Field marshal (United Kingdom) explained

Field Marshal
Country:United Kingdom
Service Branch:British Army
Abbreviation:FM
Rank Group:Flag officer
Rank:Five-star rank
Nato Rank:OF-10
Non-Nato Rank:O-11
Formation:1736
Higher Rank:none
Lower Rank:General
Equivalents:Admiral of the Fleet (RN)
Marshal of the Royal Air Force (RAF)

Field marshal (FM) has been the highest rank in the British Army since 1736. A five-star rank with NATO code OF-10, it is equivalent to an Admiral of the Fleet in the Royal Navy or a Marshal of the Royal Air Force in the Royal Air Force (RAF). A Field Marshal's insignia consists of two crossed batons surrounded by yellow leaves below the Tudor Crown. Like Marshals of the Royal Air Force and Admirals of the Fleet, Field Marshals traditionally remain officers for life, though on half-pay when not in an appointment or retired. The rank has been used sporadically throughout its history, and was vacant during parts of the 18th and 19th centuries (when all former holders of the rank were deceased). After the Second World War, it became standard practice to appoint the Chief of the Imperial General Staff (later renamed Chief of the General Staff) to the rank on his last day in the post. Army officers occupying the post of Chief of the Defence Staff, the professional head of all the British Armed Forces, were usually promoted to the rank upon their appointment.

In total, 141 men have held the rank of field marshal. The majority led careers in the British Army or the colonial British Indian Army, rising through the ranks to eventually become a field marshal. Some members of the British Royal Family, most recently Prince Edward, Duke of Kent and Charles III, were promoted to the rank after shorter periods of service. Three British monarchs (George V, Edward VIII, and George VI) assumed the rank on their accessions to the throne, while Edward VII and Charles III were already field marshals, and two British consorts, Albert, Prince Consort and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, were appointed by their respective queens. Other ceremonial appointments were made as diplomatic gestures. Twelve foreign monarchs have held the honour, though three (Wilhelm II, German Emperor; Franz Joseph I, Emperor of Austria-Hungary; and Hirohito, Emperor of Japan) were stripped of it when their countries became enemies of Britain and its allies in the two world wars. Also awarded the rank were one Frenchman (Ferdinand Foch) and one Australian (Sir Thomas Blamey), honoured for their contributions in World War I and World War II respectively, and one South African statesman (Jan Smuts).

A report commissioned by the Ministry of Defence in 1995 made a number of recommendations for financial savings in the armed forces' budget, one of which was the abolition of all five-star ranks. Part of the rationale was that these ranks were disproportionate to the size of the forces commanded by these officers, and that none of the United Kingdom's close allies, such as the United States (which reserves the rank of general of the army for officers who have commanded large armies in major wars), used such ranks. The recommendation was not taken up in full, but the practice of promoting service chiefs to five-star ranks was stopped, and the ranks are now reserved for special circumstances. Sir Peter Inge was, in 1994, the last active officer to be promoted to the rank. Inge relinquished the post of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS) in 1997, and his successor, Sir Charles Guthrie, was the first officer not to be promoted upon appointment as CDS, although he was promoted to the honorary rank of field marshal in June 2012.

The most recent promotions to field marshal came in 2012, eighteen years after the moratorium on routine promotions to the rank, when Queen Elizabeth II promoted Prince Charles, her son and heir apparent, to the five-star ranks in all three services, in recognition of support provided for her in her capacity as Head of the British Armed Forces.[1] At the same time, Guthrie, who relinquished the post of CDS and retired from active service in 2001, was promoted to honorary field marshal. In June 2014, former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Walker of Aldringham was also promoted to honorary field marshal.

Although the rank of field marshal is not used in the Royal Marines, the insignia is used on the uniform of the Captain General, the ceremonial head of the corps (equivalent to colonel-in-chief).[2]

Insignia of rank

The rank insignia of a field marshal in the British Army comprises two crossed batons in a wreath of laurel leaves, with a crown above.[3] In some other countries, historically under the sphere of British influence, an adapted version of the insignia is used for field marshals, often with the crown being replaced with an alternative cultural or national emblem. On appointment, British field marshals are awarded a gold-tipped baton which they may carry on formal occasions.

List of field marshals

The vast majority of officers to hold the rank of field marshal were professional soldiers in the British Army, though eleven served as officers in the British Indian Army. At least fifty-seven field marshals were wounded in battle earlier in their careers, of whom 24 were wounded more than once, and eight had been prisoners of war. Fifteen future field marshals were present at the Battle of Vitoria, where the Duke of Wellington earned the rank, and ten others served under Wellington at the Battle of Waterloo. However, only thirty-eight held independent commands in the field, and just twelve served as Commander-in-Chief of the Forces (the pre-1904 professional head of the army) or Chief of the Imperial General Staff during a major war.

Four field marshals (Sir Evelyn Wood, Sir George White, Earl Roberts, and Lord Gort) had previously received the Victoria Cross (VC), the United Kingdom's highest and most prestigious award for gallantry 'in the face of the enemy'. Wood, a famously injury-prone officer, was awarded the VC for two actions in 1858, in which he first attacked a group of rebels in India, and later rescued an informant from another group of rebels. White, a cavalry officer, led two charges on enemy guns in Afghanistan in 1879, while Gort, of the Grenadier Guards, commanded a series of attacks while severely wounded during the First World War in 1918. Roberts received his VC for actions during the Indian Mutiny.

Wellington, 44 at the time of his promotion, was the youngest non-royal officer to earn the rank of field marshal. Charles Moore, 1st Marquess of Drogheda was the oldest, promoted at the age of 91, while a further twenty-three officers were promoted to field marshal in their eighties. Wellington was also the only field marshal to become Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

No officer whose career was spent in the British Army has ever reached the rank of field marshal without having served in the cavalry, infantry, Royal Armoured Corps, Royal Artillery, or Royal Engineers. One non-British officer has been appointed field marshal in the British Army; Ferdinand Foch of France, in recognition of his contributions in the First World War, while one, Sir William Robertson, held every rank in the British Army, from private soldier to field marshal.[4]

Name and style!scope=col style=width:15em
Regimentscope=col style=width:8em class=unsortableImagescope=colBornscope=col style=width:10emPromotion datescope=colDied
scope=rowRoyal Regiment of Foot16661737
scope=rowEarl of Argyll's Regiment of Foot16801743
scope=rowHorse Guards Regiment16741740
scope=row16721739
scope=row26th (Cameronian) Regiment of Foot16731747
scope=row6th Regiment of Foot16691749
scope=rowEarl of Bath's Regiment16731748
scope=rowGrenadier Guards (1st Foot Guards)16851768
scope=rowRoyal Scots16801758
scope=row10th Regiment of Foot16801770
scope=row39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot16901773
scope=row5th Royal Irish Lancers17211794
scope=row13th Regiment of Foot17431805
scope=row24th Regiment of Foot17201796
scope=rowGrenadier Guards17631827
scope=rowRoyal Scots Fusiliers17231806
scope=rowGrenadier Guards17171797
scope=rowScots Guards17191797
scope=rowGrenadier Guards17081798
scope=row7th Queen's Own Hussars17241807
scope=rowColdstream Guards17291803
scope=rowColdstream Guards17351806
scope=rowRoyal Fusiliers17671820
scope=row33rd Regiment of Foot17691852
scope=row— (Royal Family;
afterwards King of Hanover)		17711851
scope=rowHanoverian Guards17741850
scope=rowScots Guards17761834
scope=row— (Royal Family;
afterwards King of the Belgians)		17901865
scope=row12th Dragoons17301821
scope=rowGrenadier Guards17431830
scope=row50th (Queen's Own) Regiment of Foot17451832
scope=rowGrenadier Guards1747 or 17481837
scope=row— (Royal Family)18191861
scope=rowWilliam II— (King of the Netherlands)17921849
scope=row39th (Dorsetshire) Regiment of Foot17571849
scope=rowGrenadier Guards17641851
scope=row80th Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers)17681854
scope=row4th Light Dragoons17881855
scope=row23rd Regiment of Foot17731865
scope=row33rd Regiment of Foot17721860
scope=rowQueen's Rangers17851856
scope=rowEast Devonshire Regiment17791863
scope=row99th Regiment of Foot17781868
scope=rowSeaforth Highlanders17791869
scope=row12th Royal Lancers18191904
scope=row9th (East Norfolk) Regiment of Foot17921863
scope=row17821870
scope=row17841875
scope=rowRoyal Artillery17791868
scope=rowRoyal Engineers17821871
scope=rowBengal Artillery17861872
scope=row— (retired)17851877
scope=rowGrenadier Guards17871876
scope=rowKing Edward VII— (Royal Family)18411910
scope=row52nd (Oxfordshire) Regiment of Foot17891879
scope=row35th (Royal Sussex) Regiment of Foot17901880
scope=row93rd (Sutherland Highlanders) Regiment of Foot18011885
scope=rowBengal Engineer Group18101890
scope=row11th Bengal Native Infantry18041895
scope=row64th (2nd Staffordshire) Regiment of Foot18041886
scope=rowRoyal Artillery17991886
scope=row85th Regiment of Foot (Bucks Volunteers)18041893
scope=row6th Regiment of Foot18001888
scope=rowRoyal Engineers18211903
scope=row4th Regiment of Foot18181909
scope=row9th Bengal Native Infantry18241900
scope=row12th Regiment of Foot18331913
scope=rowBengal Artillery18321914
scope=row67th (South Hampshire) Regiment of Foot18231902
scope=row55th Bengal Native Infantry18201902
scope=rowWilhelm II, German Emperor— (German Emperor; King of Prussia)18591941
scope=row1st Bengal Native Infantry18261904
scope=rowRoyal Engineers18501942
scope=row13th Light Dragoons18381919
scope=row27th (Inniskilling) Regiment of Foot18351912
scope=rowFranz Joseph I of Austria— (Emperor of Austria; King of Hungary)18301916
scope=rowKing's Royal Rifle Corps18411925
scope=row51st Sikhs (Frontier Force)18311916
scope=rowRoyal Engineers18501916
scope=rowKing George VRoyal Welsh Fusiliers
Ex officio — (Royal Family)		18651936
scope=rowScots Guards18451932
scope=rowRoyal Engineers18451918
scope=row8th King's Royal Irish Hussars18521925
scope=rowNicholas II of Russia— (Emperor of Russia)18681918
scope=row7th Queen's Own Hussars18611928
scope=row31st (Huntingdonshire) Regiment of Foot18481921
scope=row— (Emperor of Japan)18791926
scope=row35th Artillery Regiment – (French Army)18511929
scope=rowYork and Lancaster Regiment18571932
scope=row6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons18611936
scope=rowRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)18641922
scope=row3rd Dragoon Guards18601933
scope=row44th (East Essex) Regiment of Foot18571926
scope=rowAlbert I of Belgium— (King of the Belgians)18751934
scope=rowRoyal Scots Fusiliers18651951
scope=rowWorcestershire Regiment18631948
scope=rowRoyal Artillery18661948
scope=rowAlfonso XIII of Spain— (King of Spain)18861941
scope=rowHirohito (Emperor Shōwa)— (Emperor of Japan)19011989
scope=rowKing's Royal Rifle Corps18611935
scope=rowGrenadier Guards18651946
scope=rowOxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry18691950
scope=rowRoyal Artillery18711947
scope=rowKing Edward VIIIEx officio— (Royal Family)18941972
scope=rowWest Yorkshire Regiment18741947
scope=rowKing George VIEx officio— (Royal Family)18951952
scope=rowRoyal Artillery18801959
scope=row— (South African Army)18701950
scope=rowPrince of Wales's Leinster Regiment18811944
scope=rowGrenadier Guards18861946
scope=rowBlack Watch18831950
scope=rowRoyal Artillery18831963
scope=rowIrish Guards18911969
scope=rowRoyal Warwickshire Regiment18871976
scope=rowRifle Brigade (Prince Consort's Own)18811964
scope=row62nd Punjabis (Indian Army)18841981
scope=rowRoyal Warwickshire Regiment18911970
scope=row— (Australian Army)18841951
scope=rowRoyal Navy – (Royal Family)19212021
scope=rowSomerset Light Infantry18961989
scope=rowKing's Royal Rifle Corps19001974
scope=rowRoyal Irish Fusiliers18981979
scope=rowRifle Brigade (The Prince Consort's Own)19021976
scope=row— (King of Nepal)19201972
scope=rowHaile Selassie— (Emperor of Ethiopia)18921975
scope=row17th/21st Lancers19071989
scope=rowSeaforth Highlanders19071996
scope=rowRoyal Artillery19121980
scope=rowRoyal Tank Corps19152001
scope=rowKing's Royal Rifle Corps19212004
scope=row— (King of Nepal)19452001
scope=rowKing's Royal Rifle Corps19232019[5]
scope=row7th Queen's Own Hussars19252007
scope=rowGreen Howards19272002
scope=rowRoyal Artillery19312018
scope=row2nd King Edward VII's Own Gurkha Rifles (The Sirmoor Rifles)19312022
scope=rowRoyal Scots Greys – (Royal Family)1935living
scope=rowGreen Howards19352022
scope=rowWelsh Guards, Royal Navy, and Royal Air Force
Ex officio – (Royal Family)		1948living
scope=rowWelsh Guards1938living
scope=rowRoyal Anglian Regiment1944living

See also

References

Footnotes

Works cited

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Queen appoints the Prince of Wales to honorary five star. PrinceOfWales.gov.uk. 16 June 2012. https://web.archive.org/web/20120629032823/http://www.princeofwales.gov.uk/mediacentre/pressreleases/the_queen_appoints_the_prince_of_wales_to_honorary_five_star_1126275880.html. 29 June 2012.
  2. Web site: Photograph of Prince Philip as Captain General Royal Marines wearing the insignia of a field marshal. GettyImages.com. Getty Images. 16 May 2013. 20 December 2017. 1 July 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190701210336/https://media.gettyimages.com/photos/prince-philip-duke-of-edinburgh-in-his-role-as-captain-general-royal-picture-id168897573. dead.
  3. Book: Dress Regulations for the Army. London, England. His Majesty's Stationery Office. 1934. 3.
  4. Woodward. David R.. May 2006. September 2004. Robertson, Sir William Robert, first baronet (1860–1933). 10.1093/ref:odnb/35786.
  5. Web site: Ex-Armed Forces head Lord Bramall dies aged 95. BBC.co.uk. 12 November 2019. BBC News. 12 November 2019. 12 November 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20191112180427/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-50397069. live.

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