Marshal of the Royal Air Force

Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Hugh Trenchard.

Marshal of the Royal Air Force (MRAF) is the highest rank in the British Royal Air Force (RAF).^[1] In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff (CAS), who were promoted to it on their last day of service. While surviving marshals of the RAF retain the rank for life,^[2] the highest rank to which officers on active service are promoted is now air chief marshal. Although general promotions to Marshal of the Royal Air Force have been discontinued since the British defence cuts of the 1990s, further promotions to the rank may still be made in wartime, for members of the Royal Family and certain very senior RAF air officers in peacetime at the discretion of the monarch; all such promotions in peacetime are only honorary, however.^[3] In 2012, Charles, Prince of Wales was promoted to the rank while in 2014 Lord Stirrup, who had served as Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of the Defence Staff for over seven years, was also promoted.

Marshal of the Royal Air Force is a five-star rank^[4] and unlike the air marshal ranks, can properly be considered a marshal rank. MRAF has a NATO ranking code of OF-10, equivalent to an admiral of the fleet in the Royal Navy or a field marshal in the British Army.^[5]

The rank was instituted in 1919 and the first officer to be promoted to MRAF was Sir Hugh Trenchard in 1927. Since that time, including Trenchard, there have been 27 men who have held the rank. Of those, 22 have been professional RAF officers and five have been senior members of the British Royal Family. King George V did not formally hold the rank of marshal of the RAF; rather he assumed the title of Chief of the Royal Air Force.^[6] In this capacity from time to time he wore RAF uniform with the rank insignia of a marshal of the RAF. He first publicly wore such uniform in 1935, the year before his death.^[7]

Excluding monarchs and other members of the Royal Family, the only two RAF officers ever to have held the rank without serving as Chief of the Air Staff were Lord Douglas of Kirtleside and Sir Arthur Harris. Both held high command during World War II. Harris was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Bomber Command and Douglas was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Fighter Command, Middle East Command and Coastal Command.

Origins

Prior to the creation of the RAF's officer rank titles in 1919, it was proposed that by analogy with field marshal, the highest rank title should be air marshal. It was later decided to use the rank of air marshal as an equivalent rank to lieutenant general^[8] and "marshal of the air" was put forward as the highest RAF rank. This new rank title was opposed by the then Chief of the Imperial General Staff, Sir Henry Wilson, who considered that the title was "ridiculous". However, the Chief of the Air Staff, Sir Hugh Trenchard was unmoved and the title was adopted. Though never held by a Royal Air Force officer, the rank title of marshal of the air lasted until April 1925, when it was changed to marshal of the Royal Air Force.^[9] Questioned in the House of Commons, Secretary of State for Air Sir Samuel Hoare stated that the reason for the change in title was that marshal of the air was "somewhat indefinite in character" and the new title was deemed more appropriate.^[10] It has also been reported that King George V was not happy with the title of marshal of the air, feeling it might imply attributes which should properly be reserved for God.^[11]

Insignia, command flag and star plate

The rank insignia consists of four narrow light blue bands (each on a slightly wider black band) above a light blue band on a broad black band. This insignia is derived from the sleeve lace of an admiral of the fleet and is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the service working dress uniform. Marshals of the Royal Air Force wear shoulder boards with their service dress at ceremonial events. These shoulder boards show the air officer's eagle surrounded by a wreath, two crossed marshal's batons and, since the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, the St Edward's Crown representing royal authority.^[12] Prior to 1953, the Tudor Crown (sometimes called the King's Crown) was used.

The command flag of a marshal of the Royal Air Force has a broad red horizontal band in the centre with a thinner red band on each side of it.

The vehicle star plate for a marshal of the Royal Air Force depicts five white stars (marshal of the Royal Air Force is equivalent to a five-star rank) on an air force blue background.

The rank insignia and flag exists in some other air forces for equivalent ranks. The rank title differs slightly, often being a variation on marshal of the air force, usually with the name of the relevant air force in place of the words 'Royal Air Force'. A notable example of this practice is the rank of marshal of the Royal Australian Air Force.

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  Marshal of the RAF sleeve insignia

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  Marshal of the RAF shoulder board

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  Marshal of the RAF sleeve mess insignia

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  Marshal of the RAF sleeve on No. 1 Service Dress uniform

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  Marshal of the RAF command flag

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  Marshal of the RAF star plate

Marshals of the Royal Air Force

Year of promotion	Image	Officer	Year of birth	Year of death	Notes
1927		Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard	1873	1956	Promoted 1 January 1927.[13][14]
1933		Sir John Salmond	1881	1968	Promoted 1 January 1933.[15]
1936		HM King Edward VIII	1894	1972	Assumed the rank 21 January 1936.[16]
1936		HM King George VI	1895	1952	Assumed the rank 11 December 1936.[17]
1937		Sir Edward Ellington	1877	1967	Promoted 1 January 1937.[18]
1940		Cyril Newall, 1st Baron Newall	1886	1963	Promoted 4 October 1940. Retired only 20 days later.[19]
1944		Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford	1893	1971	Promoted 1 January 1944.[20]
1945		Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder	1890	1967	Promoted 12 September 1945.[21]
1946		Sholto Douglas, 1st Baron Douglas of Kirtleside	1893	1969	Promoted 1 January 1946.[22]
1946		Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris	1892	1984	Promoted 1 January 1946, several months after retirement.[23]
1950		Sir John Slessor	1897	1979	Promoted 8 June 1950.[24]
1953		HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh	1921	-	Honorary rank. Promoted 15 January 1953.[25]
1954		Sir William Dickson	1898	1987	Promoted 1 June 1954.[26]
1958		Sir Dermot Boyle	1904	1993	Promoted 1 January 1958.[27]
1958		HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester	1900	1974	Honorary rank. Promoted 12 June 1958.[28]
1962		Sir Thomas Pike	1906	1983	Promoted 6 April 1962.[29]
1967		Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy	1911	1993	Promoted 1 April 1967.[30]
1971		Sir John Grandy	1913	2004	Promoted and retired on the same day (1 April 1971).[31]
1974		Sir Denis Spotswood	1916	2001	Promoted and retired on the same day (31 March 1974).[32]
1976		Sir Andrew Humphrey	1921	1977	Promoted 6 August 1976.[33]
1977		Neil Cameron, Baron Cameron of Balhousie	1920	1985	Promoted 31 July 1977.[34][35]
1982		Sir Michael Beetham	1923	2015	Promoted and retired on the same day (14 October 1982).[36]
1985		Sir Keith Williamson	1928	-	Promoted and retired on the same day (15 October 1985).[37]
1988		David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley	1929	-	Promoted 14 November 1988.[38]
1992		Sir Peter Harding	1933	-	Promoted 6 November 1992.[39] Resigned commission 14 June 1994.[40]
2012		HRH Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales	1948	-	Honorary rank. Promoted 16 June 2012.[41]
2014		Jock Stirrup, Baron Stirrup	1949	-	Honorary rank. Promoted 13 June 2014.[42]

King George V in the uniform of a Marshal of the RAF

Unlike other MRAFs who only relinquished their appointments, Sir Peter Harding resigned from the RAF in 1994.^[43] Consequently, his name is no longer to be found in the Air Force List.^[44]

See also

• Comparative military ranks
• General of the air force
• List of Royal Air Force air chief marshals
• Marshal of the air force
• RAF officer ranks

References

External links

• Media related to Marshals of the Royal Air Force at Wikimedia Commons