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 St Edward's Crown. Like Marshals of the RAF and Admirals of the Fleet, Field Marshals traditionally remain officers for life, though on half-pay when not in an appointment.[1][2] 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.[3]
Field Marshal
The insignia of a field marshal as worn on epaulettes
In total, 141 men have held the rank of field marshal. The majority led careers in the British Army or the colonial 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 held the honour, though three (Wilhelm II, German Emperor; Franz Joseph I, Austrian Emperor; and Hirohito, Emperor of Japan) were stripped of it when their countries became enemies of Britain and her 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 to World War I and World War II respectively, and one South African statesman (Jan Smuts).[4]
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 the 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.[5]
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.[6] At the same time, Guthrie, who relinquished the post of CDS and retired from active service in 2001, was promoted to honorary field marshal.[7] In June 2014 former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Walker of Aldringham was also promoted to honorary field marshal.[8]
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).[9]
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.[10] 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
Four field marshals were also recipients of the Victoria Cross, the UK's highest award for gallantry.
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.[11]
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.[12][13][14][15][16]
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.[17]
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.[17] 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.[18]
^Titles and styles are those held by the field marshal when they died, or those currently held in the case of living field marshals; in most cases, these are not the same as the titles and styles held by an officer upon their promotion to the rank, nor (in the case of operational field marshals) those held when the officer retired from active service. All post-nominal letters, with the exception of "VC" (denoting the Victoria Cross) are omitted.
^The regiment given is the regiment into which the field marshal was commissioned. This is not necessarily the regiment the officer first joined, nor is it necessarily the regiment in which the officer spent most of his career. A "—" indicates either that the officer did not lead a career in the British Army or that the officer was not initially commissioned into a formal regiment.
^"Photograph of Prince Philip as Captain General Royal Marines wearing the insignia of a field marshal". Getty Images. 16 May 2013. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
^Woodward, David R. (May 2006) [September 2004]. "Robertson, Sir William Robert, first baronet (1860–1933)". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/35786. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
"Telegraph style book: the Services". The Daily Telegraph. 12 April 2008. Retrieved 13 June 2011.
van der Vat, Dan (12 December 2001). "Obituary: Field Marshal Lord Carver". The Guardian. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
"Obituaries: Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs". The Daily Telegraph. 2 November 2004. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
"Obituary: Field Marshal Sir John Stanier". The Times. 13 November 2007. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
. The Independent. Independent Print Limited. 11 April 2002. Archived from the original on 18 June 2010. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
"Nepal mourns slain king". BBC News. BBC. 2 June 2001. Retrieved 11 June 2011.
"Prince Charles awarded highest military ranks by Queen". BBC News. BBC. 15 June 2012. Retrieved 16 June 2012.
"2014 Birthday Honours for service personnel and defence civilians". Ministry of Defence. Ministry of Defence. 13 June 2014. Retrieved 22 June 2014.
January 06, 2023
field, marshal, united, kingdom, field, marshal, been, highest, rank, british, army, since, 1736, five, star, rank, with, nato, code, equivalent, admiral, fleet, royal, navy, marshal, royal, force, royal, force, field, marshal, insignia, consists, crossed, bat. 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 St Edward s Crown Like Marshals of the RAF and Admirals of the Fleet Field Marshals traditionally remain officers for life though on half pay when not in an appointment 1 2 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 3 Field MarshalThe insignia of a field marshal as worn on epaulettesThe Earl Roberts painted 1906 in the full dress uniform of a British Army Field MarshalCountryUnited KingdomService branchBritish ArmyAbbreviationFMRankFive star rankNATO rank codeOF 10Non NATO rankO 11Formation1736Next lower rankGeneralEquivalent ranksAdmiral of the Fleet RN Marshal of the Royal Air Force RAF In total 141 men have held the rank of field marshal The majority led careers in the British Army or the colonial 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 held the honour though three Wilhelm II German Emperor Franz Joseph I Austrian Emperor and Hirohito Emperor of Japan were stripped of it when their countries became enemies of Britain and her 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 to World War I and World War II respectively and one South African statesman Jan Smuts 4 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 the 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 5 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 6 At the same time Guthrie who relinquished the post of CDS and retired from active service in 2001 was promoted to honorary field marshal 7 In June 2014 former Chief of the Defence Staff Lord Walker of Aldringham was also promoted to honorary field marshal 8 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 9 Contents 1 Insignia of rank 2 List of field marshals 3 See also 4 Notes 5 ReferencesInsignia of rank Edit Field Marshal s uniform and baton pertaining to the late Sir John Stanier on display in the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Museum Edinburgh Castle 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 10 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 Edit Four field marshals were also recipients of the Victoria Cross the UK s highest award for gallantry 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 11 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 12 13 14 15 16 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 17 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 17 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 18 Field Marshals of the British Army Name and style a Regiment b Image Born Died Date of promotion 19 George Hamilton 1st Earl of Orkney Royal Regiment of Foot 1666 1737 1736 01 12 12 January 1736 20 John Campbell 2nd Duke of Argyll Earl of Argyll s Regiment of Foot 1680 1743 1736 01 14 14 January 1736 21 Richard Boyle 2nd Viscount Shannon Horse Guards Regiment 1674 1740 1739 2 July 1739 22 Francois de La Rochefoucauld Marquis de Montandre 1672 1739 1739 2 July 1739 23 John Dalrymple 2nd Earl of Stair 26th Cameronian Regiment of Foot 1673 1747 1742 03 18 18 March 1742 24 Richard Temple 1st Viscount Cobham 6th Regiment of Foot 1669 1749 1742 12 14 14 December 1742 25 George Wade Earl of Bath s Regiment 1673 1748 1742 12 14 14 December 1742 26 Sir Robert Rich 4th Baronet Grenadier Guards 1st Foot Guards 1685 1768 1757 11 28 28 November 1757 27 Richard Molesworth 3rd Viscount Molesworth Royal Scots 1680 1758 1757 11 29 29 November 1757 28 John Ligonier 1st Earl Ligonier 10th Regiment of Foot 1680 1770 1757 11 30 30 November 1757 29 James O Hara 2nd Baron Tyrawley 39th Dorsetshire Regiment of Foot 1690 1773 1763 1 June 1763 30 Henry Seymour Conway 5th Royal Irish Lancers 1721 1794 1793 10 12 12 October 1793 31 Prince William Henry Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh 13th Regiment of Foot 1743 1805 1793 10 12 12 October 1793 32 Sir George Howard 24th Regiment of Foot 1720 1796 1793 10 12 12 October 1793 33 Prince Frederick Duke of York and Albany Grenadier Guards 1763 1827 1795 02 10 10 February 1795 34 John Campbell 5th Duke of Argyll Royal Scots Fusiliers 1723 1806 1796 07 30 30 July 1796 35 Jeffery Amherst 1st Baron Amherst Grenadier Guards 1717 1797 1796 07 30 30 July 1796 36 John Griffin 4th Baron Howard de Walden Scots Guards 1719 1797 1796 07 30 30 July 1796 37 Studholme Hodgson Grenadier Guards 1708 1798 1796 07 30 30 July 1796 38 George Townshend 1st Marquess Townshend 7th Queen s Own Hussars 1724 1807 1796 07 30 30 July 1796 39 Lord Frederick Cavendish Coldstream Guards 1729 1803 1796 07 30 30 July 1796 40 Charles Lennox 3rd Duke of Richmond Coldstream Guards 1735 1806 1796 07 30 30 July 1796 41 Prince Edward Duke of Kent and Strathearn Royal Fusiliers 1767 1820 1805 5 September 1805 42 Arthur Wellesley 1st Duke of Wellington 33rd Regiment of Foot 1769 1852 1813 06 21 21 June 1813 43 Prince Ernest Augustus Duke of Cumberland and Teviotdale Royal Family afterwards King of Hanover 1771 1851 1813 6 November 1813 44 Prince Adolphus Duke of Cambridge Hanoverian Guards 1774 1850 1813 11 26 26 November 1813 45 Prince William Frederick Duke of Gloucester and Edinburgh Scots Guards 1776 1834 1816 24 May 1816 46 Prince Leopold of Saxe Coburg and Gotha Royal Family afterwards King of the Belgians 1790 1865 1816 24 May 1816 47 Charles Moore 1st Marquess of Drogheda 12th Dragoons 1730 1821 1821 07 19 19 July 1821 48 William Harcourt 3rd Earl Harcourt Grenadier Guards 1743 1830 1821 07 19 19 July 1821 20 Sir Alured Clarke 50th Queen s Own Regiment of Foot 1745 1832 1830 07 22 22 July 1830 49 Sir Samuel Hulse Grenadier Guards 1747 or 1748 1837 1830 07 22 22 July 1830 50 Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg and Gotha Royal Family 1819 1861 1840 8 February 1840 51 William II King of the Netherlands 1792 1849 1845 28 July 1845 52 Sir George Nugent 1st Baronet 39th Dorsetshire Regiment of Foot 1757 1849 1846 11 09 9 November 1846 53 Thomas Grosvenor Grenadier Guards 1764 1851 1846 11 09 9 November 1846 54 Henry Paget 1st Marquess of Anglesey 80th Regiment of Foot Staffordshire Volunteers 1768 1854 1846 11 09 9 November 1846 55 FitzRoy Somerset 1st Baron Raglan 4th Light Dragoons 1788 1855 1854 5 November 1854 56 Stapleton Cotton 1st Viscount Combermere 23rd Regiment of Foot 1773 1865 1855 10 02 2 October 1855 57 John Byng 1st Earl of Strafford 33rd Regiment of Foot 1772 1860 1855 10 02 2 October 1855 58 Henry Hardinge 1st Viscount Hardinge Queen s Rangers 1785 1856 1855 10 02 2 October 1855 59 John Colborne 1st Baron Seaton East Devonshire Regiment 1779 1863 1860 1 April 1860 60 Sir Edward Blakeney 99th Regiment of Foot 1778 1868 1862 9 November 1862 61 Hugh Gough 1st Viscount Gough Seaforth Highlanders 1779 1869 1862 9 November 1862 62 Prince George Duke of Cambridge 12th Royal Lancers 1819 1904 1862 9 November 1862 63 Colin Campbell 1st Baron Clyde 9th East Norfolk Regiment of Foot 1792 1863 1862 9 November 1862 64 Sir Alexander Woodford 9th East Norfolk Regiment of Foot 1782 1870 1868 1 January 1868 65 Sir William Gomm 9th East Norfolk Regiment of Foot 1784 1875 1868 1 January 1868 66 Sir Hew Ross Royal Artillery 1779 1868 1868 1 January 1868 67 Sir John Burgoyne Royal Engineers 1782 1871 1868 1 January 1868 68 Sir George Pollock 1st Baronet Bengal Artillery 1786 1872 1870 24 May 1870 69 Sir John FitzGerald Retired 1785 1877 1875 05 29 29 May 1875 70 George Hay 8th Marquess of Tweeddale Grenadier Guards 1787 1876 1875 05 29 29 May 1875 71 Edward VII Royal Family 1841 1910 1875 29 May 1875 72 Sir William Rowan 52nd Oxfordshire Regiment of Foot 1789 1879 1877 06 02 2 June 1877 73 Sir Charles Yorke 35th Royal Sussex Regiment of Foot 1790 1880 1877 06 02 2 June 1877 74 Hugh Rose 1st Baron Strathnairn 93rd Sutherland Highlanders Regiment of Foot 1801 1885 1877 06 02 2 June 1877 75 Robert Napier 1st Baron Napier of Magdala Bengal Engineer Group 1810 1890 1883 01 01 1 January 1883 76 Sir Patrick Grant 11th Bengal Native Infantry 1804 1895 1883 06 24 24 June 1883 77 Sir John Michel 64th 2nd Staffordshire Regiment of Foot 1804 1886 1886 03 27 27 March 1886 78 Sir Richard Dacres Royal Artillery 1799 1886 1886 03 27 27 March 1886 79 Lord William Paulet 85th Regiment of Foot Bucks Volunteers 1804 1893 1886 07 10 10 July 1886 80 George Bingham 3rd Earl of Lucan 6th Regiment of Foot 1800 1888 1887 21 June 1887 81 Sir Lintorn Simmons Royal Engineers 1821 1903 1890 05 21 21 May 1890 82 Sir Frederick Haines 4th Regiment of Foot 1818 1909 1890 05 21 21 May 1890 83 Sir Donald Stewart 1st Baronet 9th Bengal Native Infantry 1824 1900 1894 05 24 26 May 1894 84 Garnet Wolseley 1st Viscount Wolseley 12th Regiment of Foot 1833 1913 1894 05 24 26 May 1894 85 Frederick Roberts 1st Earl Roberts VC Bengal Artillery 1832 1914 1895 25 May 1895 86 Prince Edward of Saxe Weimar 67th South Hampshire Regiment of Foot 1823 1902 1897 22 June 1897 87 Sir Neville Bowles Chamberlain 55th Bengal Native Infantry 1820 1902 1900 25 April 1900 88 Wilhelm II German Emperor German Emperor King of Prussia 1859 1941 1901 27 January 1901 89 Sir Henry Norman 1st Bengal Native Infantry 1826 1904 1902 06 26 26 June 1902 90 Prince Arthur Duke of Connaught and Strathearn Royal Engineers 1850 1942 1902 06 26 26 June 1902 91 Sir Evelyn Wood VC 13th Light Dragoons 1838 1919 1903 04 08 8 April 1903 92 Sir George White VC 27th Inniskilling Regiment of Foot 1835 1912 1903 04 08 8 April 1903 93 Franz Joseph I of Austria Emperor of Austria King of Hungary 1830 1916 1903 1 September 1903 94 Francis Grenfell 1st Baron Grenfell King s Royal Rifle Corps 1841 1925 1908 04 11 11 April 1908 95 Sir Charles Brownlow 51st Sikhs Frontier Force 1831 1916 1908 06 20 20 June 1908 96 Herbert Kitchener 1st Earl Kitchener Royal Engineers 1850 1916 1909 10 September 1909 97 George V Royal Welsh Fusiliers Royal Family 1865 1936 1910 7 May 1910 98 Paul Methuen 3rd Baron Methuen Scots Guards 1845 1932 1911 06 19 19 June 1911 99 William Nicholson 1st Baron Nicholson Royal Engineers 1845 1918 1911 06 19 19 June 1911 100 John French 1st Earl of Ypres 8th King s Royal Irish Hussars 1852 1925 1913 3 June 1913 101 Nicholas II of Russia Emperor of Russia 1868 1918 1916 1 January 1916 102 Douglas Haig 1st Earl Haig 7th Queen s Own Hussars 1861 1928 1917 01 01 1 January 1917 103 Sir Charles Egerton 31st Huntingdonshire Regiment of Foot 1848 1921 1917 03 16 16 March 1917 104 Emperor Taishō Yoshihito Emperor of Japan 1879 1926 1918 1 January 1918 105 Ferdinand Foch 35th Artillery Regiment French Army 1851 1929 1919 19 July 1919 106 Herbert Plumer 1st Viscount Plumer York and Lancaster Regiment 1857 1932 1919 07 31 31 July 1919 107 Edmund Allenby 1st Viscount Allenby 6th Inniskilling Dragoons 1861 1936 1919 07 31 31 July 1919 108 Sir Henry Wilson 1st Baronet Rifle Brigade Prince Consort s Own 1864 1922 1919 07 31 31 July 1919 109 Sir William Robertson 1st Baronet 3rd Dragoon Guards 1860 1933 1920 29 March 1920 110 Sir Arthur Barrett 44th East Essex Regiment of Foot 1857 1926 1921 12 April 1921 111 Albert I of Belgium King of the Belgians 1875 1934 1921 4 July 1921 112 William Birdwood 1st Baron Birdwood Royal Scots Fusiliers 1865 1951 1925 20 March 1925 113 Sir Claud Jacob Worcestershire Regiment 1863 1948 1926 30 November 1926 114 George Milne 1st Baron Milne Royal Artillery 1866 1948 1928 30 January 1928 115 Alfonso XIII of Spain King of Spain 1886 1941 1928 06 03 3 June 1928 116 Hirohito Emperor Shōwa Emperor of Japan 1901 1989 1928 06 26 26 June 1928 117 Julian Byng 1st Viscount Byng of Vimy King s Royal Rifle Corps 1861 1935 1932 07 17 17 July 1932 118 Rudolph Lambart 10th Earl of Cavan Grenadier Guards 1865 1946 1932 10 31 31 October 1932 119 Philip Chetwode 1st Baron Chetwode Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry 1869 1950 1933 13 February 1933 120 Sir Archibald Montgomery Massingberd Royal Artillery 1871 1947 1935 7 June 1935 121 Edward VIII Royal Family 1894 1972 1936 01 21 21 January 1936 122 Sir Cyril Deverell West Yorkshire Regiment 1874 1947 1936 15 May 1936 123 George VI Royal Family 1895 1952 1936 12 12 12 December 1936 124 Edmund Ironside 1st Baron Ironside Royal Artillery 1880 1959 1940 20 July 1940 125 Jan Smuts South African Army 1870 1950 1941 05 24 24 May 1941 126 Sir John Dill Prince of Wales s Leinster Regiment 1881 1944 1941 18 November 1941 127 John Vereker 6th Viscount Gort VC Grenadier Guards 1886 1946 1943 01 01 1 January 1943 128 Archibald Wavell 1st Earl Wavell Black Watch 1883 1950 1943 01 01 1 January 1943 129 Alan Brooke 1st Viscount Alanbrooke Royal Artillery 1883 1963 1944 01 01 1 January 1944 130 Harold Alexander 1st Earl Alexander of Tunis Irish Guards 1891 1969 1944 06 04 4 June 1944 131 Bernard Montgomery 1st Viscount Montgomery of Alamein Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1887 1976 1944 09 01 1 September 1944 132 Henry Maitland Wilson 1st Baron Wilson Rifle Brigade Prince Consort s Own 1881 1964 1944 12 39 29 December 1944 133 Sir Claude Auchinleck 62nd Punjabis Indian Army 1884 1981 1946 1 June 1946 134 William Bill Slim 1st Viscount Slim Royal Warwickshire Regiment 1891 1970 1948 4 January 1948 135 Sir Thomas Blamey Australian Army 1884 1951 1950 06 08 8 June 1950 136 Prince Philip Duke of Edinburgh Royal Navy Royal Family 1921 2021 1953 15 January 1953 137 138 John Harding 1st Baron Harding of Petherton Somerset Light Infantry 1896 1989 1953 21 July 1953 139 Prince Henry Duke of Gloucester King s Royal Rifle Corps 1900 1974 1955 31 March 1955 140 Sir Gerald Templer Royal Irish Fusiliers 1898 1979 1956 27 November 1956 141 Sir Francis Festing Rifle Brigade Prince Consort s Own 1902 1976 1960 1 September 1960 142 Mahendra Bir Bikram Shah King of Nepal 1920 1972 1962 17 October 1962 143 Haile Selassie I Emperor of Ethiopia 1892 1975 1965 20 January 1965 144 Sir Richard Hull 17th 21st Lancers 1907 1989 1965 8 February 1965 145 Sir James Cassels Seaforth Highlanders 1907 1996 1968 29 February 1968 146 Sir Geoffrey Baker Royal Artillery 1912 1980 1971 31 January 1971 147 Michael Carver Baron Carver Royal Tank Corps 1915 2001 148 1973 18 July 1973 149 Sir Roland Gibbs King s Royal Rifle Corps 1921 2004 150 1979 13 July 1979 151 Birendra Bir Bikram Shah King of Nepal 1945 2001 152 1980 18 November 1980 153 Edwin Bramall Baron Bramall King s Royal Rifle Corps 1923 2019 154 1982 1 January 1982 155 Sir John Stanier 7th Queen s Own Hussars 1925 2007 156 1985 07 10 10 July 1985 157 Sir Nigel Bagnall Green Howards 1927 2002 158 1988 9 September 1988 159 Richard Vincent Baron Vincent of Coleshill Royal Artillery 1931 2018 1991 2 April 1991 160 Sir John Chapple 2nd King Edward VII s Own Gurkha Rifles The Sirmoor Rifles 1931 2022 1992 14 February 1992 161 Prince Edward Duke of Kent Royal Scots Greys Royal Family 1935 Living 1993 11 June 1993 162 Peter Inge Baron Inge Green Howards 1935 2022 1994 15 March 1994 163 Charles III Welsh Guards Royal Navy and Royal Air Force Royal Family 1948 Living 2012 16 June 2012 7 Charles Guthrie Baron Guthrie of Craigiebank Welsh Guards 1938 Living 2012 16 June 2012 7 Michael Walker Baron Walker of Aldringham Royal Anglian Regiment 1944 Living 2014 13 June 2014 8 See also Edit War portal United Kingdom portal British and U S military ranks compared British Army Other Ranks rank insignia British Army officer rank insigniaNotes Edit Titles and styles are those held by the field marshal when they died or those currently held in the case of living field marshals in most cases these are not the same as the titles and styles held by an officer upon their promotion to the rank nor in the case of operational field marshals those held when the officer retired from active service All post nominal letters with the exception of VC denoting the Victoria Cross are omitted The regiment given is the regiment into which the field marshal was commissioned This is not necessarily the regiment the officer first joined nor is it necessarily the regiment in which the officer spent most of his career A indicates either that the officer did not lead a career in the British Army or that the officer was not initially commissioned into a formal regiment References EditFootnotes Brewer s Dictionary The Daily Telegraph amp 12 April 2008 Heathcote p 4 Heathcote p 1 No 60350 The London Gazette 7 December 2012 p 23557 The Prince of Wales Archived 29 June 2012 at the Wayback Machine The Queen appoints The Prince of Wales to Honorary Five Star rank 16 June 2012 a b c BBC News amp 16 June 2012 a b Ministry of Defence amp 13 June 2014 Photograph of Prince Philip as Captain General Royal Marines wearing the insignia of a field marshal Getty Images 16 May 2013 Retrieved 20 December 2017 Dress Regulations for the Army London His Majesty s Stationery Office 1934 p 3 Heathcote p 2 Ashcroft pp 79 81 London Gazette 4 September 1860 London Gazette 3 June 1881 London Gazette 26 November 1918 London Gazette 24 December 1858 a b Heathcote p 7 Woodward David R May 2006 September 2004 Robertson Sir William Robert first baronet 1860 1933 Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 35786 Subscription or UK public library membership required Heathcote pp 320 326 Table 1 a b Heathcote pp 166 167 Heathcote pp 71 73 Heathcote pp 52 53 Heathcote pp 99 101 Heathcote pp 97 99 Heathcote pp 272 273 Heathcote pp 285 287 Heathcote pp 245 246 Heathcote pp 211 212 Heathcote pp 202 204 Heathcote pp 234 235 Heathcote pp 92 94 Heathcote pp 302 303 Heathcote pp 179 180 Heathcote pp 127 130 Heathcote pp 73 75 Heathcote pp 23 26 Heathcote pp 153 154 Heathcote pp 178 179 Heathcote pp 277 279 Heathcote pp 82 83 Heathcote pp 199 200 Heathcote pp 112 113 Heathcote pp 291 295 Heathcote pp 116 118 Heathcote pp 9 10 Heathcote pp 301 302 Heathcote pp 200 202 Heathcote pp 222 223 Heathcote pp 89 90 Heathcote pp 182 183 Heathcote pp 12 13 Heathcote pp 297 299 Heathcote pp 232 234 Heathcote pp 154 155 Heathcote pp 235 237 Heathcote pp 267 269 Heathcote pp 94 96 Heathcote pp 63 64 Heathcote pp 171 173 Heathcote pp 90 92 Heathcote pp 46 47 Heathcote pp 148 150 Heathcote pp 141 144 Heathcote pp 69 71 Heathcote pp 316 318 Heathcote pp 146 148 Heathcote pp 255 256 Heathcote pp 60 63 Heathcote pp 243 245 Heathcote pp 121 122 Heathcote pp 173 174 Heathcote pp 105 108 Heathcote pp 256 257 Heathcote pp 318 319 Heathcote pp 253 255 Heathcote pp 223 225 Heathcote pp 150 151 Heathcote pp 207 208 Heathcote pp 96 97 Heathcote pp 237 238 Heathcote pp 41 43 Heathcote pp 257 259 Heathcote pp 163 165 Heathcote pp 270 272 Heathcote pp 311 314 Heathcote pp 246 250 Heathcote pp 114 115 Heathcote pp 83 85 Heathcote pp 299 301 Heathcote pp 230 232 Heathcote pp 26 28 Heathcote pp 314 316 Heathcote pp 295 297 Heathcote pp 125 127 Heathcote pp 151 153 Heathcote pp 59 60 Heathcote pp 191 197 Heathcote pp 135 137 Heathcote pp 205 207 Heathcote pp 228 230 Heathcote pp 130 135 Heathcote pp 225 228 Heathcote pp 155 160 Heathcote pp 115 116 Heathcote pp 319 320 Heathcote pp 122 125 Heathcote pp 240 243 Heathcote pp 19 23 Heathcote pp 303 308 Heathcote pp 250 253 Heathcote pp 39 41 Heathcote pp 10 12 Heathcote pp 43 45 Heathcote pp 190 191 Heathcote pp 208 211 Heathcote pp 17 19 Heathcote pp 176 178 Heathcote pp 64 69 Heathcote pp 197 199 Heathcote pp 86 89 Heathcote pp 219 222 Heathcote pp 108 112 Heathcote pp 101 102 Heathcote pp 137 141 Heathcote pp 185 190 Heathcote pp 264 267 Heathcote pp 102 105 Heathcote pp 279 283 Heathcote pp 287 291 Heathcote pp 56 59 Heathcote pp 13 17 Heathcote pp 212 219 Heathcote pp 308 311 Heathcote pp 28 35 Heathcote pp 259 264 No 38930 The London Gazette Supplement 2 June 1950 p 2811 Heathcote pp 238 240 No 39752 The London Gazette Supplement 13 January 1953 p 339 Heathcote pp 167 171 Heathcote pp 174 176 Heathcote pp 273 277 Heathcote pp 118 121 Heathcote pp 204 205 Heathcote pp 160 163 Heathcote pp 180 182 Heathcote pp 79 82 Heathcote pp 37 39 The Guardian amp 12 December 2001 Heathcote pp 75 79 The Daily Telegraph amp 2 November 2004 Heathcote pp 144 146 BBC News amp 2 June 2001 Heathcote pp 45 46 Ex Armed Forces head Lord Bramall dies aged 95 BBC 12 November 2019 Retrieved 12 November 2019 Heathcote pp 53 56 The Times amp 13 November 2007 Heathcote pp 269 270 The Independent amp 11 April 2002 Heathcote pp 35 37 Heathcote pp 283 285 Heathcote pp 85 86 Heathcote pp 113 114 Heathcote pp 183 185 Works cited Ashcroft Michael 2007 Victoria Cross Heroes London Headline Publishing Group ISBN 978 0 7553 1633 5 Heathcote Tony 1999 The British Field Marshals 1736 1997 A Biographical Dictionary Barnsley Pen and Sword Books ISBN 978 0 85052 696 7 No 22212 The London Gazette 24 December 1858 p 5516 No 22419 The London Gazette Supplement 4 September 1860 p 3257 No 24981 The London Gazette Supplement 3 June 1881 p 2859 No 31034 The London Gazette Supplement 26 November 1918 p 14039 Field marshal Brewer s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable Edinburgh Chambers Harrap 2009 Retrieved 12 June 2011 subscription required Telegraph style book the Services The Daily Telegraph 12 April 2008 Retrieved 13 June 2011 van der Vat Dan 12 December 2001 Obituary Field Marshal Lord Carver The Guardian Retrieved 11 June 2011 Obituaries Field Marshal Sir Roland Gibbs The Daily Telegraph 2 November 2004 Retrieved 11 June 2011 Obituary Field Marshal Sir John Stanier The Times 13 November 2007 Retrieved 11 June 2011 Obituary Field Marshal Sir Nigel Bagnall The Independent Independent Print Limited 11 April 2002 Archived from the original on 18 June 2010 Retrieved 11 June 2011 Nepal mourns slain king BBC News BBC 2 June 2001 Retrieved 11 June 2011 Prince Charles awarded highest military ranks by Queen BBC News BBC 15 June 2012 Retrieved 16 June 2012 2014 Birthday Honours for service personnel and defence civilians Ministry of Defence Ministry of Defence 13 June 2014 Retrieved 22 June 2014 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Field marshal United Kingdom amp oldid 1127482866, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
