Chef d'escadron
In some branches of the French Army and in the French National Gendarmerie Chef d'escadron is the officer rank above captain and below lieutenant colonel. It is the first Senior officer rank and corresponds to Major in the armies of most English-speaking countries. It is spelled with an s in units which were traditionally part of the cavalry.
The equivalent rank in other branches of the French Army that are not mounted troops is Chef de bataillon. In the administrative and support branch of the Gendarmerie, the equivalent rank is Commandant.
In summary :
- Troupes à cheval :
- * cavalry, tanks : chef d'escadrons - four silver braids
- * transportation units, artillery : chef d'escadron - four silver braids
- * Gendarmerie : chef d'escadron - four silver braids for the Departmental Gendarmerie, four golden braids for the Mobile Gendarmerie and the Republican Guard
- Troupes à pied : infantry, combat engineers - chef de bataillon : four golden braids
- Gendarmerie administrative Corps : commandant - four silver braids
Somehow confusingly, Chef d'escadron is also a title sometimes used for the commanding officer of a squadron,.
Finally, the French Air Force also has squadrons but does not use chef d'escadron as a title.