Origins Prior to the adoption of RAF-specific rank titles in 1919, it was suggested that the RAF might use the
Royal Navy's officer ranks, with the word "air" inserted before the naval rank title. For example, the rank that later became air chief marshal would have been air admiral. The
Admiralty objected to any use of their rank titles, including this modified form, and so an alternative proposal was put forward:
air-officer ranks would be based on the term "ardian", which was derived from a combination of the
Gaelic words for "chief" (
ard) and "bird" (
eun), with the unmodified word "ardian" being used specifically for the equivalent to full admiral and general. However, air chief marshal was preferred and was adopted in August 1919. The rank was first used on 1 April 1922 with the promotion of
Sir Hugh Trenchard. With Trenchard's promotion to marshal of the RAF on 1 January 1927, no officer held the rank until Sir
John Salmond was promoted on 1 January 1929. It has been used continuously ever since. In the RAF, the rank of air chief marshal is held by the serving
Chief of the Air Staff (currently
Harvey Smyth). Additionally, RAF officers appointed to
four-star tri-service posts hold the rank of air chief marshal. Throughout the history of the RAF,
142 RAF officers have held the rank and it has also been awarded in an honorary capacity to senior members of the
British royal family and allied foreign monarchs. Although no serving RAF officer has been promoted to marshal of the Royal Air Force since the British defence cuts of the 1990s, British air chief marshals are not the most senior officers in the RAF as several officers continue to retain the RAF's highest rank. Additionally,
Lord Stirrup was granted an honorary promotion to marshal of the Royal Air Force in 2014. The marshals are still to be found on the RAF's active list even though they have for all practical purposes retired.
RAF insignia, command flag and star plate The rank insignia consists of three 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 lower sleeves of the service dress jacket or on the shoulders of the flying suit or working uniform. The command flag for an RAF air chief marshal is defined by the two broad red bands running through the centre of the flag. The vehicle star plate for an RAF air chief marshal depicts four white stars (air chief marshal is a four-star rank) on an air force blue background. ==Gallery==