On 29/1/25 03:53, Phil Pugliese - philpugliese at yahoo.com (via tml
list) wrote:
> I recall reading an article stating that, shortly after WWI, the
> British army decided that 'Brigadiers' would no longer be considered
> general officers & therefore the rank of 'Brigadier General' was
> changed to simply 'Brigadier'.
> Still one rank above a 'Colonel' & one rank below a 'Major General'
> just not a general officer anymore.
> The US, otoh, has kept the 'Brigadier General' rank intact.
>
>
That explains why RAF air commodore was a flag rank from its inception. 
At the time of the RAF's establishment, they knocked off army ranks
wholesale, including brigadier-_general_.  Come 1 August 1919, RAF
brigadier-generals became RAF air commodores, as flag officers.

The RM created brigadier-general as a rank in 1913, abolishing it in
1921.  The British Army also abolished the rank/appointment of
brigadier-general at the same time.  The RAF did nothing to the rank of
air commodore.

The Army restored brigadier as a substantive rank (rather than a
temporary appointment, whereafter the former holder reverted to their
substantive rank) in 1947, while the RM took another 50 years.

The difference was in the shoulder boards - a UK brigadier-general wore
a crossed sword and baton (indicating junior flag rank), while a plain
brigadier wore a crown and three pips (senior field rank).

Alex