Under-Secretary of State for War

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The position of Under-Secretary of State for War was a British government position, first applied to Evan Nepean (appointed in 1794). In 1801 the offices for War and the Colonies were merged and the post became that of Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854 and remained until 1947, when it was combined with that of Financial Secretary to the War Office. In 1964 the War Office, Admiralty and Air Ministry were merged to form the Ministry of Defence, and the post was abolished.

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Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for War, 1794–1801

NamePeriod
Evan Nepean 17941795
William Huskisson 17951801

See Under-Secretary of State for War and the Colonies for the period 1801-1854.

Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for War, 1854–1947

NamePeriod
Henry Roberts 18541855
Frederick Peel 18551857
Sir John Ramsden, Bt 18571858
The Viscount Hardinge 1858March 1859
The Earl of Rosslyn March 1859June 1859
The Earl de Grey June 1859January 1861
Hon. Thomas Baring January 1861July 1861
The Earl de Grey July 18611863
The Marquess of Hartington 1863February 1866
The Lord Dufferin and Claneboye February 1866July 1866
The Earl of Longford July 18661868
The Lord Northbrook 18681872
The Marquess of Lansdowne 18721874
The Earl of Pembroke 18741875
The Earl Cadogan 18751878
Viscount Bury 18781880
The Earl of Morley 18801885
Viscount Bury 1885February 1886
The Lord Sandhurst February 1886August 1886
The Lord Harris August 18861890
The Earl Brownlow 18901892
The Lord Sandhurst 1892January 1895
The Lord Monkswell January 1895July 1895
Hon. St John Brodrick July 18951898
George Wyndham 18981900
The Lord Raglan 19001902
The Earl of Hardwicke 19021903
The Earl of Donoughmore 19031905
The Earl of Portsmouth 19051908
The Lord Lucas of Crudwell 19081911
J. E. B. Seely 19111912
Harold Tennant 19121916
The Earl of Derby 1916
Ian Macpherson 19161919
The Viscount Peel 19191921
Robert Sanders 19211922
Hon. Walter Guinness 19221923
Wilfrid Ashley 19231924
Clement Attlee 1924
The Earl of Onslow 19241928
The Duke of Sutherland 19281929
The Earl De La Warr 19291930
The Lord Marley 19301931
Office vacant1931
The Earl Stanhope 19311934
The Lord Strathcona and Mount Royal 19341939
The Earl of Munster 1939
The Viscount Cobham 19391940
The Lord Croft
and Sir Edward Grigg
19401942
The Lord Croft
and Arthur Henderson
19421943
The Lord Croft 19431945
The Lord Nathan 19451946
The Lord Pakenham 1946April 1947

In April 1947 the office was combined with that of Financial Secretary to the War Office.

Parliamentary Under-Secretaries of State for War and Financial Secretary to the War Office, 1947–1964

NamePeriod
John Freeman 1947?
Michael Stewart  ?1951
Woodrow Wyatt 1951
James Hutchison 19511954
Fitzroy Maclean 19541957
Julian Amery 19571958
Hon. Hugh Fraser 19581960
James Ramsden 19601963
Peter Kirk 1963April 1964

Office reorganised 1 April 1964

Permanent Under-Secretaries of State for War, 1854–1966

NamePeriod
G. C. Mundy 18541857
Sir Benjamin Hawes 18571862
Sir Edward Lugard 18621871
John Vivian. [1] 18711878
Sir Ralph Wood Thompson 18781895
Sir Arthur Haliburton 18951897
Sir Ralph Henry Knox 18971901
Sir Edward Ward 19011914
Sir Reginald Brade 19141920
Sir Herbert Creedy 19201939
Sir P. J. Grigg 19391942
Sir Frederick Bovenschen and Sir Eric Speed 19421945
Sir E. Speed19451948
Sir G. Turner19491956
Sir Edward Playfair 19561960
Sir Richard Way 19601963
A. Drew19631964

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