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created 1 May 2003. Corrected and updated
26.11.2005
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Chronological List of
British DEFENCE CHIEFS
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List of Field Marshals | Index of Colonels to 1751 |
The appointment of a "Generalissimo of all the Forces" who commanded both the Army and Royal Navy was created during the English Civil War for the Prince of Wales, and was largely an honorary one. With the Restoration of the monarchy in 1600 Gen. George Monck, one-time Cromwellian general and chief architect of that Restoration, was appointed to both that office and Commander-in-Chief of the Army. The honorary appointment seems to have died with its fourth incumbent in 1708.
On 1 April 1964, the Ministry of Defence was established as a single ministry, merging the Navy, Army and Air Force departments. Chiefs of the Royal Navy, Army, and Royal Air Force tended to be promoted in alternation to the new appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff. (Note that RN and RAF Chiefs are beyond the scope of this site.)
Note: all ranks, titles and post-nominals are final for the person's career and not necessarily applicable to his tenure as Defence Chief.
| Generalissimo of all the Forces: | |
| 165u | H.R.H. Prince Charles, Prince of Wales [later King Charles II] |
| 1660? | Admiral of the Fleet George (Monck), 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG, PC [to 1670] |
| 1673.04.26 | Admiral of the Fleet H.R.H. Prince James, Duke of York and Albany, KG, PC [to 1685?; later King James II] |
| 1702 | Admiral of the Fleet H.R.H. Prince George of Denmark, Duke of Cumberland, KG, PC [to 1708] |
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| Chief of the Defence Staff: | |
| 1956.01.01 | Marshal of the RAF Sir William Forster Dickson, GCB, KBE, DSO, AFC |
| 1959.07.13 | Admiral of the Fleet The Rt Hon Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas (Mountbatten), 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, PC, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, KJStJ |
| 1965.07.16 | F.M. Gen. Sir Richard Amyatt Hull, KG, GCB, DSO |
| 1967.08.07 | Marshal of the RAF The Rt Hon Samuel Charles (Elworthy), The Baron Elworthy, KG, GCB, CBE, DSO, LVO, DFC, AFC, KStJ |
| 1971.04.09 | Admiral of the Fleet The Rt Hon Peter John (Hill-Norton), The Baron Hill-Norton, GCB |
| 1973.10.22 | F.M. The Rt Hon Richard Michael Power (Carver), The Baron Carver, GCB, CBE, DSO, MC |
| 1976.10.24 | Marshal of the RAF Sir Andrew Humphrey, GCB, OBE, DFC, AFC |
| 1977.02.09 | Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Beckwith Ashmore, GCB, DSC |
| 1977.08.31 | Marshal of the RAF The Rt Hon Neil (Cameron), The Baron Cameron of Balhousie, KT, GCB, CBE, DSO, DFC, AE |
| 1979.09.01 | Admiral of the Fleet The Rt Hon Terence Thornton (Lewin), The Baron Lewin, KG, GCB, MVO, DSC |
| 1982.10.01 | F.M. The Rt Hon Edwin Noel Westby (Bramall), The Baron Bramall, KG, GCB, OBE, MC, KStJ |
| 1985.11.01 | Admiral of the Fleet The Rt Hon David John Elliot (Fieldhouse), The Baron Fieldhouse, GCB, GBE |
| 1988.12.09 | Marshal of the RAF The Rt Hon David Brownrigg (Craig), The Baron Craig of Radley, GCB, OBE |
| 1991.04.02 | F.M. The Rt Hon Richard Frederick (Vincent), The Baron Vincent of Coleshill, GBE, KCB, DSO |
| 1993.01.01 | Marshal of the RAF Sir Peter Robert Harding, GCB |
| 1994.03.14 | F.M. The Rt Hon Peter Anthony (Inge), The Baron Inge, KG, GCB |
| 1997.04.02 | Gen. The Rt Hon Charles Ronald Llewellyn (Guthrie), Baron Guthrie, GCB, LVO, OBE, ADC |
| 2001.02.16 | Admiral The Rt Hon Michael Cecil (Boyce), Baron Boyce, GCB, OBE, KStJ, ADC |
| 2003.05.04 | Gen. Sir Michael John Dawson Walker, GCB, CMG, CBE, ADC [MoD bio] |
| 2005 | Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup, KCB, AFC, ADC, FRAeS, FCMI |
