Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
Encyclopedia
The Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, or just the Commander-in-Chief (C-in-C), was the professional head of the British Army
from 1660 until 1904, when the office was replaced by the Chief of the General Staff
, soon to become Chief of the Imperial General Staff (from 1908). From 1870, the C-in-C was subordinate to the Secretary of State for War
. The relationship between the Commander in Chief and another office, the Captain-General, was never clear. On occasion, the two posts were held by the same man.
In most instances, Commanders-in-Chief of the Forces were not cabinet
members. Instead, the British Army was represented variously in government by the Paymaster of the Forces
(Paymaster-General
), Master-General of the Ordnance
, Secretary at War
, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
, Secretary of State for War
or Secretary of State for Defence
.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
from 1660 until 1904, when the office was replaced by the Chief of the General Staff
Chief of the General Staff (United Kingdom)
Chief of the General Staff 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...
, soon to become Chief of the Imperial General Staff (from 1908). From 1870, the C-in-C was subordinate to the Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
. The relationship between the Commander in Chief and another office, the Captain-General, was never clear. On occasion, the two posts were held by the same man.
In most instances, Commanders-in-Chief of the Forces were not cabinet
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
members. Instead, the British Army was represented variously in government by the Paymaster of the Forces
Paymaster of the Forces
The Paymaster of the Forces was a position in the British government. The office, which was established 1661 after the Restoration, was responsible for part of the financing of the British Army. The first to hold the office was Sir Stephen Fox. Before his time it had been the custom to appoint...
(Paymaster-General
Paymaster-General
HM Paymaster General is a ministerial position in the United Kingdom. The Paymaster General is in charge of the Office of HM Paymaster General , which held accounts at the Bank of England on behalf of Government departments and selected other public bodies...
), Master-General of the Ordnance
Master-General of the Ordnance
The Master-General of the Ordnance was a very senior British military position before 1855, when the Board of Ordnance was abolished.-Responsibilities:...
, Secretary at War
Secretary at War
The Secretary at War was a political position in the English and later British government, with some responsibility over the administration and organization of the Army, but not over military policy. The Secretary at War ran the War Office. It was occasionally a cabinet level position, although...
, Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
Secretary of State for War and the Colonies
The Secretary of State for War and the Colonies was a British cabinet level position responsible for the army and the British colonies . The Department was created in 1801...
, Secretary of State for War
Secretary of State for War
The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas . In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854...
or Secretary of State for Defence
Secretary of State for Defence
The Secretary of State for Defence, popularly known as the Defence Secretary, is the senior Government of the United Kingdom minister in charge of the Ministry of Defence, chairing the Defence Council. It is a Cabinet position...
.
General-in-Chief Command
- Captain-General George Monck, 1st Duke of AlbemarleGeorge Monck, 1st Duke of AlbemarleGeorge Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle, KG was an English soldier and politician and a key figure in the restoration of Charles II.-Early life and career:...
(1660–1670) - Vacant (1670–1674)
- General James Scott, 1st Duke of MonmouthJames Scott, 1st Duke of MonmouthJames Scott, 1st Duke of Monmouth, 1st Duke of Buccleuch, KG, PC , was an English nobleman. Originally called James Crofts or James Fitzroy, he was born in Rotterdam in the Netherlands, the eldest illegitimate son of Charles II and his mistress, Lucy Walter...
(1674–1679) - Vacant (1679–1690)
- General John Churchill, 1st Earl of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
(1690–1691) - General Meinhardt Schomberg, 1st Duke of LeinsterMeinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of SchombergMeinhardt Schomberg, 3rd Duke of Schomberg, 1st Duke of Leinster, KG was a general in the service of Prince William of Orange, later King William III of England.-Military career:...
(1691) - Vacant (1691–1702)
- General John Churchill, 1st Earl of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of MarlboroughJohn Churchill, 1st Duke of Marlborough, Prince of Mindelheim, KG, PC , was an English soldier and statesman whose career spanned the reigns of five monarchs through the late 17th and early 18th centuries...
(1702–1708) - Vacant (1708–1711)
- General James Butler, 2nd Duke of OrmondeJames Butler, 2nd Duke of OrmondeJames Butler, 2nd Duke of Ormonde KG KT was an Irish statesman and soldier. He was the third of the Kilcash branch of the family to inherit the earldom of Ormonde...
(1711–1714) - Vacant (1714–1744)
- Field Marshal John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of StairJohn Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of StairField Marshal John Dalrymple, 2nd Earl of Stair KT PC was a Scottish soldier and diplomat.-Military career:Despite being born in Edinburgh, Scotland, Dalrymple spent his early life mostly in the Netherlands and he studied at Leiden University...
(1744) - Field Marshal George WadeGeorge WadeField Marshal George Wade served as a British military commander and Commander-in-Chief of the Forces.-Early career:Wade, born in Kilavally, Westmeath in Ireland, was commissioned into the Earl of Bath's Regiment in 1690 and served in Flanders in 1692, during the Nine Years War, earning a...
(1745) - Prince William, Duke of Cumberland (1745–1757)
- Field Marshal John Ligonier, 1st Viscount LigionierJohn Ligonier, 1st Earl LigonierField Marshal John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier, KB, PC was a French-born British soldier.He was born to a Huguenot family of Castres in the south of France, and who emigrated to England at the close of the 17th century...
(1757–1759) - Vacant (1759–1766) (Lord Ligonier held the title on an honorary basis)
- General John Manners, Marquess of GranbyJohn Manners, Marquess of GranbyGeneral John Manners, Marquess of Granby PC, , British soldier, was the eldest son of the 3rd Duke of Rutland. As he did not outlive his father, he was known by his father's subsidiary title, Marquess of Granby...
(1766–1769) - Vacant (1769–1778)
- General Jeffery Amherst, 1st Lord Amherst (1778–1782)
- Field Marshal Henry Seymour ConwayHenry Seymour ConwayField Marshal Henry Seymour Conway was a British general and statesman. A brother of the 1st Marquess of Hertford, and cousin of Horace Walpole, he began his military career in the War of the Austrian Succession and eventually rose to the rank of Field Marshal .-Family and education:Conway was...
(1782–1793)
Commander-in-Chief
- General Jeffery Amherst, 1st Lord Amherst (1793–1795)
- Field Marshal Prince Frederick, Duke of YorkPrince Frederick, Duke of York and AlbanyThe Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
(1795–1809) - General Sir David DundasSir David Dundas, 1st BaronetGeneral Sir David Dundas, 1st Baronet, GCB was a British general who served as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces from 1809 to 1811.-Military service:...
(1809–1811) - Field Marshal Prince Frederick, Duke of YorkPrince Frederick, Duke of York and AlbanyThe Prince Frederick, Duke of York and Albany was a member of the Hanoverian and British Royal Family, the second eldest child, and second son, of King George III...
(1811–1827) - Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonField Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
(1827–1828) - General Rowland Hill, 1st Lord HillRowland Hill, 1st Viscount HillGeneral Rowland Hill, 1st Viscount Hill of Almaraz GCB, GCH served in the Napoleonic Wars as a trusted brigade, division and corps commander under the command of the Duke of Wellington. He became Commander-in-Chief of the British Army in 1829.-Early career:Educated at a school in Chester, Hill was...
(1828–1842) - Field Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonArthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of WellingtonField Marshal Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington, KG, GCB, GCH, PC, FRS , was an Irish-born British soldier and statesman, and one of the leading military and political figures of the 19th century...
(1842–1852) - Field Marshal Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount HardingeHenry Hardinge, 1st Viscount HardingeField Marshal Henry Hardinge, 1st Viscount Hardinge, GCB, PC was a British field marshal and Governor-general of India.-Army career:...
(1852–1856) - Field Marshal Prince George, Duke of CambridgePrince George, Duke of CambridgePrince George, Duke of Cambridge was a member of the British Royal Family, a male-line grandson of King George III. The Duke was an army officer and served as commander-in-chief of the British Army from 1856 to 1895...
(1856–1895) - Field Marshal Garnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount WolseleyGarnet Wolseley, 1st Viscount WolseleyField Marshal Garnet Joseph Wolseley, 1st Viscount Wolseley, KP, GCB, OM, GCMG, VD, PC was an Anglo-Irish officer in the British Army. He served in Burma, the Crimean War, the Indian Mutiny, China, Canada, and widely throughout Africa—including his Ashanti campaign and the Nile Expedition...
(1895–1900) - Field Marshal Frederick Roberts, 1st Earl RobertsFrederick Roberts, 1st Earl RobertsField Marshal Frederick Sleigh Roberts, 1st Earl Roberts, Bt, VC, KG, KP, GCB, OM, GCSI, GCIE, KStJ, PC was a distinguished Indian born British soldier who regarded himself as Anglo-Irish and one of the most successful British commanders of the 19th century.-Early life:Born at Cawnpore, India, on...
(1900–1904)