Royal Army Chaplains' Department
An all-officer British Army department providing religious ministry, pastoral care and spiritual support to personnel of every faith and belief background.
Last updated August 25, 2026
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Overview
The Royal Army Chaplains' Department (RAChD) is the British Army's specialist service for religious ministry, pastoral care and spiritual support. Its chaplains are ordained or otherwise authorised religious ministers who serve regular soldiers, reservists, cadets and their families in garrisons, training establishments, operational theatres and deployed formations. The department also supports personnel who identify with no religion by offering pastoral conversation, confidential listening and access to appropriate non-religious support. Although chaplains wear Army uniform and are commissioned officers, they do not exercise executive command authority and do not carry weapons. They are commonly addressed as “Padre” rather than by their equivalent military grade. The department originated in the Army Chaplains' Department, established by Royal Warrant on 23 September 1796. Before that reform, chaplains were generally attached to individual regiments rather than maintained as a centrally organised Army service. The department initially recruited Anglican clergy. Its religious composition broadened over the nineteenth century: Presbyterians were recognised in 1827 and commissioned from 1858, Roman Catholic chaplains were recruited from 1836, Methodist chaplains from 1881 and Jewish chaplains from 1892. This gradual expansion reflected the religious diversity of the British Army and the practical need to provide ministry to soldiers serving across the United Kingdom and the empire. The department's wartime record has been central to its institutional identity. Approximately 4,400 Army chaplains served during the First World War, with 179 dying on active service. The organisation received the “Royal” prefix in February 1919. During the Second World War, 96 British and 38 Commonwealth Army chaplains were killed. Several chaplains received high military decorations for courage under fire, including four recipients of the Victoria Cross: James Adams, Noel Mellish, Theodore Hardy and William Addison. RAChD chaplains serve across a wide range of Christian traditions and other belief communities. The Ministry of Defence recognises endorsing authorities connected with Anglican, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities, among others. Chaplains are expected to care for any soldier who requests assistance, regardless of denomination, religion or lack of religious belief. The department has distinctive cap badges for Christian and Jewish officers, while its professional grades correspond to Army ranks from captain-equivalent Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class through major-general-equivalent Chaplain-General. Training and selection combine military assessment with ministerial preparation. Candidates undertake familiarisation with serving chaplains, attend the Army Officer Selection Board at Leighton House in Westbury, and, if successful, complete initial chaplaincy training at the Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre and military training at the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. Army Cadet Force chaplains follow a related regional selection and training process. The department's institutional base has changed several times. From 1946 to 1996 its headquarters, depot and training centre were at Bagshot Park in Surrey. It then moved to the joint-service Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre at Amport House near Andover. Since 2020, joint chaplaincy training and support have been based at Beckett House within the Defence Academy near Shrivenham. The Royal Army Chaplains' Museum, which preserves the department's history and material culture, opened a newly curated facility at Shrivenham in May 2022. In November 2023, the Ministry of Defence announced an intention to introduce Non-Religious Pastoral Support Officers, signalling an effort to adapt military pastoral provision to changing patterns of religion and belief.
History
The Army Chaplains' Department was created by Royal Warrant on 23 September 1796. The warrant centralised a function that had previously been performed mainly by chaplains attached to individual regiments without a common departmental establishment. Anglican clergy formed the original core of the service. Recognition of other traditions followed progressively: Presbyterians were recognised in 1827 and commissioned from 1858; Roman Catholic chaplains entered the service from 1836; Methodist chaplains from 1881; and Jewish chaplains from 1892. The department expanded substantially during the two world wars. Around 4,400 Army chaplains served during the First World War, and 179 died on active service. In February 1919 the department received the royal prefix that it retains today. During the Second World War, 96 British and 38 Commonwealth Army chaplains were killed. Their service, including ministry under battlefield conditions and during captivity, became an important part of the department's historical reputation. Four chaplains—James Adams, Noel Mellish, Theodore Hardy and William Addison—were awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery. From 1946 until 1996, the department's headquarters, depot and training centre were located at Bagshot Park in Surrey. In 1996 these functions moved to Amport House near Andover, which also became the home of the joint-service Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre. Since 2020, the joint centre has operated from Beckett House at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom near Shrivenham, Oxfordshire. The department remains an all-officer branch, but its officers differ from ordinary Army officers in several respects. Chaplains are designated by grades such as Chaplain to the Forces 1st Class rather than standard Army rank titles, although those grades correspond to ranks from captain to major general. They have no executive authority, do not command troops and do not carry weapons. Their work includes worship, sacramental ministry, pastoral conversations, moral and spiritual support, bereavement care, ceremonial duties and advice to commanders. They are expected to assist any soldier, whether religious, from another faith tradition or non-religious. Modern RAChD provision includes chaplains from multiple Christian denominations as well as Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Sikh and Buddhist communities. The Ministry of Defence has also recognised the need to address the pastoral needs of personnel who do not identify with a religion. In 2011, debate over the cost and structure of military chaplaincy included a proposal from the National Secular Society that churches should fund religious ministry while the state funded professional counselling; the proposal was not adopted. In 2021, Defence Humanists called for an independent review of armed-forces pastoral support. The Ministry of Defence announced in November 2023 that it intended to recruit Non-Religious Pastoral Support Officers. The department's heritage is preserved through the Royal Army Chaplains' Museum at Shrivenham. The museum's new building opened on 17 May 2022 after the former Museum of Army Chaplaincy at Amport House closed in 2019. The RAChD's motto is “In this Sign Conquer,” and its regimental march is the Prince of Denmark's March, often popularly called the Trumpet Voluntary.
- 2023
Non-Religious Pastoral Support Officers proposed
[1]The Ministry of Defence announced an intention to recruit pastoral-support officers for non-religious personnel.
- 2022
Royal Army Chaplains' Museum opens at Shrivenham
[1]A newly curated museum facility opened at Shrivenham on 17 May.
- 2020
Joint chaplaincy centre relocates to Beckett House
[1]The Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre became based at the Defence Academy near Shrivenham.
- 1996
Move to Amport House
[1]The department's headquarters and training functions moved from Bagshot Park to Amport House near Andover.
- 1919
Royal prefix adopted
[1]The department received the “Royal” prefix in February after its First World War service.
- 1892
Jewish chaplains recruited
[1]Jewish chaplains were added to the department's recognised provision.
- 1881
Methodist chaplains recruited
[1]Methodist ministers began serving as Army chaplains.
- 1858
Presbyterian chaplains commissioned
[1]Presbyterians, recognised earlier in the century, began receiving commissions.
- 1836
Roman Catholic chaplains recruited
[1]Roman Catholic clergy began to be recruited into Army chaplaincy.
- 1796
Army Chaplains' Department established
[1]A Royal Warrant dated 23 September created a central Army Chaplains' Department.
Products and positioning
A non-combatant, multi-faith military chaplaincy service embedded within the British Army and designed to provide confidential pastoral and religious support across the full Army community.
Religious and pastoral services · 1796
Army chaplaincy ministry
The department provides worship, prayer, sacramental ministry, religious instruction and pastoral care through chaplains serving with Army units and establishments. Provision is intended to be available to personnel across recognised faith communities, while chaplains also offer care to people who do not identify with a religion.
Military support · 1796
Operational and deployed chaplaincy
Chaplains accompany Army personnel during training, exercises and overseas operations. Their non-combatant role includes confidential listening, support during crisis and bereavement, religious services, memorial activity and advice on ethical or belief-related issues.
Youth and cadet support
Army Cadet Force chaplaincy
The RAChD supports chaplaincy for the Army Cadet Force through a distinct regional selection and training route. Cadet chaplains provide pastoral and religious support within the cadet organisation and its wider community.
Brand decisions
2023
Plan to add Non-Religious Pastoral Support OfficersStrategyBackground
The Ministry of Defence identified changing patterns of religion and belief among United Kingdom armed-forces personnel and longstanding calls for a more inclusive approach to pastoral support.
Action taken
The Ministry of Defence announced an intention to recruit Non-Religious Pastoral Support Officers into military chaplaincy.
Aftermath
The announcement indicated a planned expansion of the department's pastoral model, but the supplied material does not establish the scale, timetable or final implementation status.
2020
Relocation of joint chaplaincy trainingStrategyBackground
The Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre required a new institutional base following the department's earlier period at Amport House.
Action taken
Joint-service chaplaincy training and support were based at Beckett House within the Defence Academy near Shrivenham.
Aftermath
The relocation consolidated the department's training environment with the Defence Academy and enabled the later development of the Shrivenham museum facility.
Recent events
- 2023
Ministry of Defence announces planned recruitment of Non-Religious Pastoral Support Officers[1]
Leadership change · Other
The Ministry of Defence announced an intention to recruit Non-Religious Pastoral Support Officers into military chaplaincy. The proposed change was presented as a response to changing religious and belief demographics among the United Kingdom's armed forces and as an expansion of pastoral provision beyond traditionally ordained ministry.
- 2022
Royal Army Chaplains' Museum opens at Shrivenham[1]
Other
A new Royal Army Chaplains' Museum facility at Shrivenham was opened on 17 May 2022. It replaced the former Museum of Army Chaplaincy collection previously located at Amport House.
- 2020
The Armed Forces Chaplaincy Centre moves to Beckett House[1]
Other
The joint-service chaplaincy centre became based at Beckett House, within the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom near Shrivenham, following the earlier period at Amport House.
Sources2 sources
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