Marshal of the Royal Air Force - Definition and Overview

Marshal of the Royal Air Force was the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. In peacetime it was held only by the Chief of the Defence Staff on active duty, and by retired chiefs of staff of the RAF, who were promoted to it immediately before retirement. During wartime, it was held by only the most senior officers in the RAF. It was inactivated as a substantive rank in peacetime during defence cuts of the 1990s. While surviving Marshals of the RAF retain the rank for life,the highest rank to which officers on active service are promoted is Air Chief Marshal.

It has a NATO ranking code of OF-10, equivalent to an Admiral of the Fleet in the Royal Navy or a Field Marshal in the British Army.

The rank insignia consists of four narrow light blue bands (each on a slightly wider black band) over a light blue band on a broad black band. This is worn on the both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the casual uniform.

The command flag of a Marshal of the Royal Air Force is an amalgamation of the Air Vice Marshal and Air Marshal command flags. The broad red band in the center of the flag is 'straddled' by two thin red bands. This command flag is the rarest of all of the command flags used in the RAF.

Marshals of the Royal Air Force

The following officers have held the rank of Marshal of the Royal Air Force (date of promotion in parentheses):

• Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard (1 January 1927)
• Sir John Salmond (1 January 1933)
• HM King Edward VIII (21 January 1936)
• HM King George VI (11 December 1936)
• Sir Edward Ellington (1 January 1937)
• Cyril Newall, 1st Baron Newall (4 October 1940)
• Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford (1 June 1944)
• Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder (12 September 1945)
• William Sholto Douglas, 1st Baron Douglas of Kirtleside (1 January 1946)
• Sir Arthur Harris (1 January 1946)
• Sir John Slessor (8 June 1950)
• HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh (15 January 1953)
• Sir William Dickson (1 June 1954)
• Sir Dermot Boyle (1 January 1958)
• HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester (1958)
• Sir Thomas Pike (6 April 1962)
• Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy of Timaru (1 April 1967)
• Sir John Grandy (1 April 1971)
• Sir Denis Spotswood (31 March 1974)
• Sir Andrew Humphrey (6 August 1976)
• Neil Cameron, Baron Cameron of Balhousie (31 July 1977)
• Sir Michael Beetham (14 October 1982)
• Sir Keith Williamson (15 October 1985)
• David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley (14 November 1988)
• Sir Peter Harding (January 1993)

See also

• Comparative military ranks

British commissioned officer ranks
	Student Officer	OF(D)	OF-1	OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6	OF-7	OF-8	OF-9	OF-10
Royal Navy:	OCdt	Mid	SLt	Lt	Lt Cdr	Cdr	Capt	Cdre	RAdm	VAdm	Adm	Admiral of the Fleet
Royal Marines:	OCdt		2Lt - Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen
Army:	OCdt	OD	2Lt - Lt	Capt	Maj	Lt Col	Col	Brig	Maj Gen	Lt Gen	Gen	Field Marshal
Royal Air Force:	OCdt	OD	PO - FO	Flt Lt	Sqn Ldr	Wg Cdr	Gp Capt	ACdre	AVM	AM	ACM	MRAF