Board and Master-General of Ordnance

The Board of Ordnance was responsible for the British army's train of artillery, comprising guns and engineer services, and came under the control of the Master-General of the Ordnance. This post dates back to the 15th century and was originally entitled Master of the Ordnance from 1414 to 1597 when the title Great Master of the Ordnance came into use. The present title of Master-General of the Ordnance dates from 1603.

Until the early 1700s, there existed a considerable anomaly in the organization of the British army. While the cavalry and infantry came directly under the commanding general in the field, the artillery and engineers remained the responsibility of the Master-General, who was tasked with the supply of all guns, even to the Royal Navy. Although a serving officer, his was very much a political appointment. This had serious implications for the army's operational efficiency. It was fortunate that the captain general commanding British and allied forces during the War of the Spanish Succession, the Duke of Marlborough, combined both the positions of commander of the army and Master-General of the Ordnance. In 1716 he requested that the immediate predecessor of the Royal Regiment of Artillery be created and bring the guns into the main army organization. This was one of Marlborough's last and most important services to the army.

The responsibilities of the Board grew to include the upkeep of military buildings although it was notoriously sluggish in this role. Its abolition was proposed before the Crimean war, and it was eventually wound up in 1854-5 and its duties taken over by the newly established Secretary of War and the C-in-C.

In the modern British army, the Master-General is the fourth military member of the Army Board. He is responsible for the identification of future weapon systems needed by the army and the actions taken to meet those needs.

— Chris Mann/Richard Holmes