Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (United Kingdom)

Last updated

Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff
Commandant General Royal Marines 2022 (cropped).jpg
Incumbent
General Gwyn Jenkins
since August 2022
Ministry of Defence
AbbreviationVCDS
Member of Defence Council
Chiefs of Staff Committee
Reports to Chief of the Defence Staff
Nominator Secretary of State for Defence
Appointer Prime Minister
Subject to formal approval by the King-in-Council
Precursor Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff
FormationFebruary 1964
First holderAir Chief Marshal Sir Alfred Earle
Website Official website

The Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff (VCDS) is the deputy to the Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of the British Armed Forces. [1] The position was titled Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff before 1964. [2] From 1966 to 1978 the post was occupied by a 3 star officer. From 1978 onwards the post has been held by a 4 star officer.

Contents

Responsibilities

The Vice Chief of the Defence Staff deputises for the Chief of the Defence Staff and has responsibility for running the armed forces aspects of defence business, principally through the central staff. VCDS is responsible for:

List of Vice Chiefs of the Defence Staff

These are: [2]

No.PictureVice-Chief of the Defence StaffTook officeLeft officeDefence branch
1
Alfred Earle.jpg
Earle, Alfred Air Chief Marshal
Sir Alfred Earle GBE , CB
(1907–1990)
February 1964May 1966Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
2
No image.png
Cole, George Lieutenant General
Sir George Cole KCB , CBE
(1911–1973)
May 1966November 1967Flag of the British Army.svg  British Army
3
No image.png
Hogg, Ian Vice Admiral
Sir Ian Hogg KCB , DSC & Bar
(1911–2003)
November 1967March 1970Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
4
No image.png
Barraclough, John Air Marshal
Sir John Barraclough KCB , CBE , DFC , AFC
(1918–2008)
March 1970February 1972Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
5
No image.png
Gibbon, JohnLieutenant General
Sir John Gibbon GCB , OBE
(1917–1997)
February 1972January 1974Flag of the British Army.svg  British Army
6
No image.png
Le Cheminant, PeterAir Marshal
Sir Peter Le Cheminant KCB , DFC & Bar
(1920–2018)
January 1974January 1976Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
7
No image.png
Leach, HenryVice Admiral
Sir Henry Leach KCB
(1923–2011)
January 1976March 1977Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
8
No image.png
Morton, AnthonyVice Admiral
Sir Anthony Morton KCB
(1923–2006)
March 1977April 1978Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
9
Field Marshal Bramall 2 (cropped).jpg
Bramall, Edwin General
Sir Edwin Bramall KCB , OBE , MC
(1923–2019)
April 1978May 1979Flag of the British Army.svg  British Army
10
No image.png
Howard-Dobson, PatrickGeneral
Sir Patrick Howard-Dobson GCB
(1921–2009)
May 1979June 1981Flag of the British Army.svg  British Army
11
No image.png
Evans, DavidAir Chief Marshal
Sir David Evans GCB , CBE
(1924–2020)
June 1981June 1983Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
12
No image.png
Herbert, Peter Admiral
Sir Peter Herbert KCB , OBE
(1929–2019)
June 1983January 1985Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
13
Les Aspin with Air Marshal Sir Peter Harding (cropped).jpg
Harding, PeterAir Chief Marshal
Sir Peter Harding KCB
(1933–2021)
January 1985August 1985Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
14
No image.png
Hine, PatrickAir Chief Marshal
Sir Patrick Hine KCB
(born 1932)
August 1985October 1987Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
15
No image.png
Vincent, RichardGeneral
Sir Richard Vincent KCB , DSO
(1931–2018)
October 1987March 1991Flag of the British Army.svg  British Army
16
No image.png
Bathurst, BenjaminAdmiral
Sir Benjamin Bathurst GCB
(born 1936)
March 1991January 1993Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
17
Naval Photo Jock Slater (cropped).jpg
Slater, JohnAdmiral
Sir John Slater GCB , LVO
(born 1938)
January 1993April 1995Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
18
No image.png
Willis, JohnAir Chief Marshal
Sir John Willis GBE , KCB
(1937–2008)
April 1995October 1997Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
19
Peter Abbot, Michael Portillo and William J. Perry (Abbot cropped).jpg
Abbott, PeterAdmiral
Sir Peter Abbott GBE , KCB
(1942–2015)
October 1997May 2001Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
20
No image.png
Bagnall, AnthonyAir Chief Marshal
Sir Anthony Bagnall GBE , KCB
(born 1945)
May 2001July 2005Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
21
Timothy Granville-Chapman inspects (cropped 2).jpg
Granville-Chapman, TimothyGeneral
Sir Timothy Granville-Chapman GBE , KCB
(born 1947)
July 2005May 2009Flag of the British Army.svg  British Army
22
Chief of the Defence Staff, General Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB, CBE, ADC Gen. MOD 45155681 (cropped).jpg
Houghton, NicholasGeneral
Sir Nicholas Houghton GCB , CBE
(born 1954)
May 2009May 2013Flag of the British Army.svg  British Army
23
Stuart Peach in dress uniform (cropped).jpg
Peach, StuartAir Chief Marshal
Sir Stuart Peach GBE , KCB
(born 1956)
May 2013May 2016Ensign of the Royal Air Force.svg  Royal Air Force
24
General Gordon Messenger 2016.jpg
Messenger, GordonGeneral
Sir Gordon Messenger KCB , DSO & Bar , OBE
(born 1962)
May 2016May 2019Flag of the Royal Marines.svg  Royal Marines
25
Admiral Tim Fraser.jpg
Fraser, TimAdmiral
Sir Timothy Fraser KCB
May 2019September 2022Naval Ensign of the United Kingdom.svg  Royal Navy
26
Major General Gwyn Jenkins.jpg
Jenkins, GwynGeneral
Gwyn Jenkins CB , OBE
August 2022 [4] Flag of the Royal Marines.svg  Royal Marines

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References

  1. Vice Chief of Defence Staff Ministry of Defence
  2. 1 2 "V: MINISTRY OF DEFENCE AND TRI-SERVICE SENIOR APPOINTMENTS" (PDF). Retrieved 11 February 2012.
  3. "General Gwyn Jenkins CB OBE ADC". GOV.UK. Retrieved 29 June 2023. UKOpenGovernmentLicence.svg Text was copied from this source, which is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0. © Crown copyright.
  4. "No. 63818". The London Gazette (Supplement). 20 September 2022. p. 17754.