- Major-general (United Kingdom)
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- Please see "major general" for other countries which use this rank
Major general (Maj Gen) is a senior rank in the British Army.[1] Since 1996 the highest position within the Royal Marines is the Commandant General Royal Marines who holds the rank of major general. The most senior officer of the Royal Army Chaplains Department, the chaplain-general, also holds the rank of major-general.
A major general is superior to a brigadier but subordinate to lieutenant general. The rank has a NATO rank code of OF-7, equivalent to a rear-admiral in the Royal Navy or an air vice-marshal in the Royal Air Force or the air forces of many Commonwealth countries.
The rank insignia is a pip over a crossed sword and baton.
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Royal Marines usage
The Commandant General Royal Marines has held the rank of major-general since 1996 when the post was downgraded from lieutenant-general. As in the British Army, a Royal Marines major-general ranks below lieutenant-general and above brigadier and is thus the lowest of the general officer ranks.
Royal Air Force usage
From the foundation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 to 31 July 1919, the RAF maintained a rank of major general. The rank insignia was derived from that of a Royal Navy rear-admiral and featured a broad gold stripe on the cuff below one narrow gold stripe. The two stripes were surmounted by an eagle (volant and affronty) under a king's crown. The RAF replaced its rank of major general with the rank of air vice-marshal on the 1 August 1919. The following officers held the rank of major general in the RAF:
- Edward Ashmore
- Sefton Brancker
- Edward Ellington
- Philip Game
- Frederick Heath-Caldwell[2]
- John Higgins
- Mark Kerr
- Charles Lambe
- Charles Longcroft
- Godfrey Paine
- Geoffrey Salmond
- John Salmond
- Ernest Swinton[3]
- Frederick Sykes
- Hugh Trenchard
Commissioned officer ranks of the British Armed Forces NATO rank code Student Officer OF-1 OF-2 OF-3 OF-4 OF-5 OF-6
*OF-7
**OF-8
***OF-9
****OF-10
*****Royal Navy Mid SLt Lt Lt Cdr Cdr Capt Cdre RAdm VAdm Adm Adm of the Fleet Royal Marines 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj-Gen Lt-Gen Gen Army O Cdt 2Lt Lt Capt Maj Lt Col Col Brig Maj-Gen Lt-Gen Gen FM Royal Air Force OC / SO APO / Plt Off Fg Off Flt Lt Sqn Ldr Wg Cdr Gp Capt Air Cdre AVM Air Mshl Air Chf Mshl MRAF External links
References
Categories:- Military ranks of the British Army
- Military ranks of the Royal Marines
- Former military ranks of the Royal Air Force
- Military rank stubs
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