Brevet

Brevet. An officer was generally promoted within the corps in which he served in accordance with his seniority and any vacancy within that corps due to transfer, retirement or death. Certain officers were, however, deemed worthy of a higher rank by virtue of long and/or distinguished service but were unable to be granted it due to the lack of vacancy. Accordingly, a Commander-in-Chief was empowered to issue a letter (French word, ‘Brevet') granting him ‘Brevet' Rank within the Army at large. Generally, this conferred with it the uniform and right to command of the ‘higher' rank.