Fonds 97/10 - Chief of the General Staff fonds

The position of Chief of the General Staff (CGS) was created in 1904 to advise the minister of the Militia and to co-ordinate all military duties performed by the General Staff. This post remained virtually unchanged until 1923 with the exception of the addition of the Air Force to its command during the First World War. Between 1923 and 1927, the post was changed to the Chief of Staff National Defence when certain administrative services were combined under one command. In 1927, the title of Chief of the General Staff was revived when the post of Chief of Naval Staff was created. The Air Force, however, continued to operate as a branch of the General Staff until 1938 when the Chief of Air Staff came into being. When the Second World War began in 1939, the Chief of the General Staff along with the chiefs of the Navy and the Air Force staffs formed the Chiefs of Staff Committee to better coordinate the Canadian war effort. This committee continued to coordinate the activities of the three services;it acted under the guidance of the Chairman, Chiefs of Staff (CCOS)from 1951 to 1964. In 1964, the position of Chief of the General Staff was eliminated along with those of the Chiefs of the Naval Staff and the Air Staff. The Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) was created in 1964 to control and administer the Canadian Armed Forces.