# Chief of Army (New Zealand)

Chief of Army (CA) is the effective commander of the New Zealand Army, responsible to the Chief of Defence Force (CDF) for raising, training and sustaining those forces necessary to meet agreed government outputs. The CA acts as principal advisor to the CDF on Army matters, though for operations the Army's combat units fall under the command of the Land Component Commander, Joint Forces New Zealand. The rank associated with the position is major general, and CAs are generally appointed on a three-year term.
The position was originally formed as Commandant and General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces in 1910, changing to Chief of the General Staff in 1937 and, finally, CA in 2002. Major General Rose King, the current CA, has been in the post since 27 August 2024. King is the first woman to serve in the role.

## Appointees

The below indicated * (asterisk) indicates that the individual was subsequently promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Chief of Defence Force.
The following list chronologically records those who have held the post of Chief of Army or its preceding positions, with rank and honours as at the completion of the individual's term.
| No. | Name | Took office | Left office |
| Commandant and General Officer Commanding the New Zealand Military Forces |||||
| 1 | Major General Sir Alexander Godley KCMG | 7 December 1910 | 10 September 1914 |
| 2 | Major General Sir Alfred Robin KCMG CB | 11 September 1914 | 9 December 1919 |
| 3 | Major General Sir Edward Chaytor KCMG KCVO CB | 10 December 1919 | 31 April 1924 |
| 4 | Major General Charles Melvill CB CMG DSO | 1 May 1924 | 6 December 1925 |
| 5 | Major General Robert Young CB CMG DSO | 7 December 1925 | 31 March 1931 |
| 6 | Major General Sir William Sinclair-Burgess KBE CB CMG DSO | 1 April 1931 | 31 March 1937 |
| Chief of the General Staff |||||
| 1 | Major General Sir John Duigan KBE CB DSO | 1 April 1937 | 31 May 1941 |
| 2 | Lieutenant General Sir Edward Puttick KCB DSO & Bar | 1 August 1941 | 31 December 1945 |
| 3 | Major General Sir Norman Weir KBE CB | 1 January 1946 | 31 March 1949 |
| 4 | Major General Keith Stewart CB DSO OBE | 1 April 1949 | 31 March 1952 |
| 5 | Major General William Gentry CB CBE DSO & Bar | 1 April 1952 | 14 August 1955 |
| 6 | Major General Stephen Weir CB DSO & Bar | 15 August 1955 | 30 August 1960 |
| 7 | Major General Leonard Thornton* CB CBE | 1 September 1960 | 31 March 1965 |
| 8 | Major General Walter McKinnon CB CBE | 1 April 1965 | 31 March 1967 |
| 9 | Major General Robert Dawson CB CBE DSO | 1 April 1967 | 31 March 1970 |
| 10 | Major General Richard Webb* CBE | 1 April 1970 | 28 September 1971 |
| 11 | Major General Les Pearce CB CBE | 29 September 1971 | 30 September 1973 |
| 12 | Major General Robin Holloway CB CBE | 1 October 1973 | 14 November 1976 |
| 13 | Major General Ronald Hassett CB CBE | 15 November 1976 | 15 November 1978 |
| 14 | Major General Brian Poananga CB CBE | 16 November 1978 | 15 November 1981 |
| 15 | Major General Rob Williams CB MBE | 16 November 1981 | 11 December 1984 |
| 16 | Major General John Mace* CB OBE | 12 December 1984 | 30 November 1987 |
| 17 | Major General Don McIver OBE | 1 December 1987 | 28 February 1989 |
| 18 | Major General Bruce Meldrum CB OBE | 1 March 1989 | 29 February 1992 |
| 19 | Major General Anthony Birks CB OBE | 1 March 1992 | 24 February 1995 |
| 20 | Major General Piers Reid CBE | 25 February 1995 | 25 February 1998 |
| 21 | Major General Maurice Dodson CBE MC | 26 February 1998 | February 2002 |
| 22 | Major General Jerry Mateparae ONZM | February 2002 | mid-2002 |
| Chief of Army |||||
| 1 | Major General Jerry Mateparae* ONZM | mid-2002 | 30 April 2006 |
| 2 | Major General Lou Gardiner ONZM | 1 May 2006 | 30 April 2009 |
| 3 | Major General Rhys Jones* | 1 May 2009 | 23 January 2011 |
| 4 | Major General Tim Keating* MNZM | February 2011 | December 2012 |
| 5 | Major General Dave Gawn MBE | 25 February 2013 | 9 September 2015 |
| 6 | Major General Peter Kelly MNZM | 10 September 2015 | 31 August 2018 |
| 7 | Major General John Boswell DSD | 1 September 2018 | 26 August 2024 |
| 8 | Major General Rose King | 27 August 2024 | Incumbent |