Army ranks no longer extant

[Scylax]

At what stage was the rank of Brigadier-General dropped and replaced with the rank of Brigadier -at least in the British army ?
Previously Brig. Generals were knighted as a routine ; was this honour also removed ?

[McMouse]

During my military service I don't recall any Brigadiers being knighted. After all they are just one rank up from colonel.

[ABerrant]

B-G emerged as a rank title within the French armies of Louis XIV around the mid 17th Century and quickly spread amongst other European armies. I'm not sure that by the 19th Century B-G remained a substantive rank within the British Army but rather a temporary appointment, usually conferred on full Colonels for a specific posting, but occasionally conferred on ranks as low as Major. If this was the case, at the end of their appointment a B-G would revert to their former rank (unless promoted, of course).

I would expect there to be no greater probability of receiving a 'K' when B-G as any other officer rank. On retirement Colonels were often bumped to Honorary B-G.

In any event, B-G was replaced on 1st Jan 1921 with the two temporary ranks (appointments), Colonel-Commandant and Colonel on the Staff, titles that reflected the role more accurately. However these were themselves dispensed with in 1928, being replaced with the non-substantive rank of Brigadier. Around WW2 Brigadier became a substantive rank in its own right.

The Royal Marines retained two grades of Colonel-Commandant (in use since 1755) until the adoption of Brigadier in 1957. RM briefly flirted with B-G between 1915 and 1922.

[mike11111]

I think the suffix "General" after Brigadier (although one star rank) was deemed superfluous as there was no room for confusion, unlike Major-General and Lieutenant-General, as opposed to Major and Lieutenant. The almost automatic knighthood comes with the rank of Lieutenant-General and its equivalent in the other services, although there are instances of Major-Generals being knighted.

[micmak]

In the mid 70's I worked for a Major General who was also a Sir. I don't know if the title came with the rank though.

[mike11111]

It may well have done mikmac. It is not uncommon for officers of two-star rank to be knighted for services performed, but by no means automatic.

[ABerrant]

The problem with the title of Brigadier-General was at that time in the British Army the role was not really that of a general officer; it was in effect a 'super-Colonel' in charge of multiple batallions. Brigadier no longer retains the Sword & Baton insignia traditionally indicative of general officers; it was demoted to Crown & Pips (a la Colonel).

The equivalent RN rank is Commodore which for centuries was similarly an appointment with a role as 'super-Captain'.

[ABerrant]

^ *typo... battalions.

[Scylax]

Thank you all, Mike, Mic and AB. 'Tis all much clearer now.
A supplementary question: are all Field Marshals elevated to the peerage?

[ABerrant]

It is apparent from this list that ennoblement is by no means automatic...

http://en.wikipedia.o...ritish_Field_Marshals