This is a list of full generals in the Royal Marines. The rank of general (or full general to distinguish it from the lower general officer ranks) is the highest rank currently achievable by serving officers in the Royal Marines although no dedicated Royal Marines full general posts currently exist, unless they serve in tri-service positions. The Commandant General Royal Marines, a professional post created in 1943, is oftenbut not exclusively (not 1977 to 2022, see list)held by a full general, including incumbents of a lower general officer rank promoted to general during their tenure in that post.
Promoted Name Born Died Notes 1838 1841 185417611855placed on the Retired List 1855 185517791865promoted while on the Retired List 1855George Jones 1857 1855George Beatty 1857 1857 Thomas Parke 1780 18581857 Sir Charles Menzies17831866 1858 John Rawlins Coryton 1791 1867 1862 Sir Samuel Ellis 1787 1865 1866 Henry Ivatt Delacombe 1790 1878 1866 1794 1880 1867 1795 1880 1870 Sir Anthony Stransham 1805 1900 1870 1807 1877 1870 1875 1875 John Gascoigne 1811 1893 1875No. 4072 The London Gazette 1877 Sir George Augustus Schomberg 1821 1907 Deputy Adjutant-General Royal Marines 1872–75 1877 Hayes Marriott 1877 1814 1903 1897 Sir Howard Sutton Jones 1835 1912 placed on the Retired List 1900 Frederick Gasper Le Grand 1837 1905 placed on the Retired List 1901 1900 Samuel James Graham 1901 Ardley Henry Falwasser Barnes 1838 1910 placed on the Retired List 1902 1902 Edward Lee Rose 1842 1903 1912 Sir William Thompson Adair 1850 19311912 (1855–1927)? 1914 James Henry Bor 1857 1914 1914 William Inglefield Eastman 1856 1941 1928 Sir Lewis Halliday 1870 1966Recipient of the Victoria Cross 1945 Sir Thomas Hunton 1885 1970 Commandant General Royal Marines 1943–46 1948 Sir Dallas Brooks 1896 1966 Commandant General Royal Marines 1946–49 (promoted while in the post),19th Governor of Victoria 1949–63 1951 Sir Leslie Hollis 1897 1963 Commandant General Royal Marines 1949–52 Sir John Westall 1901 1986 Commandant General Royal Marines 1952–55 Sir Campbell Hardy 1906 1984 Commandant General Royal Marines 1955–59 1961 Sir Ian Riches 1908 1996 Commandant General Royal Marines 1959–62 1964 Sir Malcolm Cartwright-Taylor 1911 1969 Commandant General Royal Marines 1962–65 1967 Sir Norman Tailyour 1914 1979 Commandant General Royal Marines 1965–68 1970 Sir Peter Hellings 1916 1990 Commandant General Royal Marines 1968–71 (promoted while in the post) 1973 Sir Ian Gourlay 1920 2013 Commandant General Royal Marines 1971–75 (promoted while in the post) 1977 Sir Peter Whiteley 1920 2016 Commandant General Royal Marines 1975–77,Commander-in-Chief Allied Forces Northern Europe 1977–79 2016 Sir Gordon Messenger1962 Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff 2016–19,Rear-Admiral of the United Kingdom since 2021,Constable of the Tower since 2022 2022 Sir Gwyn Jenkins Commandant General Royal Marines since 2022,Vice-Chief of the Defence Staff 2022–24, First Sea Lord since 2025
See also List of British Army full generals List of Royal Navy admirals List of Royal Air Force air chief marshals
References