 However , on 10 September 1942 , Northcott was appointed Chief of the General Staff . Formerly , the Army had been controlled by the Military Board . This ceased to function on 30 July 1942 , with its responsibilities being assumed by the Commander @-@ in @-@ Chief , General Blamey . The Adjutant General , Major General Victor Stantke , the Quartermaster General , Major General James Cannan and the Master @-@ General of the Ordnance , Major General Leslie , who would formerly have been members of the board , now came under the Lieutenant General Administration ( LGA ) , Lieutenant General Henry Wynter . This left the CGS with responsibility for the day @-@ to @-@ day running of the Army . His job also involved liaison with Royal Australian Navy ( RAN ) and the Royal Australian Air Force ( RAAF ) , and he frequently had to represent Blamey in meetings with the Minister for the Army , Frank Forde . 
