Marshal of The Royal Air Force - Marshals of The Royal Air Force

Marshals of The Royal Air Force

Year of promotion Image Officer Year of birth Year of death Notes
1927 Hugh Trenchard, 1st Viscount Trenchard 1873 1956 Promoted 1 January 1927.
1933 Sir John Salmond 1881 1968 Promoted 1 January 1933.
1936 HM King Edward VIII 1894 1972 Promoted 21 January 1936.
1936 HM King George VI 1895 1952 Honorary rank.
Promoted 11 December 1936.
1937 Sir Edward Ellington 1877 1967 Promoted 1 January 1937.
1940 Cyril Newall, 1st Baron Newall 1886 1963 Promoted 4 October 1940. Retired only 20 days later.
1944 Charles Portal, 1st Viscount Portal of Hungerford 1893 1971 Promoted 1 June 1944.
1945 Arthur Tedder, 1st Baron Tedder 1890 1967 Promoted 12 September 1945.
1946 Sholto Douglas, 1st Baron Douglas of Kirtleside 1893 1969 Promoted 1 January 1946.
1946 Sir Arthur "Bomber" Harris 1892 1984 Promoted 1 January 1946, several months after retirement.
1950 Sir John Slessor 1897 1979 Promoted 8 June 1950.
1953 HRH Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 1921 - Honorary rank.
Promoted 15 January 1953.
1954 Sir William Dickson 1898 1987 Promoted 1 June 1954.
1958 Sir Dermot Boyle 1904 1993 Promoted 1 January 1958.
1958 HRH Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester 1900 1974 Honorary rank.
Promoted 12 June 1958.
1962 Sir Thomas Pike 1906 1983 Promoted 6 April 1962.
1967 Charles Elworthy, Baron Elworthy 1911 1993 Promoted 1 April 1967.
1971 Sir John Grandy 1913 2004 Promoted and retired on the same day (1 April 1971).
1974 Sir Denis Spotswood 1916 2001 Promoted and retired on the same day (31 March 1974).
1976 Sir Andrew Humphrey 1921 1977 Promoted 6 August 1976.
1977 Neil Cameron, Baron Cameron of Balhousie 1920 1985 Promoted 31 July 1977.
1982 Sir Michael Beetham 1923 - Promoted and retired on the same day (14 October 1982).
1985 Sir Keith Williamson 1928 - Promoted and retired on the same day (15 October 1985).
1988 David Craig, Baron Craig of Radley 1929 - Promoted 14 November 1988.
1992 Sir Peter Harding 1933 - Promoted 6 November 1992. Resigned commission 14 June 1994.
2012 HRH Prince Charles, The Prince of Wales 1948 - Honorary rank. Promoted 16 June 2012.

Excluding monarchs and other members of the Royal Family, the only two RAF officers ever to have held the rank without serving as Chief of the Air Staff were Lord Douglas of Kirtleside and Sir Arthur Harris. Both held high command during World War II. Harris was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Bomber Command and Douglas was Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Fighter Command, Middle East Command and Coastal Command.

King George V did not formally hold the rank of marshal of the RAF; rather he assumed the title of Chief of the Royal Air Force. In this capacity from time to time he wore RAF uniform with the rank insignia of a marshal of the RAF. He first publicly wore such uniform in 1935, the year before his death.

Unlike other MRAFs who only relinquished their appointments, Sir Peter Harding resigned from the RAF in 1994. Consequently, his name is no longer to be found in the Air Force List.

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