Brigadier (United Kingdom)
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This article does not cite any references or sources. (February 2007) |
Brigadier (abbreviated Brig) is a senior rank in the British Army and the Royal Marines. Brigadier is the superior rank to colonel, but subordinate to major-general. While the corresponding rank of brigadier general in many other nations is a general officer rank, the British Army considers it a field officer rank.
The rank has a NATO rank code of OF-6, placing it equivalent to the Royal Navy commodore and the Royal Air Force air commodore ranks. It is also equivalent to a brigadier general (1-star general) in the United States of America.
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Insignia [edit]
The rank insignia for a brigadier is a crown over three "pips" ("Bath" stars). The rank insignia for a brigadier-general was crossed sword and baton.
Usage [edit]
In 1922 the rank of brigadier-general was replaced by the appointment of colonel-commandant. The appointment, although reflecting its modern role in the British Army as a senior colonel rather than a junior general, was not well received and was replaced with brigadier in 1928. Colonel-commandant was only ever used for officers commanding brigades, depots or training establishments. Officers holding equivalent rank in administrative appointments were known as "colonels on the staff", also replaced by brigadier in 1928. Colonel-commandants and colonels on the staff wore the same rank badge later adopted by brigadiers.[1]
Until shortly after World War II, brigadier was an appointment conferred on colonels (as commodore was an appointment conferred on naval captains) rather than a substantive rank.[1] The Royal Marines retained this until 1997, when both commodore and brigadier became substantive ranks.[2]
Junior officer rank [edit]
Historically, brigadier and sub-brigadier were the junior officer ranks in the Troops of Horse Guards. This corresponded to French practice, where a brigadier was the cavalry equivalent of a corporal. To reflect the status of the Horse Guards as Household Troops, brigadiers ranked with lieutenants and sub-brigadiers with cornets in other cavalry regiments. When the Horse Guards were disbanded in 1788, the brigadiers and sub-brigadiers of the 1st and 2nd Troops became lieutenants and cornets in the 1st and 2nd Regiments of Life Guards, respectively.[3]
Brigadier remains the lowest officer rank in the Royal Company of Archers, the Queen's Bodyguard for Scotland. There are twelve brigadiers on the establishment, ranking after ensigns.[4]
Footnotes [edit]
- ^ a b "New Army Rank of Brigadier", The Times, 23 December 1997
- ^ Debrett's
- ^ The London Gazette: no. 13005. p. 325. 5—8 July 1788.
- ^ Royal Company of Archers, royal.gov.uk. Accessed 1 July 2012
External links [edit]
- Army Ranks - British Army website
| 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 | O Cdt | Mid | SLt | Lt | Lt Cdr | Cdr | Capt | Cdre | RAdm (list) |
VAdm (list) |
Adm (list) |
Adm of the Fleet | |
| Royal Marines | 2Lt | Lt | Capt | Maj | Lt Col | Col | Brig | Maj-Gen | Lt-Gen | Gen (list) |
|||
| Army | O Cdt | 2Lt | Lt | Capt | Maj | Lt Col | Col | Brig | Maj-Gen | Lt-Gen | Gen (list) |
FM (list) |
|
| 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 (list) |
MRAF | |
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