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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.

On 1 April 1964, with the creation of the new cabinet-level position of Secretary of State for Defence, in charge of a new united Ministry of Defence, the Secretary of State for War was abolished (along with that of First Lord of the Admiralty and Secretary of State for Air).

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	Prime Minister
	Henry Dundas (also President of the Board of Control)		11 July 1794	17 March 1801	Tory		William Pitt the Younger

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

Secretaries of State for War, 1854–1964

	Term of office		Political party	Prime Minister
The Duke of Newcastle	12 June 1854	30 January 1855	Peelite		Earl of Aberdeen (Coalition)
The Lord Panmure	8 February 1855	21 February 1858	Whig		Earl of Derby
Jonathan Peel	26 February 1858	11 June 1859	Conservative		Earl of Derby
Sidney Herbert	18 June 1859	22 July 1861	Liberal		Viscount Palmerston
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 Earl de Grey and Ripon	28 April 1863	16 February 1866	Liberal		Earl Russell
Marquess of Hartington	16 February 1866	26 June 1866	Liberal		Earl Russell
Jonathan Peel	6 July 1866	8 March 1867	Conservative		14th Earl of Derby
Sir John Pakington, Bt	8 March 1867	1 December 1868	Conservative		14th Earl of Derby
Sir John Pakington, Bt	8 March 1867	1 December 1868	Conservative		Benjamin Disraeli
Edward Cardwell	9 December 1868	17 February 1874	Liberal		William Ewart Gladstone
Gathorne Hardy	21 February 1874	2 April 1878	Conservative		Benjamin Disraeli
Frederick Stanley	2 April 1878	21 April 1880	Conservative		Benjamin Disraeli
Hugh Childers	28 April 1880	16 December 1882	Liberal		William Ewart Gladstone
Marquess of Hartington	16 December 1882	9 June 1885	Liberal		William Ewart Gladstone
W. H. Smith	24 June 1885	21 January 1886	Conservative		Marquess of Salisbury
The Viscount Cranbrook	21 January 1886	6 February 1886	Conservative		Marquess of Salisbury
Henry Campbell-Bannerman	6 February 1886	20 July 1886	Liberal		William Ewart Gladstone
W. H. Smith	3 August 1886	14 January 1887	Conservative		Marquess of Salisbury
Edward Stanhope	14 January 1887	11 August 1892	Conservative		Marquess of Salisbury
Henry Campbell-Bannerman	18 August 1892	21 June 1895	Liberal		William Ewart Gladstone
Henry Campbell-Bannerman	18 August 1892	21 June 1895	Liberal		Earl of Rosebery
The Marquess of Lansdowne	4 July 1895	12 November 1900	Liberal Unionist		Marquess of Salisbury (Unionist Coalition)
St John Brodrick	12 November 1900	6 October 1903	Irish Unionist		Marquess of Salisbury (Unionist Coalition)
St John Brodrick	12 November 1900	6 October 1903	Irish Unionist		Arthur Balfour (Unionist Coalition)
H. O. Arnold-Forster	6 October 1903	4 December 1905	Liberal Unionist		Arthur Balfour (Unionist Coalition)
Richard Haldane (Viscount Haldane from 1911)	10 December 1905	12 June 1912	Liberal		Sir Henry Campbell-Bannerman
Richard Haldane (Viscount Haldane from 1911)	10 December 1905	12 June 1912	Liberal		H. H. Asquith
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
The Earl Kitchener	5 August 1914	5 June 1916	none		H. H. Asquith (Coalition)
David Lloyd George	6 July^[1] 1916	5 December 1916	Liberal		H. H. Asquith (Coalition)
The Earl of Derby	10 December 1916	18 April 1918	Conservative		David Lloyd George (Coalition)
The Viscount Milner	18 April 1918	10 January 1919	Conservative
Winston Churchill	10 January 1919	13 February 1921	Liberal
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Bt	13 February 1921	19 October 1922	Conservative
The Earl of Derby	24 October 1922	22 January 1924	Conservative		Bonar Law
The Earl of Derby	24 October 1922	22 January 1924	Conservative		Stanley Baldwin
Stephen Walsh	22 January 1924	3 November 1924	Labour		Ramsay MacDonald
Sir Laming Worthington-Evans, Bt	6 November 1924	4 June 1929	Conservative		Stanley Baldwin
Thomas Shaw	7 June 1929	24 August 1931	Labour		Ramsay MacDonald
The Marquess of Crewe	25 August 1931	5 November 1931	Liberal		Ramsay MacDonald (1st National Min.)
The Viscount Hailsham	5 November 1931	7 June 1935	Conservative		Ramsay MacDonald (2nd National Min.)
The Viscount Halifax	7 June 1935	22 November 1935	Conservative		Stanley Baldwin (3rd National Min.)
Duff Cooper	22 November 1935	28 May 1937	Conservative		Stanley Baldwin (3rd National Min.)
Leslie Hore-Belisha	28 May 1937	5 January 1940	National Liberal		Neville Chamberlain (4th National Min.; War Coalition)
Oliver Stanley	5 January 1940	11 May 1940	Conservative		Neville Chamberlain (4th National Min.; War Coalition)
Anthony Eden	11 May 1940	22 December 1940	Conservative	P.M.		Min.Defence
Anthony Eden	11 May 1940	22 December 1940	Conservative		Winston Churchill (War Coalition)
David Margesson	22 December 1940	22 February 1942	Conservative
Sir P. J. Grigg	22 February 1942	26 July 1945	National
Jack Lawson	3 August 1945	4 October 1946	Labour		Attlee	Attlee
Frederick Bellenger	4 October 1946	7 October 1947	Labour			A.V. Alexander
Emanuel Shinwell	7 October 1947	28 February 1950	Labour			A.V. Alexander
John Strachey	28 February 1950	26 October 1951	Labour			Shinwell
Antony Head	31 October 1951	18 October 1956	Conservative		Churchill	Churchill
						H. Alexander
						Macmillan
					Eden	Lloyd
						Monckton
John Hare	18 October 1956	6 January 1958	Conservative			Head
John Hare	18 October 1956	6 January 1958	Conservative		Macmillan	Sandys
Christopher Soames	6 January 1958	27 July 1960	Conservative			Sandys
Christopher Soames	6 January 1958	27 July 1960	Conservative			Watkinson
John Profumo	27 July 1960	5 June 1963	Conservative			Watkinson
John Profumo	27 July 1960	5 June 1963	Conservative			Thorneycroft
Joseph Godber	27 June 1963	21 October 1963	Conservative
James Ramsden	21 October 1963	1 April 1964	Conservative		Douglas-Home