Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff

The Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff is a senior British military officer who reports to the Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff.

Early Deputy Chiefs of the Defence Staff

These were:^[1]

• 1957 - 1960 - Lieutenant-General Sir Roderick McLeod
• 1960 - 1962 - Air Marshal Sir Alfred Earle
• 1962 - 1964 - Lieutenant-General Sir Denis O’Connor

Note: This single "Deputy Chief" role was redesignated Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff after 1964.^[1]

Current arrangements

There are currently three people with the post of Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (DCDS) at any one time. These are:^[2]

• Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations) - the DCDS (Operations) ordinarily reports to the Vice Chief of the Defence Staff but also reports directly to the Chief of the Defence Staff on operational matters
• Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel and Training)
• Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability)

Deputy Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Operations)

These were:^[1]
Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Commitments)

• 1985 - 1987 Vice-Admiral Sir John Woodward
• 1987 - 1989 Lieutenant-General Sir Anthony Walker
• 1989 - 1992 Air Marshal Sir Kenneth Hayr
• 1992 - 1995 Vice-Admiral the Hon. Sir Nicholas Hill-Norton
• 1995 - 1997 Lieutenant-General Sir Alexander Harley
• 1997 - 2000 Air Marshal Sir John Day
• 2000 - 2003 Lieutenant-General Sir Anthony Pigott
• 2003 - 2006 Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Fry
• 2006 - 2007 Vice-Admiral Charles Style
• 2007 - 2009 Lieutenant-General Sir Peter Wall

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operations)

• 2009 - 2011 Lieutenant-General Simon Mayall
• 2011 - 2013 Lieutenant-General Richard Barrons
• 2013 - 2014 Lieutenant-General James Everard
• 2014 - Present Lieutenant-General Gordon Messenger

Deputy Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Personnel and Training)

These were:^[1]
Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Programmes and Personnel)

• 1984 - 1987 Lieutenant-General Sir John Chapple
• 1987 - 1989 Air Marshal Sir David Parry-Evans
• 1989 - 1992 Vice-Admiral Sir Barry Wilson
• 1992 - 1996 Lieutenant-General the Hon. Sir Thomas Boyd-Carpenter
• 1996 - 1999 Air Marshal Sir Peter Squire

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel)

• 1999 - 2002 Air Marshal Sir Malcolm Pledger
• 2002 - 2005 Lieutenant-General Anthony Palmer
• 2005 - 2007 Air Marshal David Pocock
• 2007 - 2010 Vice-Admiral Peter Wilkinson

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Personnel and Training)

• 2010 - 2013 Lieutenant-General Sir William Rollo
• 2013 - Present Lieutenant-General Andrew Gregory

Deputy Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Capability)

These were:^[1]
Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Operational Requirements)

• 1967 - 1968 Air Marshal Sir Neil Wheeler
• 1968 - 1971 Lieutenant-General Sir Noel Thomas
• 1971 - 1973 Vice-Admiral Sir Ian McIntosh
• 1973 - 1976 Air Marshal Sir Michael Giddings
• 1976 - 1978 Lieutenant-General Sir Hugh Cunningham
• 1978 - 1981 Vice-Admiral Sir Stephen Berthon
• 1981 - 1983 Lieutenant-General Sir Maurice Johnston

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Systems)

• 1983 - 1986 Air Marshal Sir Donald Hall
• 1986 - 1989 Vice-Admiral Sir Jeremy Black
• 1989 - 1992 Lieutenant-General Sir Anthony Mullens
• 1992 - 1994 Air Marshal Sir Roger Austin

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability)

• 1994 - 1995 Vice-Admiral Malcolm Rutherford

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Systems)

• 1995 - 1997 Vice-Admiral Sir John Dunt
• 1997 - 1999 Lieutenant-General Sir Edmund Burton

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Equipment Capability)

• 1999 - 2002 Vice-Admiral Sir Jeremy Blackham
• 2002 - 2003 Air Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup
• 2003 - 2006 Lieutenant-General Sir Robert Fulton
• 2006 - 2009 Lieutenant-General Andrew Figgures
• 2009 - 2012 Vice-Admiral Sir Paul Lambert

Deputy Chief of the Defence Staff (Capability)

• 2012 - Present Air Marshal Sir Stephen Hillier

Deputy Chiefs of the Defence Staff (Intelligence) 1964 - 1986

See Defence Intelligence

References