general officer
A general officer is an Officer (armed forces), officer of highest military ranks, high rank in the army, armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, or marines.
In some usages the term "general officer" refers to a rank above colo ...
ranks) is the highest rank achievable by serving officers of the British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces. , the British Army comprises 80,040 regular full-time personnel and 30,020 Army Reserve (United Kingdom), reserve personnel ...
. The rank can also be held by Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines (RM) is an amphibious
Amphibious means able to use either land or water. In particular it may refer to:
* ''Amphibious'' (film), a 2010 film
* Amphibious aircraft
An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an airc ...
officers in tri-service posts, for example, General Sir Gordon Messenger the former Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff. It ranks above lieutenant-general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare
War is an intense armed con ...
and, in the Army, is subordinate to the rank of field marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space force ...
, which is now only awarded as an honorary rank. The rank of general has a NATO-code of OF-9
A four-star rank is the rank of any four-star officer described by the . Four-star officers are often the most senior commanders in the armed services, having ranks such as (full) , (full) , , , or in the case of those air forces with a separate ...
, and is a four-star rank
A four-star rank is the rank of any four-star officer described by the NATO OF-9 code. Four-star officers are often the most senior commanders in the armed services, having ranks such as (full) admiral
Admiral is one of the highest ranks in ...
. It is equivalent to a full admiral in the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare
Naval warfare is combat
Combat ( French for ''fight'') is a purposeful violent conflict meant to physically harm or kill the opposition. Combat may be armed (using weapon
A ...
or an air chief marshal in the Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain,Usage is mixed. The Guardian' and Telegraph' use Britain as a synonym for th ...
.
Officers holding the ranks of lieutenant-general and major-general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a lieu ...
may be generically considered to be generals.
Insignia
A general's insignia is a crossed sword and baton. This appeared on its own for the now obsolete rank of brigadier-general. Amajor-general
Major general (abbreviated MG, maj. gen. and similar) is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. The disappearance of the "sergeant" in the title explains the apparent confusion of a lieu ...
has a pip over this emblem; a lieutenant-general
Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare
War is an intense armed con ...
a crown instead of a pip; and a full general
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space forces, or marines
Marines or naval infantry, are typically a military force trained to operate on Littoral Zone, littoral zone in suppo ...
both a pip and a crown. The insignia for the highest rank, that of Field Marshal
Field marshal (or field-marshal, abbreviated as FM) is the most senior military rank, ordinarily senior to the general officer
A general officer is an officer of high rank in the armies, and in some nations' air forces, space force ...
, consists of crossed batons within a wreath and surmounted by a crown.
See also
* British and U.S. military ranks compared *British Army Other Ranks rank insignia
The term used to refer to all ranks below British Army officer rank insignia, officers in the British Army and the Royal Marines is "Other ranks (UK), other ranks" (abbreviated "ORs"). It includes warrant officers, non-commissioned officers ("N ...
*British Army officer rank insignia
Listed in the table below are the insignia—emblems of authority—of the British Army. Badges for field officers were first introduced in 1810 and the insignia was moved to the epaulettes in 1880. On ceremonial or parade uniforms these ranks co ...
*List of British Army full generals
This is a list of full generals in the British Army
The British Army is the principal Army, land warfare force of the United Kingdom, a part of the British Armed Forces. , the British Army comprises 80,040 regular full-time personnel and ...
*List of Royal Marines full generals
This is a list of full generals in the Royal Marines
The Corps of Royal Marines (RM) is an amphibious warfare, amphibious light infantry and also one of the :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, five fighting arms of the Royal Navy. The marines ca ...
*List of British generals and brigadiers
This is a list of people who held general officer rank or the rank of brigadier (together now recognized as starred officers) in the British Army, Royal Marines, British Indian Army or other military force.
It does not include English Army general ...
References
{{UK officer ranks Military ranks of the British Army Military ranks of the Royal Marines