The position was created in 1917 as one of two deputies with Board Status to whom the First Sea Lord delegated responsibility for the running of the Naval Staff.

During World war Two the combined responsibilities of the Assistant Chief Naval Staff were divided up with the creation of new Assistant Chiefs of the Naval Staff responsible for specific areas such as Home (Waters) and Foreign Commands, Trade, Operations and Air.

Notes: The Naval Staff runs the navy's operations and wartime strategy, and has a number of separate divisions, departments concerned with strategy and tactics, the planning and conduct of operations, and the collection and dissemination of intelligence.

Assistant Chiefs included:[15] Note: From 1940-1946 split into separate specific areas of responsibility see: ACNS Home, Foreign, U-Boat and Trade, Weapons, Air and Operations Note: Changed back to Assistant Chief Naval Staff Note:Changed to Assistant Chief of Naval Staff - Policy until 1984 [23] Note: Changed back to Assistant Chief of Naval Staff Note: Changed back to Assistant Chief of Naval Staff -Policy On behalf of the First Sea Lord and through the Admiralty and Navy Boards, ACNS (Pol) is responsible for the direction and development of strategic policy and strategy for the Royal Navy.

[47][48] Primary source for this article is by Harley Simon, Lovell Tony, (2017), Assistant Chief of Naval Staff, dreadnoughtproject.org, http://www.dreadnoughtproject.org.