Major-general (United Kingdom)


 * Please see "major general" for other countries which use this rank

Major general (Maj Gen) is a 2 star rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. The rank was used by the Royal Air Force from 1918 to 1919. In the British Army, a division is commanded by a major general. In the Royal Marines the Commandant General holds the rank of major general.

A major general is superior to a brigadier but subordinate to lieutenant general. The rank has a NATO rank code of OF-7, equivalent to a rear admiral in the Royal Navy or an air vice-marshal in the Royal Air Force or the air forces of many Commonwealth countries.

The rank insignia is a pip over a crossed sword and baton.

British Army usage
In the British Army, a division is commanded by a major general. However, many other appointments exist for major generals. The most senior officer of the Royal Army Chaplains Department, the chaplain-general, holds the rank of major general.

Royal Marines usage
The Commandant General Royal Marines has held the rank of major general since 1996 when the post was downgraded from lieutenant general. As in the British Army, a Royal Marines major general ranks below lieutenant general and above brigadier and is thus the lowest of the general officer ranks.

Royal Air Force usage
From the foundation of the Royal Air Force on 1 April 1918 to 31 July 1919, the RAF maintained a rank of major general. The rank insignia was derived from that of a Royal Navy rear admiral and featured a broad gold stripe on the cuff below one narrow gold stripe. The two stripes were surmounted by an eagle (volant and affronty) under a king's crown. The RAF replaced its rank of major general with the rank of air vice-marshal on the 1 August 1919. The following officers held the rank of major general in the RAF:
 * Edward Ashmore
 * Sefton Brancker
 * George Cayley
 * Edward Ellington
 * Philip Game
 * The Honorable Sir Frederick Gordon
 * Frederick Heath-Caldwell
 * John Higgins
 * Mark Kerr
 * Charles Lambe
 * Charles Longcroft
 * Godfrey Paine
 * Geoffrey Salmond
 * John Salmond
 * Ernest Swinton
 * Frederick Sykes
 * Hugh Trenchard