Lieutenant general (Australia) explained

Lieutenant general
Country:Australia
Service Branch:Australian Army
Abbreviation:LTGEN
Nato Rank:OF-8
Non-Nato Rank:O-9
Formation:1917
Higher Rank:General
Lower Rank:Major general
Equivalents:Vice admiral (RAN)
Air marshal (RAAF)

Lieutenant general (abbreviated LTGEN and pronounced 'lef-tenant general') is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army. It was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general, and is considered a three-star rank.

The rank of lieutenant general is held by the Chief of Army. The rank is also held when an army officer is the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Chief of Joint Operations, or the Chief of Joint Capabilities. The Chief of Capability Development Group, disestablished in 2016, also carried three-star rank.

Lieutenant general is a higher rank than major general, but lower than general. Lieutenant general is the equivalent of vice admiral in the Royal Australian Navy and air marshal in the Royal Australian Air Force. The insignia for a lieutenant general is the Crown of St Edward above a crossed sword and baton.[1]

Australian Army lieutenants general

The first Australian lieutenant general was Sir Harry Chauvel in 1917.

CGS/CA – Chief of the General Staff and Chief of ArmyFrom 1 January 1909 to 18 February 1997, the most senior Australian Army position was named Chief of the General Staff. The first Australian to occupy this position was Colonel William Throsby Bridges. The first Australian lieutenant general to occupy this position was Sir Brudenell White, from 1 June 1920. Since August 1940, this position, and its successor (Chief of Army), have been held by Australian lieutenant generals.
Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (1958–1965)In March 1958, the role of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee was created, but with no command authority. This was initially occupied by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells (March 1958 – March 1959), and was rotated through the three services, hence (briefly) providing a three-star position available to army officers. In 1968 this became a four-star position. It was replaced in February 1976 by a new position, Chief of Defence Force Staff, with command authority over the Australian Defence Force, and in October 1984 the position was renamed Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) to more clearly reflect the role and its authority.
Vice Chief of the Defence Force (since 1986)In June 1986, the three-star position Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF) was created. As with CDF, this position rotates between the forces. Lieutenant General John Baker was the first army officer to occupy the position (October 1992 – April 1995).
Chief of Capability Development Group (2003–2016)A third three-star position, Chief of Capability Development Group (CCDG), which also rotates between the forces, was created in 2003. Lieutenant General John Caligari was the final officer of three-star rank to hold the position before it was disestablished in 2016
Chief of Joint Operations (since 2007)In September 2007, a fourth three-star position, Chief of Joint Operations, was created.
EquivalentsThere are two other permanent three-star positions in the Australian Defence Force, Chief of Navy and Chief of Air Force. There are also a number of other three-star-equivalent positions in the Australian Defence Organisation, but these are all held by civilians.

List of lieutenants general



The following people have held the rank of lieutenant general in the Australian Army:

NameYear of promotionSenior command(s) or appointment(s) in rankNotes
1917 Chief of the General Staff (1923–30), Inspector General of the Australian Army (1919–30), Desert Mounted Corps (1917–19)
1918 Director General of Repatriation (1918–19), Australian Corps (1918)
1918 Chief of the General Staff (1920–23, 1940) [2]
1918 Australian Corps (1918–19) [3]
1924 [4]
+ 1926
1938 Chief of the General Staff (1939–40), Inspector General of the Australian Army (1938–39) [5]
1939 I Corps (1940–41) [6]
1939 / 1941 First Army (1942–44), I Corps (1941–42), Southern Command (1939–40)
1939 Chief of the General Staff (1940–42, 1946–50), First Army (1944–45) [7]
+ 1940 Southern Command (1940) [8]
1940 Eastern Command (1940–41) [9] [10]
1940 Southern Command (1940–42)
1941 New Guinea Force (1943–44), Second Army (1942–44)
1941 Lieutenant General Administration at Allied Land Headquarters (1942–44), Eastern Command (1941–42) [11]
1942 I Corps (1944–45), Second Army (1944), New Guinea Force (1944), II Corps (1943)
1942 III Corps (1942–44)
1942 I Corps (1942–44), New Guinea Force (1942–43), II Corps (1942) [12]
1942 Chairman of the Manpower Committee (1939–44) [13]
1942 British Commonwealth Occupation Force (1946), Chief of the General Staff (1940, 1942–45)
1942 / 1946 Chief of the General Staff (1950–54), Vice Chief of the General Staff (1946–50), I Corps (1942)
1944 Eastern Command (1946–53), I Corps (1944), II Corps (1943–44)
1944 II Corps (1944–45), New Guinea Force (1944), I Corps (1944)
1945 Southern Command (1953–54), British Commonwealth Forces Korea (1951), British Commonwealth Occupation Force (1946–51), First Army (1945–46)
1949 Southern Command (1949–51) [14]
+ 1949 [15]
+ 1951 British Commonwealth Forces Korea (1951–53), Eastern Command (1951) [16]
1951 Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (1958–59), Chief of the General Staff (1954–58), British Commonwealth Forces Korea (1953–54), Southern Command (1951–53) [17]
+ 1951 Northern Command (1952–54), Eastern Command (1951–52) [18]
1953 Eastern Command (1953–57) [19]
1954 British Commonwealth Forces Korea (1954–56)
1954 United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (1952–66) [20]
1954 Chief of the General Staff (1958–60), Southern Command (1954–58) [21]
1958 Eastern Command (1960–63), Southern Command (1958–60) [22]
1960 Chief of the General Staff (1960–63), Eastern Command (1957–60) [23]
1963 Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (1966–70), Chief of the General Staff (1963–66) [24]
1966 Chief of the General Staff (1966–71) [25]
1971 Chief of the General Staff (1971–73)
1973 Chief of the General Staff (1973–75) [26]
1975 Chief of the General Staff (1975–77) [27]
1977 Chief of the General Staff (1977–82) [28]
1982 Chief of the General Staff (1982–84)
1984 Chief of the General Staff (1984–87) [29]
1987 Chief of the General Staff (1987–90)
1990 Chief of the General Staff (1990–92) [30]
1992 Chief of Army (1995–98), Commander Joint Forces Australia (1993–95), Commander United Nations Transitional Authority in Cambodia (1992–93) [31]
1992 Chief of the General Staff (1992–95) [32]
1992 Vice Chief of the Defence Force (1992–95) [33]
1998 Chief of Army (1998–2000) [34]
2000 Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2000–02) [35]
2000 Chief of Army (2000–02) [36]
2002 Chief of Army (2002–08) [37]
2003 Vice Chief of Defence Force (2008–11), Chief of Joint Operations (2007–08), Chief of Capability Development Group (2003–07) [38]
2005 Chief of Army (2008–11), Vice Chief of the Defence Force (2005–08) [39]
2008 Chief of Joint Operations (2008–11) [40]
2011 Chief of Joint Operations (2011–14)
2011 Chief of Army (2011–15) [41]
2013 Chief of Army (2015–18), Commander Operation Sovereign Borders (2013–15) [42]
2014 Chief of Capability Development Group (2014–15) [43]
2018 Chief of Army (2018–22)
2018 Chief of Joint Capabilities (2021–24), National COVID Vaccine Taskforce (2021–22), Principal Deputy Director Australian Signals Directorate (2018–21)
^ 2019 Chief of Joint Operations (2019–)
^ 2020 Chief of Defence Intelligence (2020–) [44]
^ 2022 Chief of Army (2022–) [45]
^ 2023 Chief of Personnel (2023–) [46]
^ 2024 National Cyber Security Coordinator (2024–) [47]
^ 2024 Chief of Joint Capabilities (2024–) [48]

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Chapter 4: Badges and Emblems . https://web.archive.org/web/20150403033245/http://www.army.gov.au/~/media/Files/Army%20Dress%20Manual/Chapters%20and%20complete%20version/Chapter%204%20%20Badges%20and%20Emblems%20Combined%2006%20Jun%2014.pdf . dead . 3 April 2015 . Army Dress Manual . . Canberra . 6 June 2014 . 48 .
  2. Grey, Jeffrey . Jeffrey Grey . A120517b . White, Sir Cyril Brudenell Bingham (1876–1940) . 12 . 1990 . 460–463 . 16 March 2010 .
  3. A090322b . Hobbs, Sir Joseph John Talbot (1864–1938) . 30 July 2009 . Hill, A. J. . 9 . 1983 . 315–317.
  4. Coulthard-Clark, C. D. . A100059b . Legge, James Gordon (1863–1947)' . 10 . 1986 . 63–65 .
  5. Lodge, A. B. . A120050b . Squires, Ernest Ker (1882–1940) . 12 . 1990 . 41–42 .
  6. Book: Horner, David . David Horner . Crisis of Command: Australian Generalship and the Japanese Threat, 1941–1943 . 1978 . Australian National University Press . Canberra . 0-7081-1345-1 . registration .
  7. The Army List of Officers of the Australian Military Forces . Australian Army . . 1950 . 220688670.
  8. Burness, Peter . A120534b . Whitham, John Lawrence (1881–1952) . 12 . 1990 . 476–477 .
  9. News: Australian Military Forces. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 4 July 1940. 5 August 2019.
  10. News: Retired List. Commonwealth of Australia Gazette. 20 March 1947. 5 August 2019.
  11. Perry, Warren . A160709b . Wynter, Henry Douglas (1886–1945) . 16 . 2002 . 599–600 .
  12. Browne, Geoff . A170522b . Herring, Sir Edmund Francis (Ned) (1892–1982) . 17 . 520–523 .
  13. Coulthard-Clark, C. D. . A090480b . Jess, Sir Carl Herman (1884–1948)' . 9 . 1983 . 485–487 .
  14. Dicker, George . A130710b . Boase, Allan Joseph (1894–1964) . 13 . 1993 . 208–209 .
  15. Denholm, David . A130492b . Clowes, Cyril Albert (1892–1968) . 13 . 1993 . 446–447 .
  16. Grey, Jeffrey . Jeffrey Grey . A130289b . Bridgeford, Sir William (1894–1971) . 13 . 1993 . 255–257 .
  17. Andrews, E. M. . A160617b . Wells, Sir Henry (1898–1973) . 16 . 2002 . 521 .
  18. Greville. P. J. 2002. Secombe, Victor Clarence (1897–1962). secombe-victor-clarence-11648. 16 . 15 June 2013.
  19. Woodward, Sir Eric Winslow (1899–1967) . A160695b . 20 July 2010.
  20. James, Neil . Londey, Peter . AS10372b . Nimmo, Robert Harold (1893–1966)] . 2005 . 303–304 .
  21. Grey, Jeffrey . Jeffrey Grey . A140282b . Garrett, Sir Alwyn Ragnar (1900–1977)' . 14 . 1996 . 252 .
  22. Web site: Edgar, Hector Geoffrey . 26 August 2009 . World War II Nominal Roll . Commonwealth of Australia.
  23. Clark. Chris. A160020b. Pollard, Sir Reginald George (1903–1978). 2 May 2015.
  24. Horner. David. David Horner. wilton-sir-john-gordon-noel-15765. Wilton, Sir John Gordon Noel (1910–1981). 28 April 2015.
  25. Web site: Daly, Sir Thomas Joseph (Tom) (1913–2004) . John Farquharson (journalist). John. Farquharson. Obituaries Australia . . 9 January 2004 . 20 October 2013.
  26. Web site: Who's who in Australian Military History: General Francis George (Frank) Hassett, AC, KBE, CB, DSO . 29 August 2008 . Australian War Memorial.
  27. Web site: Previous Chiefs . 28 February 2009 . Chief of the Defence Force . . Australia . https://web.archive.org/web/20090130082835/http://defence.gov.au/cdf/past_chiefs.htm . 30 January 2009 . dead . dmy-all .
  28. In Memoriam: Lieutenant General Sir Donald Beaumont Dunstan, AC, KBE, CB (1923–2011) . Australian Army Journal . VIII . 3 . 2011 . 187–189 . CITEREFAustralian_Army_Journal2011 . 1448-2843.
  29. Web site: Peter Courtney Gration. 17 February 2014. Who's Who in Australia Online. Crown Content.
  30. Web site: Lieutenant General Henry John Coates. 17 August 2014. Who's Who in Australia Online. ConnectWeb.
  31. Web site: Lieutenant General John Murray Sanderson, AC . .
  32. Web site: Lieutenant General John Cedric Grey. 10 August 2014. Who's Who in Australia Online. Connect Web.
  33. Short biography (and service record) of General John Stuart Baker AC, DSM . 10 July 2007 . MECC 200/07 . Department of Defence, Australian Government .
  34. Book: Singh, Shivani. 2010. Who's Who in Australia 2010. Melbourne, Australia. Crown Content. 978-1-74095-172-2.
  35. LTGEN Desmond Mueller . Biography . . 2 May 2000 .
  36. Web site: Biographies of Peter and Lynne Cosgrove . Governor-General of Australia . 30 March 2014 . Australian Government . https://web.archive.org/web/20140329215556/http://www.gg.gov.au/gg-bio-cosgrove . 29 March 2014 . dead .
  37. Web site: Lieutenant General Professor Peter Francis Leahy. 10 August 2014. Who's Who in Australia Online. ConnectWeb.
  38. Web site: General David Hurley, AC, DSC . Biography . Department of Defence, Australian Government .
  39. Web site: Biography: LTGEN Ken Gillespie . Department of Defence, Australian Government . 14 September 2008 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20081009054436/http://www.defence.gov.au/leaders/army/kenGillespie/index.htm . 9 October 2008 . dmy-all .
  40. Web site: Lt-Gen. (Rtd) Mark Evans. 18 June 2014. Who's Who in Australia Online. ConnectWeb.
  41. Web site: Chief of Army – Lieutenant General David Morrison, AO . . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130804174323/http://www.army.gov.au/Who-we-are/Leaders/Chief-of-Army . 4 August 2013 . dmy-all .
  42. Web site: Major General Angus Campbell promoted to Lieutenant General . Department of Defence, Australian Government . 19 September 2013 . Defence News.
  43. Web site: Lieutenant General John Graham Caligari. Who's Who in Australia Online. ConnectWeb. 11 October 2015.
  44. News: McLaughlin . Andrew. Defence Intelligence Group Formed. ADBR. 3 July 2020. 12 October 2020.
  45. News: Marles. Richard. Richard Marles. ADF Senior Leadership Appointments. Media Releases. Office of the Minister for Defence. 28 June 2022. 28 June 2022.
  46. Web site: Deputy Chief of Army: Major General Natasha Fox AM, CSC. Australian Army. 25 June 2022.
  47. News: Brett. Worthington. Lieutenant General Michelle McGuinness Appointed National Cyber Security Coordinator. 25 February 2024. ABC News. 26 February 2024.
  48. News: Command Change Marks First Female Domain Lead. Defence News. Department of Defence. 4 July 2024.

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