23 October 1973. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46109/page/ 
  32. "No. 46046". 7 August 1973. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46046/page/ 
  33. 33.0 33.1 33.2 "General Sir Richard Dannatt announced as new Constable of the Tower". Historic Royal Palaces. 5 February 2009. http://www.hrp.org.uk/NewsAndMedia/Pressresources/tolpressresources/NewConstableforTowerofLondon.aspx. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
  34. "Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group. 2 November 2004. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1475599/Field-Marshal-Sir-Roland-Gibbs.html. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
  35. "No. 46965". 19 July 1976. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/46965/page/ 
  36. "Lord Bramall". parliament.uk. http://www.parliament.uk/biographies/edwin-bramall/26642. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
  37. "No. 49142". 18 October 1982. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49142/page/ 
  38. "No. 47916". 30 July 1979. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/47916/page/ 
  39. "Field Marshal Sir John Stanie". The Times. Times Newspapers Ltd. 13 November 2007. http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/comment/obituaries/article2858878.ece. Retrieved 12 March 2011. 
  40. "No. 49069". 2 August 1982. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/49069/page/ 
  41. "No. 50226". 12 August 1985. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/50226/page/ 
  42. "No. 51467". 12 September 1988. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/51467/page/ 
  43. "No. 52838". 17 February 1992. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/52838/page/ 
  44. 44.0 44.1 "No. 53645". 18 April 1994. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/53645/page/ 
  45. "Prince Charles awarded highest military ranks by Queen". BBC. 16 June 2012. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-18468118. Retrieved 16 June 2012. 
  46. "No. 54726". 7 April 1997. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/54726/page/ 
  47. "No. 54668". 3 February 1997. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/54668/page/ 
  48. "No. 56294". 6 August 2001. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56294/page/ 
  49. "No. 55823". 18 April 2000. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/55823/page/ 
  50. "No. 56992". 8 July 2003. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56992/page/ 
  51. "No. 56837". 3 February 2003. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/56837/page/ 
  52. "No. 58081". 29 August 2006. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/58081/page/ 
  53. "No. 59144". 31 July 2009. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59144/page/ 
  54. "No. 59177". 8 September 2009. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59177/page/ 
  55. "No. 59593". 2 November 2010. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59593/page/ 
  56. "No. 59550". 21 September 2010. https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/59550/page/ 

Bibliography[]

  • Heathcote, T.A. (1999). The British Field Marshals 1736–1997. Pen & Sword Books Ltd. ISBN 0-85052-696-5

External links[]


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The original article can be found at Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom) and the edit history here.
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