Marshals of The Royal Air Force

Marshals Of The Royal Air Force

Marshal of the Royal Air Force (MRAF) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force. In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff, and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff, who were promoted to it on their last day of service. Promotions for such officers have ceased since the British 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 now air chief marshal. Although general promotions have ceased, further promotions to marshal of the Royal Air Force are still possible in wartime and also for members of the Royal Family and possibly other very senior officers in peacetime at the discretion of the Monarch. In 2012, Charles, Prince of Wales was promoted to the rank.

Marshal of the Royal Air Force is a five-star rank and unlike the air marshal ranks, can properly be considered a marshal rank. MRAF 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 was instituted in 1919 and the first officer to be promoted to MRAF was Sir Hugh Trenchard in 1927. Since that time, including Trenchard, there have been 26 men who have held the rank. Of those, 21 have been professional RAF officers and five have been senior members of the British Royal Family. Technically King George V did not hold the rank but as the Chief of the Royal Air Force he did wear the uniform of a marshal of the RAF. 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.