Commander-in-Chief, India
Supreme commander of the Indian Army before 1950
During the period of the Company and Crown rule in India , the Commander-in-Chief, India (often "Commander-in-Chief in or of India") was the supreme commander of the Indian Army from 1833 to 1947. The Commander-in-Chief and most of his staff were based at GHQ India , and liaised with the civilian Governor-General of India . Following the Partition of India in 1947 and the creation of the independent dominions of India and Pakistan , the post was abolished. It was briefly replaced by the position of Supreme Commander of India and Pakistan before the role was abolished in November 1948.[ 1] Subsequently, the role of Commander-in-Chief was merged into the offices of the Commanders-in-Chief of the independent Indian Army and Pakistan Army , respectively, before becoming part of the office of the President of India from 1950 and of the Commander-in-Chief of the Pakistan Army from 1947.
Prior to independence, the official residence was the Flagstaff House , which later became the residence of the first Prime Minister of India ; as Teen Murti Bhavan (Teen Murti House), it is now a museum.
This is a list of people who were the military Commander-in-Chief, India until 1947. The rank and title are the final ones for the officer's career and not necessarily applicable to his tenure as Commander-in-Chief in India.
P.R. Cadell wrote an article correcting and elaborating on the early commanders-in-chief of the East India Company 's forces in the Journal of the Society for Army Historical Research in 1944.
List of Commanders-in-Chief
Commanders-in-Chief have been:[ 3]
† denotes people who died in office.
Commanders-in-Chief of India, 1801–1857
No.
Portrait
Commander-in-Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Notes
1 Craig, James GeneralSir James Craig (1748–1812) February 1801 March 1801 1 month Officiating.
2 Lake, Gerald GeneralGerard Lake (1744–1808) March 1801 July 1805 4 years, 4 months Conducted a campaign with a string of victories that gave the British control of Northern India, Delhi and the Mughal emperor but failed to take Bhurtpore. Improved the Indian Army by making all arms, infantry, cavalry and artillery, more mobile and more manageable.
3 Cornwallis, Charles GeneralThe Earl Cornwallis (1738–1805) July 1805 October 1805 3 months Reappointment. With Sir Arthur Wellesley , he supervised the Second Anglo-Maratha War against the Sindhia and the Holkar .
(2) Lake, Gerald GeneralThe Lord Lake (1744–1808) October 1805 1806 0–1 years Reappointment following the death of Cornwallis' successor John Graves Simcoe . Upon Cornwallis' death, Lake pursued the Holkar to the Punjab . The Holkar capitulated at Amritsar in December 1805.
4 Simcoe, John GeneralJohn Simcoe (1752–1806) 1806 26 October 1806 † 0 years Appointed to post in England in late 1805, but died before departing for India and replaced by Lake.
(2) Lake, Gerald GeneralThe Lord Lake (1744–1808) 1806 October 1807 0–1 years Reappointment following death of John Simcoe , who died after accepting the appointment in England.
5 Hewett, George GeneralSir George Hewett (1750–1840) October 1807 December 1807 2 months Transformed Meerut into a British stronghold that would be used as a launching point for future military campaigns into northern India.
6 Champagné, Forbes Lieutenant generalForbes Champagné (1754–1816) December 1807 January 1811 3 years, 1 month Officiating.
7 Nugent, George Field MarshalSir George Nugent (1757–1849) January 1811 October 1813 2 years, 9 months –
8 Hastings, Francis GeneralThe Earl of Moira (1754–1826) October 1813 January 1823 9 years, 3 months 1st Marquess of Hastings from 1816; Oversaw British forces in the Gurkha War ; conquered the Marathas ; repaired the Mogul canals in Delhi ; instituted educational reforms.
9 Paget, Edward GeneralSir Edward Paget (1775–1849) January 1823 October 1825 2 years, 9 months –
10 Cotton, Stapleton Field MarshalThe Lord Combermere (1773–1865) October 1825 January 1830 4 years, 3 months 1st Viscount Combermere from 1827. Captured Bhurtpore (which Lake had failed to do) in 1824.
11 Ramsay, George GeneralThe Earl of Dalhousie (1770–1838) January 1830 January 1832 2 years Began the British suppression of the Thuggee murder-cults.
12 Barnes, Edward Lieutenant generalSir Edward Barnes (1776–1838) January 1832 October 1833 1 year, 9 months Constructed the military road between Colombo and Kandy , made the first census of the population, and introduced coffee cultivation.
13 Bentinck, William GeneralLord William Bentinck (1774–1839) October 1833 March 1835 1 year, 5 months Suppressed the Hindu custom of sati . Reappointed in April 1834.
14 Watson, James GeneralSir James Watson (1772–1862) March 1835 September 1835 6 months Established the famous police organisation known as the "Thuggee and Dacoity Department" within the Government of India .
15 Fane, Henry GeneralSir Henry Fane (1778–1840) September 1835 December 1839 4 years, 3 months –
16 Nicholls, Jasper GeneralSir Jasper Nicolls (1778–1849) December 1839 August 1843 3 years, 8 months Officiating.
17 Gough, Hugh Field MarshalHugh Gough (1779–1869) August 1843 May 1849 5 years, 9 months 1st Baron Gough from 1846; Defeated the Mahrattas at Maharajpur . Conducted operations against the Sikhs and won the battles of Mudki , Ferozeshah and Sobraon . Soon after, the Sikhs surrendered at Lahore .
18 Napier, Charles GeneralSir Charles James Napier (1782–1853) May 1849 December 1851 2 years, 7 months Conquered Sindh and made it part of Bombay Presidency .
19 Gomm, William Field MarshalSir William Gomm (1784–1875) December 1851 January 1856 4 years, 1 month –
20 Anson, George Major generalGeorge Anson (1797–1857) January 1856 27 May 1857 † 1 year, 4 months Outbreak of the Indian Rebellion of 1857 . Died of cholera during his march against the Indian Rebellion at Delhi .
21 Grant, Patrick Lieutenant generalSir Patrick Grant (1804–1895) June 1857 August 1857 2 months Directed operations against the Indian Rebellion , sending forces under Havelock and Outram for the relief of Cawnpore and Lucknow , until the arrival of Sir Colin Campbell from England.
22 Campbell, Colin GeneralSir Colin Campbell (1792–1863) August 1857 4 June 1861 3 years, 10 months 1st Baron Clyde from 1858; Abandoned then recaptured Lucknow . Supervised military operations in Oudh until the Indian Rebellion had been subdued.
Commanders-in-Chief of India, 1861–1947
No.
Portrait
Commander-in-Chief
Took office
Left office
Time in office
Notes
1 Rose, Hugh Lieutenant generalSir Hugh Rose (1801–1885) 4 June 1861 23 March 1865 3 years, 292 daysImproved discipline and enabled the amalgamation of the East India Company 's army into the Queen's army to be carried out.
2 Mansfield, William GeneralSir William Mansfield (1819–1876) 23 March 1865 9 April 1870 5 years, 17 daysPrior to his appointment, Mansfield served in the Sutlej campaign , commanded the 53rd Regiment in the Punjab , and was part of Peshawar operations in the northwest frontier .
3 Napier, Robert GeneralThe Lord Napier of Magdala (1810–1890) 9 April 1870 10 April 1876 6 years, 1 dayHe did much to benefit the army and to encourage good shooting.
4 Haines, Frederick GeneralSir Frederick Haines (1819–1909) 10 April 1876 8 April 1881 4 years, 363 days–
5 Stewart, Donald GeneralSir Donald Stewart (1824–1900) 8 April 1881 28 November 1885 4 years, 234 days–
6 Roberts, Frederick Lieutenant generalSir Frederick Roberts (1832–1914) 28 November 1885 8 April 1893 7 years, 131 days1st Baron Roberts of Kandahar
7 White, George GeneralSir George White (1835–1912) 8 April 1893 20 March 1898 4 years, 346 days–
8 Nairne, Charles GeneralSir Charles Nairne (1836–1899) 20 March 1898 4 November 1898 229 daysOfficiating.
9 Lockhart, William GeneralSir William Lockhart (1841–1900) 4 November 1898 18 March 1900 † 1 year, 134 days–
10 Palmer, Arthur GeneralSir Arthur Palmer (1840–1904) 19 March 1900[ 4] 28 November 1902 2 years, 254 days–
11 Kitchener, Herbert GeneralThe Viscount Kitchener (1850–1916) 28 November 1902[ 5] 10 September 1909 6 years, 286 daysReconstructed the disorganised Indian Army , but quarreled with the Viceroy Lord Curzon , who resigned.
12 Creagh, O'Moore GeneralSir O'Moore Creagh (1848–1923) 10 September 1909 8 March 1914 4 years, 179 daysDouglas Haig , then a lieutenant general, served as Chief of the General Staff (India) in 1909–12.
13 Duff, Beauchamp GeneralSir Beauchamp Duff (1855–1918) 8 March 1914 1 October 1916 2 years, 207 days–
14 Monro, Charles GeneralSir Charles Monro (1860–1929) 1 October 1916 21 November 1920 4 years, 51 days–
15 Rawlinson, Henry GeneralThe Lord Rawlinson (1864–1925) 21 November 1920 28 March 1925 † 4 years, 127 daysFormer GOC, British Fourth Army on the Western Front .
16 Jacob, Claud GeneralSir Claud Jacob (1863–1948) 3 April 1925 6 August 1925 125 days–
17 Birdwood, William Field MarshalThe Lord Birdwood (1865–1951) 6 August 1925 30 November 1930 5 years, 116 daysDistinguished commander of ANZAC troops on Gallipoli and the Western Front.
18 Chetwode, Philip Field MarshalThe Lord Chetwode (1869–1950) 30 November 1930 30 November 1935 5 years The Indian Military Academy was established during his tenure.
19 Cassels, Robert GeneralSir Robert Cassels (1876–1959) 30 November 1935 27 January 1941 5 years, 58 days–
20 Auchinleck, Claude GeneralSir Claude Auchinleck (1884–1981) 27 January 1941 5 July 1941 159 daysLeft to take command of the Middle East Command (swapped jobs with Wavell ).
21 Wavell, Archibald GeneralSir Archibald Wavell (1883–1950) 5 July 1941 5 January 1942 184 daysLeft to take command of the short lived ABDACOM ; later became Viceroy .
22 Hartley, Alan GeneralSir Alan Hartley (1882–1954) 5 January 1942 7 March 1942 61 days–
(21) Wavell, Archibald Field MarshalSir Archibald Wavell (1883–1950) 7 March 1942 20 June 1943 1 year, 105 daysReappointment. Sir Alan Hartley appointed Deputy C-in-C, India.
(20) Auchinleck, Claude Field MarshalSir Claude Auchinleck (1884–1981) 20 June 1943 15 August 1947 4 years, 56 daysServed as the last C-in-C, India. Reappointed 15 August 1947, and became Supreme Commander of India and Pakistan . Oversaw division of the Armed forces between the two new countries. Served in this capacity until November 1948, when the role of Supreme Commander was abolished.
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