List of senior officers of the Australian Army
Encyclopedia
The Chief of Army is the most senior appointment in the Australian Army
, responsible to both the Chief of the Defence Force
(CDF) and the Secretary of Defence
(SECDEF). The rank associated with the position is Lieutenant General
(3-star).
—of whom there were twelve in as many years in 1901–1913—liked. Moreover, the British Army
had encountered administrative problems in the Second Boer War
which led to the abolition of the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
there in 1904, and its replacement by an Army Board
.
In 1904, Minister for Defence Anderson Dawson
commissioned a report which recommended a similar system for Australia, with a Military Board consisting of four military members, the minister, and a finance member. This was implemented by his successor, James Whiteside McCay
. However instead of creating a Chief of the General Staff as per the report, McCay's Military Board consisted of only three military members, the Deputy Adjutant General, the Chief of Ordnance, and the Chief of Intelligence. The post of Chief of the General Staff was finally created by the new Minister of Defence, George Pearce
, in 1909, with Colonel William Bridges becoming the first Chief of the General Staff. The military members of the Military Board then became the Chief of the General Staff, Adjutant General, Chief of Ordnance, and Quartermaster General.
During the Second World War, the threat of invasion led to a reversion to the old system. A Commander in Chief, General
Sir Thomas Blamey
, was appointed, and the Military Board was suspended, with its powers being transferred to the Commander in Chief. The post of Chief of the General Staff remained, but was now subordinate to the Commander in Chief. This was successful from a military point of view but problem of a concentration of power recurred and, after the war ended, the government decided to re-form the Military Board. Blamey was replaced by Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee
in 1945 and the next year the post of Commander in Chief was again abolished, with Sturdee becoming Chief of the General Staff.
The system continued until the reforms of Arthur Tange
in 1973. The three services were unified under the Department of Defence. The Military Board was abolished and the Chief of the General Staff became subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Force Staff
and the Secretary of Defence. Reflecting this change from a staff to a command role, the post was renamed Chief of Army in 1997.
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
, responsible to both the Chief of the Defence Force
Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
(CDF) and the Secretary of Defence
Department of Defence (Australia)
The Australian Department of Defence is a Federal Government Department. It forms part of the Australian Defence Organisation along with the Australian Defence Force . The Defence mission is to defend Australia and its national interests...
(SECDEF). The rank associated with the position is Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General (Australia)
Lieutenant general is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank....
(3-star).
History
The first Commander of the Australian Army was titled General Officer Commanding, Australian Military Forces, in line with the usual British practice of the time. Experience soon showed that the position concentrated more power than the Ministers for DefenceMinister for Defence (Australia)
The Minister for Defence of Australia administers his portfolio through the Australian Defence Organisation, which comprises the Department of Defence and the Australian Defence Force. Stephen Smith is the current Minister.-Ministers for Defence:...
—of whom there were twelve in as many years in 1901–1913—liked. Moreover, the British Army
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...
had encountered administrative problems in the Second Boer War
Second Boer War
The Second Boer War was fought from 11 October 1899 until 31 May 1902 between the British Empire and the Afrikaans-speaking Dutch settlers of two independent Boer republics, the South African Republic and the Orange Free State...
which led to the abolition of the position of Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
Commander-in-Chief of the Forces
The Commander-in-Chief of the Forces, or just the Commander-in-Chief , 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 1870, the C-in-C was subordinate to...
there in 1904, and its replacement by an Army Board
Army Board
The Army Board is the senior single-service management committee of the British Army:-Army Board members:*Civilian** The Secretary of State for Defence** Minister for the Armed Forces** Minister for Defence Equipment and Support...
.
In 1904, Minister for Defence Anderson Dawson
Anderson Dawson
Andrew Dawson , usually known as Anderson Dawson, was an Australian politician, the Premier of Queensland for one week in 1899...
commissioned a report which recommended a similar system for Australia, with a Military Board consisting of four military members, the minister, and a finance member. This was implemented by his successor, James Whiteside McCay
James Whiteside McCay
Lieutenant General Sir James Whiteside McCay KCMG, KBE, CB, VD was an Australian general and politician. A graduate of the University of Melbourne, where he earned Master of Arts and Master of Laws degrees, he established a successful legal practice, McCay & Thwaites...
. However instead of creating a Chief of the General Staff as per the report, McCay's Military Board consisted of only three military members, the Deputy Adjutant General, the Chief of Ordnance, and the Chief of Intelligence. The post of Chief of the General Staff was finally created by the new Minister of Defence, George Pearce
George Pearce
Sir George Foster Pearce KCVO was an Australian politician who was instrumental in founding the Australian Labor Party in Western Australia....
, in 1909, with Colonel William Bridges becoming the first Chief of the General Staff. The military members of the Military Board then became the Chief of the General Staff, Adjutant General, Chief of Ordnance, and Quartermaster General.
During the Second World War, the threat of invasion led to a reversion to the old system. A Commander in Chief, General
General (Australia)
General is the second highest rank, and the highest active rank, of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of General; it is also considered a four-star rank....
Sir Thomas Blamey
Thomas Blamey
Field Marshal Sir Thomas Albert Blamey GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED was an Australian general of the First and Second World Wars, and the only Australian to date to attain the rank of field marshal....
, was appointed, and the Military Board was suspended, with its powers being transferred to the Commander in Chief. The post of Chief of the General Staff remained, but was now subordinate to the Commander in Chief. This was successful from a military point of view but problem of a concentration of power recurred and, after the war ended, the government decided to re-form the Military Board. Blamey was replaced by Lieutenant General Vernon Sturdee
Vernon Sturdee
Lieutenant General Sir Vernon Ashton Hobart Sturdee KBE, CB, DSO was an Australian Army commander who served two terms as Chief of the General Staff...
in 1945 and the next year the post of Commander in Chief was again abolished, with Sturdee becoming Chief of the General Staff.
The system continued until the reforms of Arthur Tange
Arthur Tange
Sir Arthur Harold Tange AC, CBE was a prominent Australian senior public servant of the middle to late 20th century....
in 1973. The three services were unified under the Department of Defence. The Military Board was abolished and the Chief of the General Staff became subordinate to the Chief of the Defence Force Staff
Chief of the Defence Force (Australia)
Chief of the Defence Force is the most senior appointment in the Australian Defence Force . The CDF commands the ADF under the direction of the Minister of Defence, in a coequal arrangement with the Secretary of Defence, the most senior public servant in the Department of Defence.The position is a...
and the Secretary of Defence. Reflecting this change from a staff to a command role, the post was renamed Chief of Army in 1997.
Appointees
The following table lists all those who have held the post of Chief of Army or its preceding positions. Ranks and honours are as at the completion of their stint in said position.| Rank and pre-nominal |
Name |
Post-nominal(s) |
Term began |
Term ended |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General Officer Commanding Australian Military Forces | ||||
| Major General Sir | KCB, KCMG | |||
| Major General | CB, DCM Distinguished Conduct Medal The Distinguished Conduct Medal was an extremely high level award for bravery. It was a second level military decoration awarded to other ranks of the British Army and formerly also to non-commissioned personnel of other Commonwealth countries.The medal was instituted in 1854, during the Crimean... |
|||
| Chief of the General Staff | ||||
| Colonel | CMG | |||
| Major General Sir | KCMG | |||
| Lieutenant Colonel | DSO | |||
| Brigadier General | CB | |||
| Major General | CMG | |||
| Colonel | ||||
| Colonel | ||||
| Major General | CB, CMG | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KCMG, KCVO, CB, DSO | |||
| General Sir | GCMG, KCB | |||
| Major General | CB, CMG, DSO | |||
| Major General Sir | KCB, CMG | |||
| Lieutenant General | CB, CMG, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General | CB, DSO, MC Military Cross The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries.... |
|||
| Major General | CB | |||
| General Sir | KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General | CBE, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General | CB | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB | |||
| Lieutenant General | AC, CB, CBE, DSO, LVO | |||
| Lieutenant General | CB, OBE | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, CB | |||
| Lieutenant General Sir | KBE, AO, DSO | |||
| Lieutenant General | AO, OBE | |||
| Lieutenant General | AC | |||
| Lieutenant General | AC, MBE | |||
| Lieutenant General | AC | |||
| Lieutenant General | AC | |||
| Chief of Army | ||||
| Lieutenant General | AC | |||
| Lieutenant General | AO, CSC Conspicuous Service Cross (Australia) The Conspicuous Service Cross is a decoration of the Australian Honours System. The CSC is awarded only for outstanding devotion to duty, or outstanding achievement in the application of exceptional skills, judgment or dedication, in non-warlike situations... |
|||
| Lieutenant General | AC, MC | |||
| Lieutenant General | AC | |||
| Lieutenant General | AC, DSC Distinguished Service Cross (Australia) The Distinguished Service Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force. It is awarded for distinguished command and leadership in action. The DSC was introduced in 1991 and is the highest distinguished service decoration in the Australian Honours System... , CSM Conspicuous Service Medal The Conspicuous Service Medal is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Australian Defence Force, it is awarded for meritorious achievement or dedication to duty in non-war like situations. The CSM was introduced in 1989 and is a distinct Australian military award. It is the second... |
|||
| Lieutenant General | AO | Incumbent | ||