British Army officer rank insignia were ordered to wear the same collar as other General officers, but no device in the collar. In 1880, War Office ordered to move rank badges from collar to shoulder. In 1921, the War Office abolished the rank of Brigadier General and introduced a new rank called Colonel Commandant (Officer commanding a Brigade) or Colonel on the staff (officer not commanding a Brigade, but staff officer). The badges of Colonel Commandant and Colonel on the staff were the same, consisting of a crown and three stars. In 1928, Brigadier rank was introduced by abolishing the ranks of Colonel Commandant and
British Army officer rank insignia 1919, a new order was issued by the Horse Guards office—all Guards officers would wear special star badges. During World War I, some officers took to wearing tunics with the rank badges on the shoulder, as the cuff badges made them too conspicuous to snipers. This practice was frowned on outside the trenches but was given official sanction in 1917 as an optional alternative, being made permanent in 1920, when the cuff badges were abolished. British Army officer rank insignia Listed in the table below are the insignia—emblems of authority—of the British Army. Badges for field officers were first introduced