In some branches of theFrench Army and in the FrenchNational GendarmerieChef d'escadron ("squadron leader") is the officer rank above captain and below lieutenant colonel. It is the firstSenior officer (Officier supérieur) rank and corresponds toMajor in the armies of most English-speaking countries. It is spelled with an s (Chef d'escadrons) in units which were traditionally part of the cavalry.[1]
The equivalent rank in other branches of the French Army that are not mounted troops (mostly Infantry and Combat Engineers) isChef debataillon (battalion leader). In the administrative and support branch of the Gendarmerie, the equivalent rank isCommandant.
In summary :
Troupes à cheval (horse troops):
cavalry, tanks : chef d'escadrons - four silver (white) braids[2]
transportation units, artillery : chef d'escadron - four silver (white) braids
Troupes à pied (foot units) : infantry, combat engineers - chef de bataillon : four golden (yellow) braids
Gendarmerie administrative Corps : commandant - four silver (white) braids
Chef d'escadron is also in use in the armies of many formerFrench colonies such as Niger[3]),
Somehow confusingly,Chef d'escadron is also a title (not a rank) sometimes used for the commanding officer of a squadron, (usually acapitaine in the Army but either acapitaine or achef d'escadron in the Gendarmerie).[4]
Finally, the French Air Force also has squadrons but does not use chef d'escadron as a title (and uses commandant as a rank).
^Before 1815, a French cavalry squadron was formed by assembling two companies. In 1815, cavalry companies were redesignated as squadrons and - a few years later - the battalion-equivalent units in the cavalry were named squadrons groups (Groupes d'escadrons) so the rank of the commanding officer of a squadrons group becamechef d'escadrons (with an s) in the French cavalry.
^ There are a few exceptions : for exemple theSpahis have yellow braids
