Chief of the General Staff

senior position in the British Ministry of Defence, and previously the War Office

The Chief of the General Staff is the most senior officer of the British Army. The current holder of the post is General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, appointed in June 2018.

For many years, until after World War II, the title used was Chief of the Imperial General Staff. This was supposed to show that all of the armies of the British Empire were united under one command. As countries gained independence, this was not the case.