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The Commander of the Commonwealth Forces in Antarctica (CCFA) is the highest military authority in all Commonwealth regions of the continent. Though there has always been a CCFA since the title was created in 1901, the rank is considered 'inactive' until multiple Commonwealth militaries work together to coordinate their operations, when the CCFA becomes the commanding officer of this coordinated effort.
While it is not a rank in itself, and CCFAs are not technically superior to any other General, the CCFA is considered primus inter pares among military officers — similar to the position of Prime Minister among Members of Parliament in many Commonwealth nations.
The title was first installed in 1901, in response to the British withdrawal from the Berkner Land War. Many officers felt that the war could have been won if the local forces had support from the rest of British Antarctica, and established the title of Commander of the British Forces in Antarctica (CCBA) to begin increasing the coordination and cooperation between the various colonies' militaries. Prior to 1901, the most senior officer in Eduarda was the equivalent of the CCBA.
Despite the name, it did not only cover British forces, but also consisted of Australian forces in New Vestfold and New Zealand forces in the Bransfield Islands. In 1949, after the foundation of the Commonwealth, the title was renamed to its current name. In the 1970s, it began to decline in importance; and since 1990 it has been almost completely symbolic.
| Name | Portrait | Took office | Left office | Home territory | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sir Isambard Crawford | 1901 | 1904 | Eduarda | ||
| Thomas Chauncer | 1904 | 1911 | Eduarda | Member of the Chauncer family. | |
| Sir William Bullen | 
|
1911 | 1919 | Eduarda | Oversaw World War I and part of the Russian Civil War. Also Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Antarctica from 1914-19 and Governor of the Antarctic Mandate from 1916-1924. |
| John Berkner | 1919 | 1924 | Eduarda | Member of the Berkner family. Oversaw much of the Russian Civil War. | |
| Edmund Rice-Yates | 1924 | 1930 | Eduarda | ||
| Robert Glamorgan | 1930 | 1936 | Eduarda | ||
| Hosea Spearholme | 1936 | 1942 | Eduarda | Oversaw the Antarctic theater of World War II. | |
| Felix van der Zee | 
|
1942 | 1947 | New Vestfold (AUS) | Oversaw the later years of World War II, though the Antarctic Theater was over by 1942. Later Administrator of New Vestfold. |
| Beauford Carter | 
|
1947 | 1963 | New Devon | Longest-served CCFA. Oversaw several conflicts against Russian nationalists. Later Minister of Defence and Governor-General of New Devon. |
| Alexander Sherridan | 1963 | 1969 | Grahamland | ||
| Matthew Peacock | 1969 | 1977 | Eduarda | First Canadian-born Eduardan CCFA | |
| Frederick Stanley | 1977 | 1985 | Grahamland | Oversaw the South Atlantic War. | |
| Michael J. Townsend | 1985 | 1995 | Ross Dependency (NZ) | Son of Mike Townsend. Assisted the United Republic's peaceful transition to independence. | |
| Theophilius "Phil" Key | 1995 | 2006 | Ross Dependency (NZ) | ||
| Linus Hunley | 2006 | Incumbent | Balleny (NZ) |
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