38-600: Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir Edward Leonard Ellington , GCB , CMG , CBE (30 December 1877 – 13 June 1967) was a senior officer in the Royal Air Force . He served in the First World War as a staff officer and then as director-general of military aeronautics and subsequently as controller-general of equipment. In the inter-war years he held command positions in
76-553: 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 27 men who have held the rank. Of those, 22 have been professional RAF officers and five have been senior members of
114-575: A rebellion by Mahsuds on the North West Frontier in what became known as Pink's War . He became Air Officer Commanding RAF Iraq in November 1926, in which role he undertook peace keeping operations following a revolt led by Sheikh Mahmud Barzanji in 1927, and then became Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief Air Defence of Great Britain in February 1929 with promotion to air marshal on 1 July 1929. He
152-509: A red ribbon with white strips near its borders (i.e., the colors of the Polish coat of arms and flag), a ribbon which they share with the modern Order of Polonia Restituta . The order also had an eight-pointed star with straight rays with a central medallion bearing the letters "SS" surrounded by the Latin words "Praemiando incitat", which is in turn surrounded by a laurel wreath. The star has essentially
190-467: Is derived from the sleeve lace of an admiral of the fleet and is worn on both the lower sleeves of the tunic or on the shoulders of the flying suit or the service working dress uniform. Marshals of the Royal Air Force wear shoulder boards with their service dress at ceremonial events. These shoulder boards show the air officer 's eagle surrounded by a wreath, two crossed marshal 's batons and, since
228-515: Is now air chief marshal . Although general promotions to Marshal of the Royal Air Force have been discontinued since the British defence cuts of the 1990s, further promotions to the rank may still be made in wartime, for members of the Royal Family and certain very senior RAF air officers in peacetime at the discretion of the monarch; all such promotions in peacetime are only honorary, however. In 2012,
266-604: The British Royal Family . 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. Excluding monarchs and other members of the Royal Family, the only two RAF officers ever to have held
304-554: The Chief of the Air Staff , Sir Hugh Trenchard was unmoved and the title was adopted. Though never held by a Royal Air Force officer, the rank title of marshal of the air lasted until April 1925, when it was changed to marshal of the Royal Air Force. Questioned in the House of Commons , Secretary of State for Air Sir Samuel Hoare stated that the reason for the change in title was that marshal of
342-685: The Order of the British Empire on 3 June 1919, he was awarded a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force as a major general in August 1919 (shortly afterwards redesignated as an air vice marshal ). Advanced to Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in the 1920 Birthday Honours he became Air Officer Commanding RAF Middle East in March 1922. He went on to be Air Officer Commanding RAF India in November 1923 and put down
380-817: The Air Committee in November 1912 and a staff officer in the Directorate of Military Aeronautics in May 1913 and was then transferred to the Reserve of the Royal Flying Corps on 17 December 1913. When the First World War started, Ellington was under training at the Central Flying School . On 5 October 1914, he was sent, not to a flying post but to be the Deputy Assistant Quartermaster-General at
418-768: The Air Staff in April. In that role he implemented a plan, known as 'Scheme F', to increase the size of the Royal Air Force to 187 squadrons (five bomber squadrons for every two fighter squadrons reflecting the dominance of the bomber strategy at the time) within three years to counter the threat from Hitler 's Germany. To facilitate expansion, he reorganized the Home RAF commands forming RAF Fighter Command , RAF Bomber Command and RAF Training Command from Air Defence of Great Britain, Inland Command, RAF Cranwell (RAF Cadet College), and RAF Halton (No 1 School of Technical Training (Apprentices)) and renaming Coastal Area as RAF Coastal Command . He
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#1732859564402456-699: The General Staff of the VIII Corps . On 20 November 1917 he was made the deputy director-general of military aeronautics under Major General John Salmond at the War Office . Ellington succeeded John Salmond as director-general on 18 January 1918, holding the post until it was disestablished with the creation of the Royal Air Force in April 1918. He was promoted to the temporary rank of major general and appointed acting Controller-General of Equipment in April 1918, becoming substantive in that post in August 1918. Ellington
494-597: The Middle East, in India and then in Iraq. He served as Chief of the Air Staff in the mid-1930s and in that role he implemented a plan, known as 'Scheme F'. This scheme implemented an increase in the size of the Royal Air Force to 187 squadrons (five bomber squadrons for every two fighter squadrons, reflecting the dominance of the bomber strategy at the time) within three years to counter the threat from Hitler 's Germany. He also broke up
532-571: The Royal Air Force Marshal of the Royal Air Force ( MRAF ) is the highest rank in the Royal Air Force (RAF). In peacetime it was granted to RAF officers in the appointment of Chief of the Defence Staff (CDS), and to retired Chiefs of the Air Staff (CAS), who were promoted to it on their last day of service. While surviving Marshals of the RAF retain the rank for life, the highest rank to which officers on active service are promoted
570-410: The Royal Air Force is equivalent to a five-star rank) on an air force blue background. The rank insignia and flag exists in some other air forces for equivalent ranks. The rank title differs slightly, often being a variation on marshal of the air force , usually with the name of the relevant air force in place of the words 'Royal Air Force'. A notable example of this practice is the rank of marshal of
608-552: The Royal Australian Air Force . Unlike other MRAFs who only relinquished their appointments, Sir Peter Harding resigned from the RAF in 1994. Consequently, his name was removed from the Air Force List, but it was later reinstated. Order of Saint Stanislaus The Order of Saint Stanislaus ( Polish : Order Św. Stanisława Biskupa i Męczennika , Russian : Орден Святого Станислава ), also spelled Stanislas,
646-431: The air was "somewhat indefinite in character" and the new title was deemed more appropriate. It has also been reported that King George V was not happy with the title of marshal of the air, feeling it might imply attributes which should properly be reserved for God . The rank insignia consists of four narrow light blue bands (each on a slightly wider black band) above a light blue band on a broad black band. This insignia
684-498: The command known as "Air Defence of Great Britain" to create RAF Fighter Command , RAF Bomber Command , RAF Coastal Command and RAF Training Command . He then served as Inspector-General of the RAF until his retirement in 1940. Born the son of Edward Bayzand Ellington and Marion Florence (née Leonard), Ellington was educated at Clifton College . After attending the Royal Military Academy Woolwich , Ellington
722-568: The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II , the St Edward's Crown representing royal authority. Prior to 1953, the Tudor Crown (sometimes called the King's Crown) was used. The command flag of a marshal of the Royal Air Force has a broad red horizontal band in the centre with a thinner red band on each side of it. The vehicle star plate for a marshal of the Royal Air Force depicts five white stars (marshal of
760-850: The downfall of the November Uprising the Imperial House of Romanov established the Royal and Imperial Order of Saint Stanislaus , incorporating it into the honours system of the Russian Empire in 1832, where it remained officially until the Russian Revolution 1917. The order was abolished with the fall of the Romanovs in 1917 but, unlike other Polish orders awarded by the Tsars, the Order of Saint Stanislaus
798-618: The head of the House of Romanov as former sovereigns of the Russian Empire, and the Polish Order of Polonia Restituta , a governmental order of merit awarded by the President of Poland and considered by some as a type of successor. Stanisław August Poniatowski , King of Poland, established the Order of the Knights of Saint Stanislaus , Bishop and Martyr on 8 May 1765 Initially, the order
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#1732859564402836-631: The headquarters of the British Expeditionary Force in France. On 6 March 1915 he was granted a brevet promotion to lieutenant colonel and posted as the assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general of the 2nd Cavalry Division . Ellington then served as a staff officer, from 22 July 1915 with the 2nd Army , then, from 5 February 1916 with the department of the Chief of the Imperial General Staff , and finally from 14 January 1917 with
874-464: The rank without serving as Chief of the Air Staff were Lord Douglas of Kirtleside and Sir Arthur Harris . Both held high command during the Second World War . 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 . Prior to the creation of the RAF's officer rank titles in 1919, it
912-521: The saintly bishop, surrounded by a green enamel laural wreath. There is also a semi-circle of gold rays between each of the points of arms of the Maltese cross. Today, there are two main competing claims to the represent the Order of Saint Stanislaus: the Russian Order of Saint Stanislaus (Imperial House of Romanov) , awarded by the head of the House of Romanov , and the Polish Order of Polonia Restituta ,
950-423: The same design in both its Polish and Russian forms. The original Polish badge of the order was a red enameled Maltese cross with white enameled Polish eagles between its arms and with a central medallion bearing an enameled image of Saint Stanislaus in his episcopal vestment surrounded by a gold laurel wreath . In its original Polish form the knights of the Order wore a red, white and silver habit modelled on
988-447: The then Prince of Wales was promoted to the rank in recognition of his support for his mother, Queen Elizabeth II , in her capacity as head of the armed forces (commander-in-chief), while in 2014 Lord Stirrup , who had served as Chief of the Air Staff and Chief of the Defence Staff for over seven years, was also promoted. Marshal of the Royal Air Force is a five-star rank and unlike the air marshal ranks, can properly be considered
1026-519: The title of hereditary nobility and requiring donations to a Warsaw hospital. Since 1815 in the Polish (Congress) Kingdom , the order, originally in a single class, was retained and divided into four classes. On 25 January 1831, the Polish Parliament deposed Emperor Nicholas I of Russia from the throne of Poland, while he was also Grand Master (order) of the Order of Saint Stanislaus. Yet, after
1064-452: The traditional dress of a Polish nobleman (i.e., zupan , kontusz , pas kontuszowy and delia ). In the Russian version of the badge, the Polish white eagles were replaced with gold Russian double-headed imperial eagles, their wings partially overlapping the arms of the cross and the central medallion bearing the letters "SS" in red on a white enamel background instead of the original image of
1102-579: Was a Polish order of knighthood founded in 1765 by King Stanisław August Poniatowski of the Polish–Lithuanian Commonwealth . It remained under the Kingdom of Poland between 1765 and 1831. In 1831 it was incorporated under the Russian Empire until the Russian Revolution (1917). Today, there are two recognised orders that claim descent from the original Order of Saint Stanislaus: the Russian dynastic Order of Saint Stanislaus , awarded by
1140-472: Was advanced to Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in the 1935 Birthday Honours . He attended the funeral of King George V in January 1936 and, having been promoted to marshal of the Royal Air Force on 1 January 1937, he attended the coronation of George VI in May 1937. Following completion of his term as Chief of the Air Staff, Ellington became Inspector-General of the RAF on 1 September 1937. It
1178-544: Was appointed Principal Air Aide-de-Camp to the King on 27 February 1930 and became Air Member for Personnel on 26 September 1931, receiving promotion to air chief marshal on 1 January 1933. Ellington was appointed Chief of the Air Staff on 22 May 1933. He succeeded Marshal of the Royal Air Force Sir John Salmond , who was acting in the role following the sudden death of his brother Air Chief Marshal Sir Geoffrey Salmond , who had only become Chief of
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1216-403: Was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George on 3 June 1916 and awarded the Russian Order of Saint Stanislaus , 2nd Class on 1 June 1917. He was appointed a Companion of the Order of the Bath for services during the war on 1 January 1919. Ellington's role was re-designated as Director-General of Supply and Research in April 1919 and, having been appointed a Commander of
1254-550: Was augmented in his post as inspector-general by Air Marshal Sir Charles Burnett , who would become the RAAF's Chief of the Air Staff in 1940. Ellington retired on 4 April 1940, shortly after the start of the Second World War . He attended the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II in June 1953 and died on 13 June 1967 from coronary thrombosis at Scio House Hospital in London. Marshal of
1292-588: Was commissioned into the Royal Field Artillery on 1 September 1897. He was promoted to lieutenant on 1 September 1900 and to captain on 27 April 1904. After attending the Royal Naval War College, Portsmouth in 1908, he was posted to the War Office on 24 August 1909 and became a staff officer there on 9 August 1910. He learned to fly in 1912 and was awarded Royal Aero Club certificate No. 305 on 1 October 1912. He went on to be secretary to
1330-606: Was in his capacity as inspector-general that in 1938 Ellington visited Australia to investigate standards in the Royal Australian Air Force . His report strongly criticised the RAAF's operational capability and safety standards. Following the publication of the report in July 1938, the Australian Government dismissed Air Vice Marshal Richard Williams from his post as RAAF Chief of the Air Staff . In July 1939 Ellington
1368-540: Was limited to 100 members who were required to prove four generations of nobility. The knights were required to pay for donations to poor people and to adhere to various rules of chivalry . Due to the rising influence of the Russian Empire on Central European affairs, the rules of awarding of the order were broken. After the Partitions of Poland , the order was resurrected in the Duchy of Warsaw , bestowing upon its recipients
1406-433: Was not revived by the newly independent Second Polish Republic (possibly because in its Russian form it was often awarded by the imperial government to those Poles who co-operated with Russian rule making the order a symbol of subservience to an occupying power). Instead, the newly founded Order of Polonia Restituta was created as an attributed Polish successor to the order. Both the Polish and Russian badges hung from
1444-423: Was proposed that by analogy with field marshal , the highest rank title should be air marshal . It was later decided to use the rank of air marshal as an equivalent rank to lieutenant general and "marshal of the air" was put forward as the highest RAF rank. This new rank title was opposed by the then Chief of the Imperial General Staff , Sir Henry Wilson , who considered that the title was "ridiculous". However,
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