The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) is the professional head of the British Armed Forces. The post was created in 1956 to reflect the new conceptions of joint operations that had come to the fore in World War II. Prior to the creation of the post, one of the three members of the Chiefs of Staff Committee was appointed chairman. The armed forces of the United Kingdom are known as the British Armed Forces or Her Majestys Armed Forces, officially the Armed Forces of the Crown. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Karl is cool. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, the use of images on this page may require cleanup, involving adjustment of image placement, formatting, size, or other adjustments. ... The Chiefs of Staff Committee is composed of the most senior military personnel in the British forces. ...

From its creation up until the mid-1990s, the Chief of the Defence Staff was appointed the day before his retirement to the highest rank in the branch of the British armed forces to which he belonged (equivalent to a US "five-star" rank) being an Admiral of the Fleet, a Field Marshal or Marshal of the Royal Air Force. However, with the defence cuts, having a such a high rank serving officer was seen as too expensive, and too prestigious for the post-Cold War size of the British Armed Forces. Consequently, since then the Chief of the Defence Staff was not promoted upon retirement and retained the lower ("four-star") rank of (Admiral, General or Air Chief Marshal). See also 1990s, the band The 1990s decade refers to the years from 1990 to 1999, inclusive, sometimes informally including popular culture from the very late 1980s and from 2000 and beyond. ... Admiral of the Fleet is a supreme naval position that has existed in historical navies and still exists in several modern-day navies. ... Note: This article is about the military usage of the word marshal. For other usages, see the end of this article. ... Marshal of the RAF sleeve/shoulder insignia Marshal of the Royal Air Force was the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. ... The Cold War (Russian: Холодная война Kholodnaya Voina) was the protracted geopolitical, ideological, and economic struggle that emerged after World War II between the global superpowers of the Soviet Union and the United States, supported by their military alliance partners. ... Admiral is a senior rank of the Royal Navy of the United Kingdom, outranked only by the rank Admiral of the Fleet. ... UK insignia for a full General General is a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. ... An Air Chief Marshals sleeve/shoulder insignia Air Chief Marshal is the most senior rank active in the Royal Air Force (RAF) today, after the inactivation of Marshal of the Royal Air Force as a substantive rank in peacetime during defence cuts of the 1990s. ...

The current Chief of the Defence Staff is Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup who succeeded General Sir Michael Walker on 28 April 2006. Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup. ... General Sir Michael Walker, GCB, CMG, CBE, ADC Gen (born 7 July 1944) is the current Chief of the Defence Staff in the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

It is traditional for the holder of the post of CDS to be from a different service from his predecessor (this has only been broken once, when General Guthrie succeeded Field Marshal Inge) and also a different service from his deputy, the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS). The current VCDS is General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman. The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS) is the deputy to the professional head of the British Armed Forces. ... General Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman, KCB CBE ADC Gen, Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff of the British Armed Forces. ...

Chiefs of the Defence Staff

• Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Dickson (1 January 1956-12 July 1959)
• Admiral of the Fleet The Earl Mountbatten of Burma (13 July 1959-15 July 1965)
• Field Marshal Sir Richard Hull (16 July 1965-4 August 1967)
• Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Charles Elworthy (7 August 1967-8 April 1971)
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Peter Hill-Norton (9 April 1971-21 October 1973)
• Field Marshal Sir Michael Carver (22 October 1973-23 October 1976)
• Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Andrew Humphrey (24 October 1976-24 January 1977)
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Ashmore (9 February 1977-30 August 1977)
• Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Neil Cameron (31 August 1977-31 August 1979)
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir Terence Lewin (1 September 1979-30 September 1982)
• Field Marshal Sir Edwin Bramall (1 October 1982-31 October 1985)
• Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Fieldhouse (1 November 1985-9 December 1988)
• Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir David Craig (9 December 1988-1 April 1991)
• Field Marshal Sir Richard Vincent (2 April 1991-31 December 1992)
• Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Peter Harding (1 January 1993-13 March 1994)
• Field Marshal Sir Peter Inge (14 March 1994-1 April 1997)
• General Sir Charles Guthrie (2 April 1997-15 February 2001)
• Admiral Sir Michael Boyce (16 February 2001-2 May 2003)
• General Sir Michael Walker (4 May 2003- 28 April 2006)
• Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup (28 April 2006 - )

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir William Forster Dickson (born 24 September 1898, died 12 September 1987) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... July 12 is the 193rd day (194th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 172 days remaining. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable Louis Francis Albert Victor Nicholas Mountbatten, 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, KG, GCB, KStJ, OM, GCSI, GCIE, GCVO, DSO, PC (25 June 1900 – 27 August 1979) was a British admiral and statesman and an uncle of Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. ... Insert non-formatted text here July 13 is the 194th day (195th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 171 days remaining. ... July 15 is the 196th day (197th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 169 days remaining. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... Field Marshal Sir Richard Amyatt Hull was the last Chief of the Imperial General Staff (1961–1964) and the first Chief of the General Staff (1964–1965), and as such the professional head of the British Army. ... July 16 is the 197th day (198th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 168 days remaining. ... August 4 is the 216th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (217th in leap years), with 149 days remaining. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Samuel Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy of Timaru KG GCB CBE DSO LVO DFC AFC (born 23 March 1911, died 4 April 1993) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. ... August 7 is the 219th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (220th in leap years), with 146 days remaining. ... April 8 is the 98th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (99th in leap years). ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... Peter John Hill-Norton, Baron Hill-Norton (8 February 1915-16 May 2004) was an Admiral of the Fleet and the former Chief of the Defence Staff of the United Kingdom. ... April 9 is the 99th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (100th in leap years). ... October 21 is the 294th day of the year (295th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 71 days remaining. ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ... Field Marshal Richard Michael Power Carver, Baron Carver (April 24, 1915 - December 9, 2001) was a British soldier. ... October 22 is the 295th day of the year (296th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 70 days remaining. ... October 23 is the 296th day of the year (297th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 69 days remaining. ... 1976 (MCMLXXVI) was a leap year starting on Thursday. ... Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Andrew Humphrey (31 December 1920 - 24 January 1977) was the Chief of the Defence Staff of the United Kingdom between 24 October 1976 and 24 January 1977. ... October 24 is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 68 days remaining. ... January 24 is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... For the album by Ash, see 1977 (album). ... Admiral of the Fleet Sir Edward Ashmore (1919 - ) is a former senior Royal Navy officer. ... February 9 is the 40th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... August 30 is the 242nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (243rd in leap years), with 123 days remaining. ... Marshal of the Royal Air Force Neil Cameron, Baron Cameron of Balhousie KT GCB CBE DSO DFC (born 8 July 1920, died 29 January 1985) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force. ... August 31 is the 243rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (244th in leap years), with 122 days remaining. ... This page refers to the year 1979. ... The Right Honourable Terence Thornton Lewin, Baron Lewin, KG, GCB, LVO, DSC (1920-1999) was an Admiral of the Fleet in the Royal Navy. ... September 1 is the 244th day of the year (245th in leap years). ... September 30 is the 273rd day of the year (274th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 92 days remaining. ... 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Field Marshal The Right Honourable Edwin Noel Westby Bramall, Baron Bramall, KG, GCB, OBE, MC, JP (born 18 December 1923) is a British Army officer who served as Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1979 and 1982, and as Chief of the Defence... October 1 is the 274th day of the year (275th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... October 31 is the 304th day of the year (305th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 61 days remaining. ... This article is about the year. ... Admiral of the Fleet The Right Honourable John David Elliott Fieldhouse, Baron Fieldhouse, GCB, GBE (1928–17 February 1992) was a high ranking officer in the Royal Navy Primarily a submariner in the Royal Navy, later rising to the highest position in UK Armed Forces In 1982 in the rank... November 1 is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 60 days remaining. ... December 9 is the 343rd day (344th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Marshal of the Royal Air Force David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley GCB OBE (born 17 September 1929) is a retired Royal Air Force officer and member of the House of Lords. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Field Marshal Richard Frederick Vincent, Baron Vincent of Coleshill GBE, KCB, DSO, (born 23 August 1931), was created a life peer as Baron Vincent of Coleshill, of Shrivenham in the County of Oxfordshire in 1996, following his retirement as Chair of the Military Committee of NATO, a post he had... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... December 31 is the 365th day of the year (366th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday. ... Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Peter Harding GCB DSc FRAeS CBIM was British Chief of the Air Staff, and subsequently Chief of Defence Staff from January 1, 1993 until March 13, 1994. ... January 1 is the first day of the calendar year in both the Julian and Gregorian calendars. ... 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar and marked the Beginning of the International Decade to Combat Racism and Racial Discrimination (1993-2003). ... March 13 is the 72nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (73rd in leap years). ... 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated as the International Year of the Family and the International Year of the Sport and the Olympic Ideal by United Nations. ... The Right Honourable Field Marshal Peter Anthony Inge, Baron Inge of Richmond, KG, GCB, PC, DL (born 5 August 1935) was the Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1992 and 1994. ... March 14 is the 73rd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (74th in leap years) with 292 days remaining in the year. ... April 1 is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 274 days remaining. ... 1997 (MCMXCVII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... General Charles Guthrie, Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank was Chief of the General Staff, the professional head of the British Army, between 1994 and 1997. ... April 2 is the 92nd day of the year (93rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 273 days remaining. ... February 15 is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... Admiral Lord Boyce, courtesy of http://www. ... February 16 is the 47th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. ... May 2 is the 122nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (123rd in leap years). ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... General Sir Michael Walker, GCB, CMG, CBE, ADC Gen (born 7 July 1944) is the current Chief of the Defence Staff in the United Kingdom and thus the professional head of the British Armed Forces. ... May 4 is the 124th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (125th in leap years). ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup. ... April 28 is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 247 days remaining. ... 2006 (MMVI) is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff
• Chief of the General Staff
• Chief of the Air Staff