British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the permanent and professional armed forces of the United Kingdom.
Composition
HM Naval Service
HM Naval Service comprises the navy of the United Kingdom. It is overseen by the Ministry of Defense. Colloquially it is called the Royal Navy but officially that is a subcomponent of the service.
The subcomponents are:
- Royal Navy
- Royal Marines
- Royal Fleet Auxiliary
- Royal Naval Reserve
- Royal Marines Reserve
- Naval Careers Service
Officially the Royal Navy was established in 1546 by Henry VIII. The royal court positions known as the council of the marine were then reformed into the professional navy board and charged with management. Command was held by the lords admiral and a lord high admiral.
Charles I established a commission of the admiralty, composed of lords commissioners, which advised the lord high admiral. The board of admiralty was also established to manage the navy board.
Anne briefly replaced the commission with a lords admiral council, from 1702 to about 1709. George IV did the same thing, lasting about a year from 1827. But he also instituted several lasting and meaningful reforms; he dissolved the navy board and handed those administrative duties to the board of admiralty; he established a civil lord to serve on the board of admiralty and manage the civilian service members.
The senior member of the commission and/or council was historically known as one of senior naval lord, senior member, chief naval advisor, first naval lord, and first sea lord. The title finally became First Sea Lord and Chief of the Naval Staff in 1917.
Churchill established the Ministry of Defense to which the admiralty was subordinate. Finally the board of the admiralty was reformed into the admiralty board in 1964.
British Army
The British Army comprises the land military of the United Kingdom. It is overseen by the Ministry of Defense.
Historically, the English and British armies were commanded by a commander-in-chief.
There was originally a distinction between the army and the board of ordnance. The board was comprised of a master-general and several principal officers. It was responsible for defense infrastructure and munitions logistics, and oversaw the artillery and engineer corps.
During the reign of Victoria, the board of ordnance was dissolved. While the commander-in-chief took over the corps, the administrative and logistics duties were reassigned to the War Office. The secretary of state for war was established to oversee the office. The secretary and commander-in-chief were variably equal and competing offices.
In 1904, the organizational model of the Royal Navy was borrowed; the title of commander-in-chief was dissolved; an army council was established to be chaired by the secretary; an imperial general staff was established, led by a chief of the general staff, and charged with management.
Churchill established the Ministry of Defense to which the War Office was subordinate. Finally the army council was reformed into the army board in 1964.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) comprises the air and space forces of the United Kingdom. It is overseen by the Ministry of Defense.
Originally the RAF was overseen by the Air Ministry, a secretary of state for air, and an air council.
Churchill established the Ministry of Defense to which the Air Ministry was subordinate. Finally the army council was reformed into the air force board in 1964.