War Office
The War Office, originally known as the Secretary of War's office, is directly responsible
for the Army. The original and first holder of the position was killed in battle against
the Dutch in 1666. After this incident, the office did not have a significant role in government and
was known as not being a big spending Department.
However, throughout the years, the office became increasingly important for political
control of the Army. The War Office was not the only Government Department responsible
in this area, by 1815 there were fifteen other departments serving this same function. This was soon deemed
inefficient and by 1854 the War Office was set-up to take full control of both the political and financial
areas of the Army.
Although the office had undergone changes, it was increasingly looked-down upon. Florence
Nightingale, who had experienced the Crimean War, once referred to the War Office
as a very slow office, an enormously expensive office, a not very efficient office.
The office again fully reformed in 1904 and a new building was established for it at Whitehall where the War Office exists
today. The most notable Secretaries of State for War after the new reform have been
Lloyd George (1916) and Sir Winston Churchill (1919-1921).