Chief of Army (Australia)

Head of the Australian Army

Chief of Army

Incumbent
Simon Stuart

since 2 July 2022

Australian Army
Style| Lieutenant General
Abbreviation| CA
Member of| Australian Defence Force
Reports to| Chief of the Defence Force
Term length| Four years
Formation| 29 January 1902
First holder| Major General Sir Edward Hutton
Deputy| Deputy Chief of Army
Website| Official website

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, Department of Defence (SECDEF). The rank associated with the position is lieutenant general (3-star).

Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, the incumbent Chief of Army, has held the post since 2 July 2022.[1]

## History

[edit]

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.[2] Experience soon showed that the position concentrated more power than the Ministers for Defence—of whom there were twelve in as many years in 1901–1913—liked.[3] 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.[4]

In 1904, Minister for Defence Anderson Dawson commissioned a report which recommended a similar system for Australia, with a board consisting of four military members, the minister, and a finance member. This was implemented by his successor, James Whiteside McCay. 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.[5]

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.[6]

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.[7]

This was successful from a military point of view but the 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.[8]

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.[9] Reflecting this change from a staff to a command role, the post was renamed Chief of Army in 1997.[10]

## Appointees

[edit]

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 tenure.[11]

No. | Portrait  | Name | Took office | Left office | Time in office

|
|
|
|
|

General Officer Commanding Australian Military Forces

| Hutton, EdwardMajor General
Sir Edward Hutton KCB, KCMG
(1848–1923)| 29 January 1902| 10 November 1904| 1 year, 285 days

| Finn, HarryMajor General
Harry Finn CB, DCM
(1852–1924)| 11 November 1904| 12 January 1905| 62 days
Chief of the General Staff

| Bridges, WilliamColonel
William Bridges CMG
(1861–1915)| 1 January 1909| 25 May 1909| 144 days

| Hoad, JohnMajor General
Sir John Hoad KCMG
(1856–1911)| 26 May 1909| 30 May 1911| 2 years, 4 days

| Wilson, FrancisLieutenant Colonel
Francis Adrian Wilson DSO
(1874–1956)| 1 June 1911| 10 May 1912| 344 days

| Gordon, JosephBrigadier General
Joseph Maria Gordon CB
(1856–1929)| 11 May 1912| 31 July 1914| 2 years, 81 days

| Legge, JamesColonel
James Gordon Legge CMG
(1863–1947)| 1 August 1914| 23 May 1915| 295 days

| Irving, GodfreyColonel
Godfrey Irving CMG
(1867–1937)| 24 May 1915| 31 December 1915| 221 days

| Foster, HubertColonel
Hubert Foster
(1855–1919)| 1 January 1916| 30 September 1917| 1 year, 272 days
(7)|

| Legge, JamesMajor General
James Gordon Legge CB, CMG
(1863–1947)| 1 October 1917| 31 May 1920| 2 years, 243 days
10|

| White, BrudenellLieutenant General
Sir Brudenell White KCMG, KCVO, CB, DSO
(1876–1940)| 1 June 1920| 10 June 1923| 3 years, 9 days
11|

| Chauvel, HarryGeneral
Sir Harry Chauvel GCMG, KCB
(1865–1945)| 11 June 1923| 15 April 1930| 6 years, 308 days
12|

| Chauvel, HarryMajor General
Walter Coxen CB, CMG, DSO
(1870–1949)| 16 April 1930| 30 September 1931| 1 year, 167 days
13|

| Bruche, JuliusMajor General
Sir Julius Bruche KCB, CMG
(1873–1961)| 1 October 1931| 20 April 1935| 3 years, 201 days
14|

| Lavarack, JohnMajor General
John Lavarack CB, CMG, DSO
(1885–1957)| 21 April 1935| 12 October 1939| 4 years, 174 days
15|

| Squires, ErnestLieutenant General
Ernest Squires CB, DSO, MC
(1882–1940)| 13 October 1939| 26 January 1940| 105 days
16|

| Northcott, JohnMajor General
John Northcott CB
(1890–1966)| 27 January 1940| 17 March 1940| 50 days
(10)|

| White, BrudenellGeneral
Sir Brudenell White KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO
(1876–1940)| 18 March 1940| 13 August 1940| 148 days
17|

| Sturdee, VernonLieutenant General
Vernon Sturdee CBE, DSO
(1890–1966)| 14 August 1940| 9 September 1942| 2 years, 26 days
(16)|

| Northcott, JohnLieutenant General
John Northcott CB
(1890–1966)| 10 September 1942| 30 November 1945| 3 years, 81 days
(17)|

| Sturdee, VernonLieutenant General
Sir Vernon Sturdee KBE, CB, DSO
(1890–1966)| 1 December 1945| 16 April 1950| 4 years, 136 days
18|

| Rowell, SydneyLieutenant General
Sir Sydney Rowell KBE, CB
(1894–1975)| 17 April 1950| 15 December 1954| 4 years, 242 days
19|

| Rowell, SydneyLieutenant General
Sir Henry Wells KBE, CB, DSO
(1898–1973)| 16 December 1954| 22 March 1958| 3 years, 96 days
20|

| Garrett, RagnarLieutenant General
Sir Ragnar Garrett KBE, CB
(1900–1977)| 23 March 1958| 30 June 1960| 2 years, 99 days
21|

| Pollard, RegLieutenant General
Sir Reg Pollard KBE, CB, DSO
(1903–1978)| 1 July 1960| 20 January 1963| 2 years, 203 days
22|

| Wilton, JohnLieutenant General
Sir John Wilton KBE, CB, DSO
(1910–1981)| 21 January 1963| 18 May 1966| 3 years, 117 days
23|

| Daly, ThomasLieutenant General
Sir Thomas Daly KBE, CB, DSO
(1913–2004)| 19 May 1966| 18 May 1971| 4 years, 364 days
24|

| Brogan, MervynLieutenant General
Sir Mervyn Brogan KBE, CB
(1915–1994)| 19 May 1971| 19 November 1973| 2 years, 184 days
25|

| Hassett, FrankLieutenant General
Frank Hassett AC, CB, CBE, DSO, LVO
(1918–2008)| 20 November 1973| 23 November 1975| 2 years, 3 days
26|

| MacDonald, ArthurLieutenant General
Arthur MacDonald CB, OBE
(1919–1995)| 24 November 1975| 20 April 1977| 1 year, 147 days
27|

| MacDonald, ArthurLieutenant General
Sir Donald Dunstan KBE, CB
(1923–2011)| 21 April 1977| 14 February 1982| 4 years, 304 days
28|

| Bennett, PhillipLieutenant General
Sir Phillip Bennett KBE, AO, DSO
(1928–2023)| 15 February 1982| 12 February 1984| 1 year, 362 days
29|

| Bennett, PhillipLieutenant General
Peter Gration AO, OBE
(born 1932)| 13 February 1984| 12 April 1987| 3 years, 58 days
30|

| O'Donnell, LawrenceLieutenant General
Lawrence O'Donnell AC
(born 1933)| 13 April 1987| 12 April 1990| 2 years, 364 days
31|

| Coates, JohnLieutenant General
John Coates AC, MBE
(1932–2018)| 13 April 1990| 30 April 1992| 2 years, 17 days
32|

| Grey, JohnLieutenant General
John Grey AC
(born 1939)| 1 May 1992| 7 July 1995| 3 years, 67 days
33|

| Sanderson, JohnLieutenant General
John Sanderson AC
(born 1940)| 8 July 1995| 18 February 1997| 1 year, 225 days
Chief of Army
(33)|

| Sanderson, JohnLieutenant General
John Sanderson AC
(born 1940)| 19 February 1997| 23 June 1998| 1 year, 124 days
34|

| Hickling, FrankLieutenant General
Frank Hickling AO, CSC
(born 1941)| 24 June 1998| 15 July 2000| 2 years, 21 days
35|

| Cosgrove, PeterLieutenant General
Peter Cosgrove AC, MC
(born 1947)| 16 July 2000| 27 June 2002| 1 year, 346 days
36|

| Leahy, PeterLieutenant General
Peter Leahy AC
(born 1952)| 28 June 2002| 3 July 2008| 6 years, 5 days
37|

| Gillespie, KenLieutenant General
Ken Gillespie AC, DSC, CSM
(born 1952)| 4 July 2008| 24 June 2011| 2 years, 355 days
38|

| Morrison, DavidLieutenant General
David Morrison AO
(born 1956)| 25 June 2011| 15 May 2015| 3 years, 324 days
39|

| Campbell, AngusLieutenant General
Angus Campbell AO, DSC| 16 May 2015| 2 July 2018| 3 years, 47 days
40|

| Burr, RickLieutenant General
Rick Burr AO, DSC, MVO
(born 1964)| 2 July 2018| 1 July 2022| 3 years, 364 days
41|

| Burr, RickLieutenant General
Simon Stuart AO, DSC| 2 July 2022| Incumbent| 2 years, 245 days

## See also

[edit]

* List of Australian Army generals

## References

[edit]

### Citations

[edit]

1. ^ "Chief of Army: Lieutenant General Simon Stuart, AO, DSC". Our Leaders. Australian Army. Retrieved 8 July 2022.
2. ^ Wood 2006, p. 13
3. ^ Wood 2006, pp. 50–51
4. ^ Wood 2006, pp. xv–xxi
5. ^ Wood 2006, pp. 54–59
6. ^ Wood 2006, p. 66
7. ^ Palazzo 2001, p. 66
8. ^ Palazzo 2001, pp. 221–222
9. ^ Palazzo 2001, pp. 316–318
10. ^ Palazzo 2001, p. 323
11. ^ Beaumont 2001, pp. 75–76

### Sources

[edit]

* Beaumont, Joan (2001), Australian Defence: Sources and Statistics, South Melbourne, Victoria: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-554118-9
* Palazzo, Albert (2001), The Australian Army: A History of Its Organisation 1901–2001, South Melbourne: Oxford University Press, ISBN 0-19-551506-4
* Wood, James (2006), Chiefs of the Australian army: Higher Command of the Australian Military Forces 1901–1914, Loftus, New South Wales: Australian Military History Publications, ISBN 1-876439-40-8

* v
* t
* e

Leadership of the Australian Defence Organisation

(Headquarters: Russell Offices)

Australian Defence Organisation|

* Governor-General
* Prime Minister
* National Security Committee of Cabinet
* Minister for Defence
* Minister for Defence Industry
* Minister for Defence Personnel
* Secretary of Defence (SECDEF)
* Chief of the Defence Force (CDF)
* Senior Positions
* Senior Personnel

Australian Defence Force|

* Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF)
* Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS)
* Deputy Chief of Joint Operations (DCJOPS)
* Chief of Joint Capabilities (CJC)
* Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI)
* Chief of Personnel (CP)
* Chief of Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance (CGWEO)
* Commander Joint Logistics (CJLOG)
* Surgeon General and Commander Joint Health (CJHLTH)
* Judge Advocate General (JAG)
* Commander Australian Defence College
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Royal Australian Navy|

* Chief of Navy (CN)
* Deputy Chief of Navy (DCN)
* Commander Australian Fleet (COMAUSFLT)
* Director-General Maritime Operations (DGMAROPS)
* Commodore Warfare (COMWAR)
* Warrant Officer of the Navy (WO-N)

Australian Army|

* Chief of Army (CA)
* Deputy Chief of Army (DCA)
* Commander Forces Command (COMD FORCOMD)
* Commander Aviation Command
* Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST)
* Commander of the 1st Division
* Commander of the 2nd Division
* Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A)

Royal Australian Air Force|

* Chief of Air Force (CAF)
* Deputy Chief of Air Force (DCAF)
* Air Commander Australia (ACAUST)
* Defence Space Commander
* Warrant Officer of the Air Force (WOFF-AF)

Department of Defence|

* Associate Secretary
* Deputy Secretary Defence People
* Chief Finance Officer
* Deputy Secretary for Estate and Infrastructure
* Deputy Secretary for Strategic Policy and Intelligence
* Deputy Secretary for Capability Acquisition and Sustainment
* Chief Defence Scientist
* Director Defence Intelligence Organisation
* Director Australian Geospatial-Intelligence Organisation
* Director-General Australian Signals Directorate
* Director-General Australian Submarine Agency

Australian Defence Force Military of Australia

* v
* t
* e

Australian Army

Australian Defence Force

Command|

* Chief of Army (CA)
* Deputy Chief of Army (DCA)
* Commander Forces Command (COMD FORCOMD)
* Special Operations Commander Australia (SOCAUST)
* Commander 1st Division
* Commander 2nd Division
* Regimental Sergeant Major of the Army (RSM-A)

Structure|

| Forces Command|

* 1st Brigade
* 3rd Brigade
* 6th Brigade
* 7th Brigade
* 9th Brigade
* 17th Sustainment Brigade

|

2nd Division|

* 4th Brigade
* 5th Brigade
* 8th Brigade
* 11th Brigade
* 13th Brigade

Special Operations
Command|

* Special Forces Group
* Special Air Service Regiment
* 1st Commando Regiment
* 2nd Commando Regiment
* Special Operations Engineer Regiment
* Special Operations Logistics Squadron
* Australian Defence Force School of Special Operations

Aviation Command|

* 16th Aviation Brigade
* Oakey Army Aviation Centre
* Aviation Units

* 1st Division (Deployable Joint Force Headquarters)
* Army Reserve
* Army Cadets
* Special Forces
* Airborne Forces
* Brigades
* Directorate of Army Research and Analysis

Installations|

* Russell Offices
* Royal Military College, Duntroon
* Land Warfare Centre
* Holsworthy Barracks
* Enoggera/Gallipoli Barracks
* Army Aviation Centre
* Campbell Barracks
* Army Recruit Training Centre
* Army Logistic Training Centre

Materiel|

* Weaponry
* Historical weaponry
* Aircraft
* Tanks
* Armoured vehicles
* Artillery

Personnel|

* Officer rank insignia
* Enlisted rank insignia
* Uniforms
* Colours, standards and guidons
* Australian Army Memorial, Canberra
* Field marshals
* Generals

Culture|

* Rising Sun
* Slouch Hat
* Digger
* Australian military slang
* Anzac spirit
* Army newspaper

History|

* First Australian Imperial Force
* Australian and New Zealand Army Corps
* I ANZAC Corps
* II ANZAC Corps
* Desert Mounted Corps
* Australian Corps
* Second Australian Imperial Force
* Battle and theatre honours of the Australian Army
* Australian Army during World War I
* Australian Army during World War II

Corps and
Regiments|

| Infantry|

| Regular|

* Royal Australian Regiment

|

Special
Forces|

* Special Air Service Regiment
* 1st Commando Regiment
* 2nd Commando Regiment

Reserve|

* Royal Queensland Regiment
* Royal New South Wales Regiment
* Royal Victoria Regiment
* Royal South Australia Regiment
* Royal Western Australia Regiment
* Royal Tasmania Regiment
* Sydney University Regiment
* Melbourne University Regiment
* Queensland University Regiment
* Adelaide Universities Regiment
* Western Australia University Regiment
* University of New South Wales Regiment

RFSU|

* North-West Mobile Force
* Pilbara Regiment
* Far North Queensland Regiment

Armour|

| Regular|

* 1st Armoured Regiment
* 2nd Cavalry Regiment
* 3rd/4th Cavalry Regiment
* 2nd/14th Light Horse Regiment

|

Reserve|

* 12th/16th Hunter River Lancers
* 1st/15th Royal New South Wales Lancers
* 4th/19th Prince of Wales's Light Horse
* 3rd/9th Light Horse
* 10th Light Horse Regiment

Aviation|

* 1st Aviation Regiment
* 5th Aviation Regiment
* 6th Aviation Regiment

Artillery|

* 1st Regiment
* 4th Regiment
* 8th/12th Regiment
* 9th Regiment
* 16th Regiment
* 20th Surveillance and Target Acquisition Regiment

Engineers|

| Regular|

* 1st Combat Engineer Regiment
* 2nd Combat Engineer Regiment
* 3rd Combat Engineer Regiment
* 6th Engineer Support Regiment

|

Special
Forces|

* Special Operations Engineer Regiment

Reserve|

* 5th Engineer Regiment
* 11th Engineer Regiment
* 22nd Engineer Regiment

Combat
support|

* Royal Australian Corps of Signals (1st Signal Regiment, 1st Combat Signal Regiment, 3rd Combat Signal Regiment, 7th Combat Signal Regiment, 7th Signal Regiment, 8th Signal Regiment)
* Australian Army Intelligence Corps (1st Intelligence Battalion)

Combat
service
support|

* Chaplains
* Medical
* Dental
* Nursing
* Psychology
* Transport
* Ordnance
* Electrical and Mechanical Engineers
* Legal
* Military Police
* Pay
* Education
* Public Relations
* Catering
* Band
* Staff Cadets

* Category
* Commons

* v
* t
* e

Chiefs of the army by country

* Chief of Army Staff

Africa|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* DR Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Swaziland
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

Former|

* Biafra
* Bophuthatswana
* Ciskei
* British Egypt
* Ethiopian Empire
* Rhodesia
* Transkei
* Venda
* Zaire

Americas|

* Antigua and Barbuda
* Argentina
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* Belize
* Bolivia
* Brazil
* Canada
* Chile
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* Dominican Republic
* Ecuador
* El Salvador
* Guatemala
* Guyana
* Haiti
* Honduras
* Jamaica
* Mexico
* Nicaragua
* Paraguay
* Peru
* Saint Kitts and Nevis
* Suriname
* Trinidad and Tobago
* United States
* Uruguay
* Venezuela

Former|

* Confederate States

Asia|

* Abkhazia
* Afghanistan
* Armenia
* Azerbaijan
* Bahrain
* Bangladesh
* Bhutan
* Brunei
* Cambodia
* China
* East Timor
* India
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* Japan
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* Kazakhstan
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* Maldives
* Mongolia
* Myanmar
* Nepal
* Oman
* Pakistan
* Philippines
* Qatar
* Saudi Arabia
* Singapore
* Sri Lanka
* Syria
* Republic of China (Taiwan)
* Tajikistan
* Thailand
* Turkmenistan
* United Arab Emirates
* Uzbekistan
* Vietnam
* Yemen

Former|

* Democratic Kampuchea
* Imperial Japan
* Mengjiang
* Manchukuo
* South Vietnam

Europe|

* Albania
* Austria
* Belarus
* Belgium
* Bosnia and Herzegovina
* Bulgaria
* Croatia
* Cyprus
* Czech Republic
* Denmark
* Estonia
* Finland
* France
* Germany
* Georgia
* Greece
* Hungary
* Ireland
* Italy
* Kosovo
* Latvia
* Lithuania
* Luxembourg
* Macedonia
* Malta
* Moldova
* Monaco
* Montenegro
* Netherlands
* Norway
* Poland
* Portugal
* Romania
* Russia
* Serbia
* Slovakia
* Slovenia
* Spain
* Sweden
* Switzerland
* Turkey
* Ukraine
* United Kingdom
* Vatican

Former|

* Austria–Hungary
* Independent State of Croatia
* Czechoslovakia
* Prussia
* Imperial Germany
* Weimar Republic
* Nazi Germany
* East Germany
* Ottoman Empire
* Russian Empire
* Soviet Union
* Yugoslavia

Oceania|

* Australia
* Fiji
* New Zealand
* Papua New Guinea
* Tonga
* Vanuatu

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