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The Secretary of State headed the War Office and was assisted by a Parliamentary Private Secretary, who was also a Member of Parliament, and a Military SecretaryThe Military Secretary is the senior military assistant to the British Secretary of State for Defence and formerly to the Secretary of State for War. The office was created in 1795. Until 1870 the Military Secretary was the principal secretary to the Comm, who was a generalGeneral is a military rank, in most nations the highest rank, although some nations have the higher rank of Field Marshal. The title is used by land and sometimes air forces. In the navies of the world, the equivalent rank is Admiral. Its equivalent rank.

1 Secretaries of State for War, 1794-1801

• Henry DundasHenry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville ( April 28, 1742 May 28 1811) was a British statesman. He was the fourth son of Robert Dundas (1685-1753), lord president of the Scottish court of session, and was born at Edinburgh in 1742. He was educated at the high ( July 11July 11 is the 192nd day (193rd in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 173 days remaining. Events 1302 Battle of the Golden Spurs Guldensporenslag in Dutch) the Flemish cities beat the king of France. 1346 Charles IV of Luxembourg elec, 1794 - March 17March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in Leap years). There are 289 days remaining. Events 45 BC In his last victory, Julius Caesar defeats the Pompeian forces of Titus Labienus and Pompey the Younger in the Battle of Munda., 1801) (also President of the Board of ControlThe President of the Board of Control was a British government official in the late 18th and early 19th century responsible for overseeing the British East India Company and generally serving as the chief official in London responsible for Indian affairs.)

2 Secretaries of State for War, 1854-1966

• Henry Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of NewcastleHenry Pelham Pelham-Clinton, 5th Duke of Newcastle-under-Lyme, 12th Earl of Lincoln (also known as Henry Pelham Clinton-Hope ( 22 May 1811 18 October 1864) was a British politician, who eventually rose to the position of Secretary of State for War and the ( June 12, 1854 - January 30, 1855)
• Fox Maule-Ramsay, 1st Baron Panmure ( February 8, 1855 - February 21, 1858)
• Jonathan Peel ( February 26, 1858 - June 11, 1859)
• Sidney Herbert ( June 18, 1859 - July 22, 1861)
• Sir George Cornewall Lewis ( July 23, 1861 - April 13, 1863) (died in office)
• George Robinson, 2nd Earl of Ripon ( April 28, 1863 - February 16, 1866)
• Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington ( February 16, 1866 - June 26, 1866)
• Jonathan Peel ( July 6, 1866 - March 8, 1867)
• Sir John Pakington ( March 8, 1867 - December 1, 1868)
• Edward Cardwell ( December 9, 1868 - February 17, 1874)
• Gathorne Hardy ( February 21, 1874 - April 2, 1878)
• Sir Frederick Arthur Stanley ( April 2, 1878 - April 21, 1880)
• Hugh Culling Eardley Childers ( April 28, 1880 - December 16, 1882)
• Spencer Compton Cavendish, Marquess of Hartington ( December 16, 1882 - June 9, 1885)
• William Henry Smith ( June 24, 1885 - January 21, 1886)
• Gathorne Gathorne-Hardy, 1st Viscount Cranbrook ( January 21, 1886 - February 6, 1886)
• Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman ( February 6, 1886 - July 20, 1886)
• William Henry Smith ( August 3, 1886 - January 14, 1887)
• Edward Stanhope ( January 14, 1887 - August 11, 1892)
• Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman ( August 18, 1892 - June 21, 1895)
• Henry Charles Keith Petty-Fitzmaurice, 5th Marquess of Lansdowne ( July 4, 1895 - November 12, 1900)
• William St John Brodrick ( November 12, 1900 - October 6, 1903)
• Hugh Oakeley Arnold-Forster ( October 6, 1903 - December 4, 1905)
• Richard Burdon Haldane, 1st Viscount Haldane (1911) ( December 10, 1905 - June 12, 1912)
• John Edward Seely ( June 12, 1912 - March 30, 1914) (resigned)
• Herbert Henry Asquith ( March 30, 1914 - August 5, 1914)
• Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener of Khartoum ( August 5, 1914 - July 5, 1916) (died in office)
• David Lloyd George ( July 6, 1916 - December 5, 1916) (resigned)
• Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby ( December 10, 1916 - April 18, 1918)
• Alfred Milner, 1st Viscount Milner ( April 18, 1918 - January 10, 1919)
• Winston Churchill ( January 10, 1919 - February 13, 1921)
• Sir Laming Worthington-Evans ( February 13, 1921 - October 19, 1922)
• Edward George Villiers Stanley, 17th Earl of Derby ( October 24, 1922 - January 22, 1924)
• Stephen Walsh ( January 22, 1924 - November 3, 1924)
• Sir Laming Worthington-Evans ( November 6, 1924 - June 4, 1929)
• Thomas Shaw ( June 7, 1929 - August 24, 1931)
• Robert Crewe-Milnes, 1st Marquess of Crewe ( August 25, 1931 - November 5, 1931)
• Douglas McGarel Hogg, 1st Viscount Hailsham ( November 5, 1931 - June 7, 1935)
• Edward Frederick Lindley Wood, 3rd Viscount Halifax ( June 7, 1935 - November 22, 1935)
• Alfred Duff Cooper ( November 22, 1935 - May 28, 1937)
• Leslie Hore-Belisha ( May 28, 1937 - January 5, 1940) (dismissed)
• Oliver Stanley ( January 5, 1940 - May 11, 1940)
• Anthony Eden ( May 11, 1940 - December 22, 1940)
• David Margesson ( December 22, 1940 - February 22, 1942)
• Sir P.J. Grigg ( February 22, 1942 - July 26, 1945)
• Jack Lawson ( August 3, 1945 - October 4, 1946)
• Frederick Bellenger ( October 4, 1946 - October 7, 1947)
• Emanuel Shinwell ( October 7, 1947 - February 28, 1950)
• John Strachey ( February 28, 1950 - October 26, 1951)
• Anthony Henry Head ( October 31, 1951 - October 18, 1956)
• John Hugh Hare ( October 18, 1956 - January 6, 1958)
• Christopher Soames ( January 6, 1958 - July 27, 1960)
• John Profumo ( July 27, 1960 - June 5, 1963) (resigned)
• Joseph Godber ( June 27, 1963 - October 21, 1963)
• James Ramsden ( October 21, 1963 - April 1, 1964)