British [Australian] Officer's rank star (pip) in gilding metal. The first British Army rank insignia were introduced in 1760. According to the Royal Clothing Warrant, general officers were distinguished by the pattern and arrangement of laces on the cuff. Badges for field officers were first introduced in 1810. These badges consisted of (and still consist of) crowns and stars, (the latter being more likely to be called 'pips' today, although this term is technically incorrect). These rank insignia were worn on shoulder epaulettes. The star is that of the Order of the Bath, except in the Household regiments and Honourable Artillery Company. The star of the Order of the Garter is used by the Life Guards, Blues and Royals, Grenadier Guards, Coldstream Guards, Welsh Guards and Honourable Artillery Company. The star of the Order of the Thistle is used by the Scots Guards. The star of the Order of St Patrick is used by the Irish Guards. All officers' badges on service dress were originally of gilding metal, except for rifle regiments and the Royal Army Chaplains' Department, which used bronze instead. A variety of alternative materials and prints have been used on various styles of dress. The insignia was moved to the shoulder boards in 1880 for all officers in full dress, when the system of crowns and stars was reorganised on similar lines to that seen today. Exceptions included the rank of brigadier general and until 1902, a captain had just two stars and a lieutenant one star. From 1871, the rank of ensign (cornet in cavalry regiments) was replaced with the rank of second lieutenant, which had no insignia. The 1902 change gave the latter a single star and the insignia of lieutenants and captains were increased to two and three stars respectively. In addition to the shoulder badges, officers' ranks were also reflected in the amount and pattern of gold lace worn on the cuffs of the full-dress tunic. 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.