Chief Of The General Staff (United Kingdom)
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.
The current Chief of the General Staff is General Sir Peter Wall - having succeeded his predecessor, General Sir David Richards in September 2010.
Read more about Chief Of The General Staff (United Kingdom): Chiefs of The General Staff (1904–1909), Chiefs of The Imperial General Staff, 1909–1964, Chiefs of The General Staff (post 1964)
Famous quotes containing the words chief, general and/or staff:
“After all, the chief business of the American people is business. They are profoundly concerned with producing, buying, selling, investing and prospering in the world.”
—Calvin Coolidge (18721933)
“A bill of rights is what the people are entitled to against every government on earth, general or particular, and what no just government should refuse, or rest on inference.”
—Thomas Jefferson (17431826)
“In the far South the sun of autumn is passing
Like Walt Whitman walking along a ruddy shore.
He is singing and chanting the things that are part of him,
The worlds that were and will be, death and day.
Nothing is final, he chants. No man shall see the end.
His beard is of fire and his staff is a leaping flame.”
—Wallace Stevens (18791955)