From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Highest military rank of the British Army
General
(or
full general
to distinguish it from the lower
general officer
ranks) is the highest rank achievable by serving officers of the
British Army
. The rank can also be held by
Royal Marines
officers in tri-service posts, for example, Generals
Sir Gordon Messenger
and
Gwyn Jenkins
, former and current
Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff
. It ranks above
lieutenant-general
and, in the Army, is subordinate to the rank of
field marshal
, which is now only awarded as an honorary rank. The rank of general has a NATO-code of
OF-9
, and is a
four-star rank
.
[1]
It is equivalent to a
full admiral
in the
Royal Navy
or an
air chief marshal
in the
Royal Air Force
.
Officers holding the ranks of lieutenant-general and
major-general
may be generically considered to be generals.
Insignia
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A general's insignia is a crossed sword and baton. This appeared on its own for the now obsolete rank of
brigadier-general
. A
major-general
has a
pip
over this emblem; a
lieutenant-general
a crown instead of a pip; and a full
general
both a pip and a crown. The insignia for the highest rank, that of
Field Marshal
, consists of crossed batons within a wreath and surmounted by a crown.
See also
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References
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