Brigade Major
Encyclopedia
In the British Army
, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade
. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster". Intentionally ranked lower than the Lt-Colonels commanding the brigade's combat battalions his role was to expand on, detail and execute the intentions of the commanding Brigadier.
During the Great War, the Brigade Major was reportedly "a key personality who affected the health and happiness of the battalions." as he would be in most frequent contact with the frontline troops and held responsibility for the planning of brigade operations.
In 1913 Staff Captains of Artillery in the British Army were re-styled as Brigade Majors to bring them into line with Cavalry and Infantry practice. The title is however no longer used except in the Household Division
and in divisional level artillery HQs.
The practice of using Brigade Majors has continued in some Commonwealth armies such as those of India.
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
, a Brigade Major was the Chief of Staff of a brigade
Brigade
A brigade is a major tactical military formation that is typically composed of two to five battalions, plus supporting elements depending on the era and nationality of a given army and could be perceived as an enlarged/reinforced regiment...
. He held the rank of Major and was head of the brigade's "G - Operations and Intelligence" section directly and oversaw the two other branches, "A - Administration" and "Q - Quartermaster". Intentionally ranked lower than the Lt-Colonels commanding the brigade's combat battalions his role was to expand on, detail and execute the intentions of the commanding Brigadier.
During the Great War, the Brigade Major was reportedly "a key personality who affected the health and happiness of the battalions." as he would be in most frequent contact with the frontline troops and held responsibility for the planning of brigade operations.
In 1913 Staff Captains of Artillery in the British Army were re-styled as Brigade Majors to bring them into line with Cavalry and Infantry practice. The title is however no longer used except in the Household Division
Household Division
Household Division is a term used principally in the Commonwealth of Nations to describe a country’s most elite or historically senior military units, or those military units that provide ceremonial or protective functions associated directly with the head of state.-Historical Development:In...
and in divisional level artillery HQs.
The practice of using Brigade Majors has continued in some Commonwealth armies such as those of India.