This book is a history and analysis of the government department most important in the development of the unified Civil Service in the United Kingdom.

Civil servants are not generally known for their soldierly qualities. Yet in the Great War a volunteer regiment of 'civil servants and their friends' served with distinction in the front line, fighting in many of the major battles. This new study, the first since the 1920s, draws on previously unpublished material personal memoirs, diaries and interviews to tell their extraordinary story, and is supported by a wealth of marvellous photographs."

First published in 1984, this book examines the style of leadership amongst senior civil servants and its impact on administrative reform by investigating the work of Sir Percival Waterfield who was First Civil Service Commissioner from 1939 to 1951. He was responsible for setting up the Civil Service Selection Board which was the key institution in the pioneering new approach to personnel selection initiated in Britain after the Second World War. It has been regarded as the model for personnel recruitment in other contexts and for civil service recruitment in other countries. The book raises fundamental questions about the criteria for recruitment and promotion of leading officials in British central government and offers a rare glimpse of the day to day work of top civil servants and the administrative culture in which they operate.

Containing over 25,000 entries, this unique volume will be absolutely indispensable for all those with an interest in Britain in the twentieth century. Accessibly arranged by theme, with helpful introductions to each chapter, a huge range of topics is covered. There is a comprehensiveindex.