Secretary of State for War

See also: Secretary at War

Edward Cardwell, later Viscount Cardwell, Secretary of State for War from 1868 to 1874; architect of the Cardwell Reforms

The position of Secretary of State for War, commonly called War Secretary, was a British cabinet-level position, first held by Henry Dundas (appointed in 1794). In 1801 the post became that of Secretary of State for War and the Colonies. The position was re-instated in 1854. In 1946, with the creation of a cabinet level Minister of Defence separate from the prime minister, it ceased to be a cabinet position, and the office was abolished (along with that of First Lord of the Admiralty and Secretary of State for Air) on 1 April 1964, when the cabinet position was replaced by the Secretary of State for Defence – in charge of a new united Ministry of Defence.

The Secretary of State headed the War Office and was assisted by a Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for War, a Parliamentary Private Secretary who was also a Member of Parliament, and a Military Secretary, who was a general.

Secretaries of State for War, 1794–1801

Name		Portrait	Term of office		Political party
	Henry Dundas (also President of the Board of Control)		11 July 1794	17 March 1801	Tory

For 1801–1854 see Secretary of State for War and the Colonies.

Secretaries of State for War, 1854–1964

Name		Portrait	Term of office		Political party
	The Duke of Newcastle		12 June 1854	30 January 1855	Peelite
	The Lord Panmure		8 February 1855	21 February 1858	Whig
	Jonathan Peel		26 February 1858	11 June 1859	Conservative
	Sidney Herbert		18 June 1859	22 July 1861	Liberal
	Sir George Cornewall Lewis, Bt		23 July 1861	13 April 1863	Liberal
	The Earl de Grey and Ripon		28 April 1863	16 February 1866	Liberal
	The Marquess of Hartington		16 February 1866	26 June 1866	Liberal
	Jonathan Peel		6 July 1866	8 March 1867	Conservative
	Sir John Pakington, Bt		8 March 1867	1 December 1868	Conservative
	Edward Cardwell		9 December 1868	17 February 1874	Liberal
	Gathorne Hardy		21 February 1874	2 April 1878	Conservative
	Frederick Stanley		2 April 1878	21 April 1880	Conservative
	Hugh Childers		28 April 1880	16 December 1882	Liberal
	The Marquess of Hartington		16 December 1882	9 June 1885	Liberal
	W. H. Smith		24 June 1885	21 January 1886	Conservative
	The Viscount Cranbrook		21 January 1886	6 February 1886	Conservative
	Henry Campbell-Bannerman		6 February 1886	20 July 1886	Liberal
	W. H. Smith		3 August 1886	14 January 1887	Conservative
	Edward Stanhope		14 January 1887	11 August 1892	Conservative
	Henry Campbell-Bannerman		18 August 1892	21 June 1895	Liberal
	The Marquess of Lansdowne		4 July 1895	12 November 1900	Liberal Unionist
	St John Brodrick		12 November 1900	6 October 1903	Conservative
	H. O. Arnold-Forster		6 October 1903	4 December 1905	Liberal Unionist
	Richard Haldane (Viscount Haldane from 1911)		10 December 1905	12 June 1912	Liberal
	J. E. B. Seely		12 June 1912	30 March 1914	Liberal
	H. H. Asquith (while Prime Minister)		30 March 1914	5 August 1914	Liberal
	The Earl Kitchener		5 August 1914	5 June 1916	none (Coalition)
	David Lloyd George		6 July 1916	5 December 1916	Liberal (Coalition)
	The Earl of Derby		10 December 1916	18 April 1918	Conservative (Coalition)
	The Viscount Milner		18 April 1918	10 January 1919	Conservative (Coalition)
	Winston Churchill		10 January 1919	13 February 1921	Liberal (Coalition)
	Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Bt		13 February 1921	19 October 1922	Conservative (Coalition)
	The Earl of Derby		24 October 1922	22 January 1924	Conservative
	Stephen Walsh		22 January 1924	3 November 1924	Labour
	Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Bt		6 November 1924	4 June 1929	Conservative
	Thomas Shaw		7 June 1929	24 August 1931	Labour
	The Marquess of Crewe		25 August 1931	5 November 1931	Liberal (National Govt)
	The Viscount Hailsham		5 November 1931	7 June 1935	Conservative (National Govt)
	The Viscount Halifax		7 June 1935	22 November 1935	Conservative (National Govt)
	Duff Cooper		22 November 1935	28 May 1937	Conservative (National Govt)
	Leslie Hore-Belisha		28 May 1937	5 January 1940	National Liberal (National Govt; War Govt)
	Oliver Stanley		5 January 1940	11 May 1940	Conservative (War Govt)
	Anthony Eden		11 May 1940	22 December 1940	Conservative (Coalition)
	David Margesson		22 December 1940	22 February 1942	Conservative (Coalition)
	Sir P. J. Grigg		22 February 1942	26 July 1945	National (Coalition; Caretaker Govt)
	Jack Lawson		3 August 1945	4 October 1946	Labour
	Frederick Bellenger		4 October 1946	7 October 1947	Labour
	Emanuel Shinwell		7 October 1947	28 February 1950	Labour
	John Strachey		28 February 1950	26 October 1951	Labour
	Antony Head		31 October 1951	18 October 1956	Conservative
	John Hare		18 October 1956	6 January 1958	Conservative
	Christopher Soames		6 January 1958	27 July 1960	Conservative
	John Profumo		27 July 1960	5 June 1963	Conservative
	Joseph Godber		27 June 1963	21 October 1963	Conservative
	James Ramsden		21 October 1963	1 April 1964	Conservative

See also

• Secretary at War