Chief of Army (New Zealand)

Last updated

Chief of Army
Crest of the New Zealand Army.svg
Incumbent
John Boswell
since 1 September 2018
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand Army
Style Major General
AbbreviationCA
Member of New Zealand Defence Force
Reports to Chief of Defence Force
Term length Three years,
renewable
Formation7 December 1910
First holderMaj Gen Sir Alexander Godley

Chief of Army (CA) is the effective commander of the New Zealand Army, responsible to the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) for raising, training and sustaining those forces necessary to meet agreed government outputs. The CA acts as principal advisor to the CDF on Army matters, though for operations the Army's combat units fall under the command of the Land Component Commander, Joint Forces New Zealand. The rank associated with the position is major general, and CAs are generally appointed on a three-year term. [1]

The position was originally formed as Commandant and General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces in 1910, changing to Chief of the General Staff in 1937 and, finally, CA in 2002. [2] Major General John Boswell, the incumbent CA, has held the post since 1 September 2018. [3]

Appointees

The below indicated * (asterisk) indicates that the individual was subsequently promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of Defence Force.

The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of Army or its preceding positions, with rank and honours as at the completion of the individual's term. [2]

No.PortraitNamePostnominalsTook officeLeft office
Commandant and General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces
1 Alexander Godley.jpg Major General

Sir Alexander John Godley (1867 - 1957)

KCMG 7 December 191010 September 1914
2 Major General

Sir Alfred William Robin (1860 - 1935)

KCMG , CB 11 September 19149 December 1919
3 Major General Sir Edward Chaytor.jpg Major General

Sir Edward Walter Clervaux Chaytor (1868 - 1939)

KCMG , KCVO , CB 10 December 191931 April 1924
4 Brigadier-General-Melvill full MA I325233 TePapa.jpg Major General

Charles William Melvill (1878 - 1925)

CB , CMG , DSO 1 May 19246 December 1925
5 BG Robert Young.jpg Major General

Robert Young (1877 - 1953)

CB , CMG , DSO 7 December 192531 March 1931
6 William Burgess.jpg Major General

Sir William Livingston Hatchwell Sinclair-Burgess (1880 - 1964)

KBE , CB , CMG , DSO 1 April 193131 March 1937
Chief of the General Staff
1 MG John Duigan.jpg Major General

Sir John Evelyn Duigan (1883 - 1950)

KBE , CB , DSO 1 April 193731 May 1941
2 LG Edward Puttick.jpg Lieutenant General

Sir Edward Puttick (1890 - 1976)

KCB , DSO & Bar 1 August 194131 December 1945
3 Brig Norman Weir.jpg Major General

Sir Norman William McDonald Weir (1893 - 1961)

KBE , CB 1 January 194631 March 1949
4 Brig Keith Stewart.jpg Major General

Keith Lindsay Stewart (1896 - 1972)

CB , DSO , OBE 1 April 194931 March 1952
5 William Gentry circa 1950s.jpg Major General

William George Gentry (1899 - 1991)

CB , CBE , DSO & Bar 1 April 195214 August 1955
6 Weir, 1941.jpg Major General

Stephen Cyril Ettrick Weir (1904 - 1969)

CB , DSO & Bar 15 August 195530 August 1960
7 LC Thornton, 1943 (cropped).jpg Major General

Leonard Whitmore Thornton* (1916 - 1999)

CB , CBE 1 September 196031 March 1965
8 Major General

Walter Sneddon McKinnon (1916 - 1999)

CB , CBE 1 April 196531 March 1967
9 Robert Boyd Dawson.jpg Major General

Robert Boyd Dawson (1916 - 1977)

CB , CBE , DSO 1 April 196731 March 1970
10 Major General

Richard James Holden Webb* (1919 - 1990)

CBE 1 April 197028 September 1971
11 Major General

Leslie Arthur Pearce (1918 - 2002)

CB , CBE 29 September 197130 September 1973
12 Major General

Robin Hugh Ferguson Holloway (1922 - 1998)

CB , CBE 1 October 197314 November 1976
13 Major General

Ronald Douglas Patrick Hassett (1923 - 2004)

CB , CBE 15 November 197615 November 1978
14 Major General

Brian Matauru Poananga (1924 - 1995)

CB , CBE 16 November 197815 November 1981
15 Major General

Robin Guy Williams (1930 - 2023)

CB , MBE 16 November 198111 December 1984
16 Major General

John Airth Mace* (born 1932)

CB , OBE 12 December 198430 November 1987
17 Don McIver 2011 (cropped).jpg Major General

Donald Stuart McIver (1936 - 2016)

OBE 1 December 198728 February 1989
18 Major General

Bruce Meldrum (1938 - 2006)

CB , OBE 1 March 198929 February 1992
19 Major General

Anthony Leonard Birks (1941 - 2002)

CB , OBE 1 March 199224 February 1995
20 Major General

Piers Martin Reid (1942 - 2012)

CBE 25 February 199525 February 1998
21 Major General

Maurice Francis Dodson

CBE , MC 26 February 1998February 2002
22 Jerry Mateparae official photo (cropped).jpg Major General

Jeremiah Mateparae

ONZM February 2002mid-2002
Chief of Army
1 Jerry Mateparae official photo (cropped).jpg Major General

Jeremiah Mateparae*

ONZM mid-200230 April 2006
2 Major General

Louis Joseph Gardiner (1952 - 2015)

ONZM 1 May 200630 April 2009
3 New Zealand Army Major General Richard Rhys Jones USACGSC 2010.jpg Major General

Richard Rhys Jones*

1 May 200923 January 2011
4 MAJGEN Tim Keating.png Major General

Timothy James Keating*

MNZM February 2011December 2012
5 Dave Gawn 23 May 2013 (cropped).jpg Major General

Arthur David Gawn

MBE 25 February 20139 September 2015
6 Peter Kelly army (cropped).jpg Major General

Peter Te Aroha Emile Kelly

MNZM 10 September 201531 August 2018
7 Major General John Boswell 036 (cropped).jpg Major General

John Boswell

DSD 1 September 2018Incumbent

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References

  1. "The New Zealand Army Leadership Team". New Zealand Army. Archived from the original on 1 July 2014. Retrieved 23 June 2014.
  2. 1 2 "Chronological List of New Zealand Army Chiefs". Land Forces of Britain, the Empire and Commonwealth. regiments.org. Archived from the original on 30 November 2007.
  3. "New Chiefs Appointed for All Three Branches of the Armed Forces". The New Zealand Herald . 21 August 2018. Retrieved 11 September 2018.