Lieutenant general (Australia)

Lieutenant general
The LTGEN insignia of Crown of St Edward above a crossed sword and baton, with the word 'Australia' at the bottom.
Country	Australia
Service branch	Australian Army
Abbreviation	Lieutenant General
Rank	Three-star
NATO rank	OF-8
Non-NATO rank	O-9
Formation	1917
Next higher rank	General
Next lower rank	Major general
Equivalent ranks	Vice Admiral (RAN) Air marshal (RAAF)

Lieutenant general (abbreviated LTGEN and pronounced 'Lef-tenant General') is the second-highest active rank of the Australian Army and was created as a direct equivalent of the British military rank of lieutenant general. It is also considered a three-star rank.

The rank of lieutenant general is held by the Chief of Army. The rank is also held when an army officer is the Vice Chief of the Defence Force, the Chief of Joint Operations, or the Chief of Capability Development.

Lieutenant general is a higher rank than major general, but lower than general. Lieutenant general is the equivalent of vice admiral in the Royal Australian Navy and air marshal in the Royal Australian Air Force.

The insignia for a lieutenant general is the Crown of St Edward above a crossed sword and baton.^{[1][lower-alpha 1]}

Current Australian lieutenant generals

As of May 2015 there is currently only one lieutenant general in the Australian Defence Force:^{[lower-alpha 2]}

• Angus Campbell – Chief of Army (CA)

Australian Army lieutenant generals

Although not an Australian, Field Marshal William Birdwood, 1st Baron Birdwood, was a popular general with the Australians. He commanded the Australian Imperial Force during the First World War, and when he was promoted to the rank of field marshal in the British Army in 1925, he was awarded the honorary rank of field marshal in the Australian Army.

The first Australian lieutenant general was Sir Harry Chauvel in 1917.

CGS/CA – Chief of the General Staff and Chief of Army

From 1 January 1909 to 18 Feb 1997, the most senior Australian Army position was named Chief of the General Staff. The first Australian to occupy this position was Colonel William Throsby Bridges. The first Australian lieutenant general to occupy this position was Brudenell White, from 1 June 1920. From August 1940, this position, and its successor (Chief of Army), have been held by Australian lieutenant generals.

Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (1958–1965)

In March 1958, the role of Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee was created, but with no command authority. This was initially occupied by Lieutenant General Sir Henry Wells (March 1958 – March 1959), and was rotated through the three services, hence (briefly) providing a three-star position available to army officers. In 1965 this became a four-star position. It was replaced in February 1976 by a new position, Chief of Defence Force Staff (CDFS), with command authority over the ADF, and in October 1984 the position was renamed Chief of the Defence Force (CDF) to more clearly reflect the role and its authority.

Vice Chief of the Defence Force (since 1986)

In June 1986, the three-star position Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF) was created. As with CDF, this position rotates between the forces. Lieutenant General (later General) John Baker was the first army officer to occupy the position (October 1992 – April 1995).

Chief of Capability Development Group (since 2003)

A third three-star position, Chief of Capability Development Group (CCDG), which also rotates between the forces, was created in 2003.

Chief of Joint Operations (since 2007)

In September 2007, a fourth three-star position, Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS), was created.

Commander Operation Sovereign Borders (since 2013)

In September 2013, a fifth three-star position, Commander Operation Sovereign Borders (COSB), was created.

Equivalents

There are two other three-star positions in the Australian Defence Force, Chief of Navy (CN) and Chief of Air Force (CAF). There are also a number of other three-star-equivalent positions in the Australian Defence Organisation, but these are all held by civilians.

List

The following people have held the rank of lieutenant general in the Australian Army:

Name	Post- nominals	Highest rank	MAJGEN	LTGEN	CGS / CA / Cmmdr, Aust. Corps[lower-alpha 3]	CCOSC[lower-alpha 4]/ VCDF[lower-alpha 5]/ CCDG^[b]/ CJOPS[lower-alpha 6]/ etc.	GEN ^[d][lower-alpha 7][lower-alpha 8]	FM
Birdwood, WilliamWilliam Birdwood[2]	GCB, GCSI, GCMG, GCVO, CIE, DSO	FM	1911–1914	1914–1917	1917–1918^[c]		1917–1925^[c]	1925–1930
Chauvel, HarryHarry Chauvel[3]	GCMG, KCB	GEN	1915-1915	1917–1929	1923–1930		1929–1930
Monash, JohnJohn Monash[4]	GCMG, KCB, VD	GEN	1916–1918	1918–1919	1918^[c]		1919–1929
White, BrudenellBrudenell White[5]	KCB, KCMG, KCVO, DSO	GEN	1917–1918	1918–1923	1920–1923 1940		1940
Hobbs, TalbotTalbot Hobbs[6]	KCB, KCMG, VD	LTGEN	1917–1918	1918–1927	1918–1919^[c]
Legge, James GordonJames Gordon Legge[7]	CB, CMG	LTGEN	1915–1924	1924	1914–1915 1917–1920
McCay, James WhitesideJames Whiteside McCay[8]	KCMG, KBE, CB, VD	LTGEN	1915–1926	1926
Blamey, ThomasThomas Blamey[9]	GBE, KCB, CMG, DSO, ED	FM	1931-1925	1939–1941	1942–1945		1941–1950	1950–1951
Lavarack, JohnJohn Lavarack[10]	KCMG, KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO	LTGEN	1935–1938 1938–1941	1938 1941–1946	1935–1939
Squires, ErnestErnest Squires[11]	CB, DSO, MC	LTGEN	1935–1938	1938–1940	1939–1940
Sturdee, VernonVernon Sturdee[10]	KBE, CB, DSO	LTGEN	1939–1940	1940–1950	1940–1942 1946–1950
Whitham, JohnJohn Whitham[12]	CMG, DSO	LTGEN	1937–1940	1940–1946
Smart, EdwardEdward Smart[10]	DSO, MC	LTGEN	1939–1940	1940–1946
Mackay, IvenIven Mackay[10]	KBE, CMG, DSO & Two Bars, VD	LTGEN	1937–1941	1941–1946
Morshead, LeslieLeslie Morshead[10]	KCB, KBE, CMG, DSO, ED	LTGEN	1940–1942	1942–1946
Bennett, GordonGordon Bennett	CB, CMG, DSO, VD	LTGEN	1930–1942	1942–1944
Herring, EdmundEdmund Herring[13]	KCMG, KBE, DSO, MC, KStJ, ED, KC	LTGEN	1941–1942	1942–1951
Jess, CarlCarl Jess[14]	CB, CMG, CBE, DSO	LTGEN	1935–1942	1942–1946
Northcott, JohnJohn Northcott[10]	KCMG, KCVO, CB, KStJ	LTGEN	1939–1942	1942–1946	1940 1942–1945
Rowell, SydneySydney Rowell[15]	KBE, CB	LTGEN	1941–1942	1942–1954	1950–1954
Wynter, HenryHenry Wynter[16]	CB, CMG, DSO	LTGEN	1939–1940	1940–1945
Berryman, FrankFrank Berryman[10]	KCVO, CB, CBE, DSO	LTGEN	1942–1944	1944–1954
Savige, StanleyStanley Savige[10]	KBE, CB, DSO, MC, ED	LTGEN	1942–1944	1944–1946
Robertson, HoraceHorace Robertson[10]	KBE, DSO	LTGEN	1942–1946	1946–1954
Boase, AllanAllan Boase[17]	CBE	LTGEN	1942–1949	1949–1951
Clowes, CyrilCyril Clowes[18]	CBE, DSO, MC	LTGEN	1942–1949	1949
Bridgeford, WilliamWilliam Bridgeford[19]	KBE, CB, MC	LTGEN	1942–1951	1951–1953
Wells, HenryHenry Wells[20]	KBE, CB, DSO	LTGEN	1946–1951	1951–1958	1954–1958	1958–1959^[d]
Secombe, VictorVictor Secombe[21]	CB, CBE	LTGEN	1949–1951	1951–1954
Bierwirth, RudolphRudolph Bierwirth	CBE	LTGEN	1952–1953	1953–1956
Woodward, EricEric Woodward[22]	KCMG, KCVO, CB, CBE, DSO	LTGEN	1951–1953	1953–1957
Nimmo, Robert HaroldRobert Harold Nimmo[23]	CBE	LTGEN	1946–1954	1954
Garrett, RagnarRagnar Garrett[24]	KBE, CB	LTGEN	1951–1954	1954–1960	1958–1960
Pollard, RegReg Pollard[25]	KCVO, KBE, CB, DSO	LTGEN	1954–1959	1959–1963	1960–1963
Edgar, HectorHector Edgar[26]			195?–	19??–
Wilton, JohnJohn Wilton[27]	KBE, CB, DSO	GEN	1957–1963	1963–1966	1963–1966		1966–1970^[d]
Daly, Thomas JosephThomas Joseph Daly[28]	KBE, CB, DSO	LTGEN	1959–	1966–1971	1966–1971
Brogan, MervynMervyn Brogan	KBE, CB	LTGEN	19xx–1971	1971–1973	1971–1973
Hassett, FrankFrank Hassett[29]	AC, KBE, CB, DSO, LVO	GEN	1963–1973	1973–1975	1973–1975		1975–1977^[d]^[g]
MacDonald, ArthurArthur MacDonald[30]	KBE, CB	GEN	19xx–1975	1975–1977	1975–1977		1977–1979^[g]
Dunstan, DonaldDonald Dunstan[31]	AC, KBE, CB	LTGEN	19xx-1977	1977–1982	1977–1982
Bennett, PhillipPhillip Bennett	AC, KBE, DSO	GEN	19xx-1982	1982–1984	1982–1984		1984–1987^[g]^[h]
Gration, PeterPeter Gration[32]	AC, OBE	GEN	19xx-1984	1984–1987	1984–1987		1987–1993^[h]
O'Donnell, LawrenceLawrence O'Donnell	AC	LTGEN	19xx-1987	1987–1990	1987–1990
Coates, JohnJohn Coates[33]	AC, MBE	LTGEN	19xx-1990	1990–1992	1990–1992
Grey, JohnJohn Grey[34]	AC	LTGEN	19xx-1992	1992–1995	1992–1995
Baker, JohnJohn Baker[35]	AC, DSM	GEN	1987–1992	1992–1995		1992–1995^[e]	1995–1998^[h]
Sanderson, JohnJohn Sanderson[36]	AC	LTGEN	1989–1992	1992–1998	1995–1997 1997–1998	1993–1995^[f]
Hickling, FrankFrank Hickling[37]	AO, CSC	LTGEN	19xx-1998	1998–2000	1998–2000
Cosgrove, PeterPeter Cosgrove[38]	AK, MC	GEN	1999–2000	2000–2002	2000–2002		2002–2005^[h]
Mueller, DesmondDesmond Mueller[39]	AO	LTGEN	1994–2000	2000–2002		2000–2002^[e]
Leahy, PeterPeter Leahy[40]	AC	LTGEN	19xx-2002	2002–2008	2002–2008
Hurley, DavidDavid Hurley[41]	AC, DSC	GEN	2001–2003	2003–2011		2003–2007[lower-alpha 9] 2007–2008^[f] 2008–2011^[e]	2011–2014^[h]
Gillespie, KenKen Gillespie[42]	AC, DSC, CSM	LTGEN	2004–2005	2005–2011	2008–2011	2005–2008^[e]
Evans, MarkMark Evans[43]	AO, DSC	LTGEN	2002–2008	2008–2011		2008–2011^[f]
Power, AshAsh Power	AO, CSC	LTGEN	2005–2011	2011–2014		2011–2014^[f]
Morrison, DavidDavid Morrison[44]	AO	LTGEN	2005–2011	2011–2015	2011–2015
Campbell, AngusAngus Campbell[45]	DSC, AM	LTGEN	2010–2013	2013–present	2015–present
Caligari, JohnJohn Caligari[46]	AO, DSC	LTGEN	2009	2014–2015		2014–2015^[c]

See also

• Australian Defence Force ranks and insignia
• Australian Army officer rank insignia
• List of Australian Army generals

References and notes

Notes

1. Australian Army officer rank insignia are identical to British Army officer rank insignia, with the difference that Australian insignia have the word "Australia" below them.
2. The third and fourth three-star positions possibly available to an Australian lieutenant general are the CCDG and the Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF).
3. Commander of the Australian Corps
4. Chairman, Chiefs of Staff Committee (CCOSC), now known as the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF).
5. Vice Chief of the Defence Force (VCDF)
6. Chief of Joint Operations (CJOPS)
7. Chief of Defence Force Staff (CDFS), now known as the Chief of the Defence Force (CDF)
8. Chief of the Defence Force (CDF)
9. Chief of Capability Development Group (CCDG)

References

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