List of senior female officers of the British Armed Forces explained

The following is a list of women who have reached general, flag or air officer rank in the Royal Navy, British Army and Royal Air Force, not including those given honorary ranks. An air commodore is considered an air officer rank,[1] and although the equivalent ranks of brigadier or commodore are not considered general or flag rank in their respective services, those who have reached these ranks and above are included in this list.

Royal Navy

NameImageRank Date of promotionActive/Retired
Rear Admiral 17 January 2022[2] Active
Surgeon Rear Admiral 21 March 2023[3] Active
Commodore 22 June 2004 Retired
Commodore 9 February 2015 Active
Eleanor L. Ablett Commodore 28 August 2018 Retired
Commodore RNR 4 February 2020[4] Retired
Alison J. Hofman Commodore 17 August 2020[5] Active
Sharon L. Malkin Commodore 2 June 2021 Active
Joanna L. Adey Commodore 25 July 2023 Active

British Army

NameImageRank Date of promotionActive/Retired
11 August 2022 Active
Major General 20 September 2015 Retired
Major General 11 March 2020 Active (reservist)
Anna-Lee Reilly Major General 29 November 2022 Active
Sarah Johansen Major General 26 June 2023 Active
Patricia Purves Brigadier 30 June 1999 Retired
Brigadier 30 June 2009 Retired
Fiona H. Gardner Brigadier 30 June 2015 Retired
Suzanne Anderson Brigadier 31 December 2015 Active
Caroline L. Hull Brigadier 30 June 2020 Active
Sara L. Sharkey Brigadier 30 June 2017 Active
Ingrid A. Rolland Brigadier 4 December 2017 Active (Reservist)
Anna Clare Luedicke Brigadier 30 June 2017 Active
Vivienne Wendy Buck Brigadier 30 June 2019 Retired
Janice A. Cook Brigadier 30 June 2019 Deceased[6]
Anna-Lee Reilly Brigadier 30 June 2019[7] Active
Lisa C. Keetley Brigadier 31 December 2019 Active
Alison L. Curnow Brigadier 30 June 2020 Active
Elizabeth J. Faithfull-Davies Brigadier 30 June 2020 Active
Caroline Hull Brigadier 30 June 2020 Active
Clare Philips Brigadier 30 June 2021 Active
Lucinda Westerman Brigadier 30 June 2021 Active

Royal Air Force

NameImageRank Date of promotionActive/Retired
Air Marshal 29 March 2019 Retired
Air Marshal 3 July 2023 Active
Air Vice-Marshal 1 August 2013 Active (reservist)
Air Vice-Marshal 1 July 2016[8] Retired
Air Vice-Marshal 29 April 2017 Retired
Air Vice-Marshal 29 September 2018[9] Active
Air Vice-Marshal 24 February 2020[10] Retired
Air Vice-Marshal 6 October 2021[11] [12] Active
Air Commodore 1 January 2008[13] Retired
Air Commodore 2012 Deceased[14]
Air Commodore 17 August 2012[15] Retired[16]
Suzanne N. Perkins Air Commodore 21 August 2017[17] Active
Catherine C. Coton Air Commodore 4 September 2017 Retired
Wendy Rothery Air Commodore 2 April 2018[18] Active

Notes and References

  1. Book: The Chambers Dictionary . Allied Publishers . 2006 . 9788186062258 . 32.
  2. Web site: Royal Navy appoints Jersey woman as first female admiral . BBC Jersey . BBC Jersey . BBC Jersey . May 22, 2021 . BBC News . May 26, 2021.
  3. Web site: Royal Navy appoints second female Rear Admiral . Forces Network . 23 March 2023 . en . 21 March 2023.
  4. News: . NEW COMMANDER OF MARITIME RESERVES ASSUMES COMMAND . Royal Navy . Portsmouth . 4 February 2020 . 5 February 2020 .
  5. QARNNS . 1265986833239990275 . 28 May 2020 . Congratulations to Captain @AlisonHofman1 on her selection for promotion to Commodore Anchor BZ Ma'am! .
  6. Web site: Announcements . . 23 January 2020 . thewestmorlandgazette.co.uk . The Westmorland Gazette . 23 August 2020 . POOLE Janice Ann (nee Cook) The family are heartbroken to announce the peaceful passing of Brigadier Jan Cook on 10th January 2020, aged 52 years..
  7. Web site: Defence Equipment & Support organisation chart: July 2019 . . 12 July 2019 . gov.uk . Defence Equipment & Support . 13 July 2019 .
  8. News: Chief of Staff Personnel and Air Secretary . Royal Air Force . . 10 July 2019 . 10 July 2019 .
  9. News: . RAF Senior Appointments . Royal Air Force . . 10 July 2018 . 10 July 2019 .
  10. News: RAF Senior Appointments 10 February 2020 . Royal Air Force . . 10 February 2020 . 24 February 2020 .
  11. Web site: RAF appoints first woman to command an 'Operational' Air Group . Royal Air Force . 11 August 2021 . en-gb . 12 August 2021.
  12. News: RAF Senior Appointments . Royal Air Force . . 12 August 2021 . 11 October 2021 .
  13. Web site: Officer Promotions - 1 Jan 2008 . Royal Air Force . 10 July 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090418001434/http://www.raf.mod.uk/news/officerprom1jan08.cfm . 18 April 2009 . 1 January 2008.
  14. Web site: Air Cdre Jayne Millington FRAeS . . 11 August 2017 . aerosociety.com . aerosociety . 23 August 2020 . Obituary - Air Cdre Jayne Millington FRAeS.
  15. News: Dawn is New Commandant .
  16. Web site: NEW COMMANDANT FOR RAF AIR CADETS IS ANNOUNCED . . 5 June 2020 . raf.mod.uk . Royal Air Force . 26 August 2020 . The Royal Air Force has appointed Air Commodore Tony Keeling as the next Commandant of the RAF Air Cadets. He will take post on Sept 21st Sept 2020. The current Comdt, Air Commodore McCafferty retires on July 15th. Chief of Staff, Group Capt John Lawlor will be Acting Comdt for the intervening period..
  17. News: RAF Senior Appointments . Royal Air Force . . 12 April 2017 . 10 July 2019 .
  18. News: RAF Senior Appointments . Royal Air Force . . 23 November 2017 . 10 July 2019 .

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