Draft:Timeline of British Army ranks

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Last edited by Pickersgill-Cunliffe (talk | contribs) 17 days ago. (Update)

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Timeline of changes[edit]

1953-present[edit]

Modern (2024) British army other ranks^[1]
NATO rank code	Rank name
OR-1	Private No Insignia
OR-2	Private (proficient)^{[note 1]} No Insignia
OR-3	Lance Corporal
OR-4	Corporal
OR-5	Sergeant
OR-6	Sergeant
OR-7	Staff Sergeant/Colour Sergeant (CQMS)
OR-8	Warrant Officer Class 2 (RQMS, CSM)
OR-9	Warrant Officer Class 1 (RSM, Cdr, ASM)

Modern (2024) British army officer ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OF-1b	Second Lieutenant
OF-1a	Lieutenant
OF-2	Captain
OF-3	Major
OF-4	Lieutenant colonel
OF-5	Colonel
OF-6	Brigadier
OF-7	Major General
OF-8	Lieutenant General
OF-9	General
OF-10	Field Marshal^{[note 2]}

1948-1953[edit]

1953 British Army other ranks^[2]
NATO rank code	Rank name
OR-1	Private No Insignia
OR-2	Private No Insignia
OR-3	Lance-Corporal
OR-4	Corporal
OR-5	Sergeant
OR-6	Sergeant
OR-7	Staff Sergeant/Colour Sergeant
OR-8	Quartermaster Sergeant/Warrant Officer Class 2
OR-9b	Sergeant Major/Warrant Officer Class 1
OR-9a	Staff Sergeant Major/Conductor

1953 British army officer ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OF-1b	Second Lieutenant
OF-1a	Lieutenant
OF-2	Captain
OF-3	Major
OF-4	Lieutenant colonel
OF-5	Colonel
OF-6	Brigadier
OF-7	Major General
OF-8	Lieutenant General
OF-9	General
OF-10	Field Marshal

1938-1947[edit]

1947 British Army other ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OR-1	Private No Insignia
OR-2	Private No Insignia
OR-3	Lance-Corporal
OR-4	Corporal
OR-5	Sergeant
OR-6	Sergeant
OR-7	Staff Sergeant/ Colour Sergeant
OR-8b	Warrant Officer Class 3
OR-8a	Quartermaster Sergeant/ Warrant Officer Class 2
OR-9b	Sergeant Major/ Warrant Officer Class 1
OR-9a	Staff Sergeant Major/ Conductor

1947 British army officer ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OF-1b	Second Lieutenant
OF-1a	Lieutenant
OF-2	Captain
OF-3	Major
OF-4	Lieutenant colonel
OF-5	Colonel
OF-6	Brigadier
OF-7	Major General
OF-8	Lieutenant General
OF-9	General
OF-10	Field Marshal

1921-1937[edit]

1937 British Army other ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OR-1	Private No Insignia
OR-2	Private No Insignia
OR-3	Lance-Corporal
OR-4	Corporal
OR-5	Sergeant
OR-6	Sergeant
OR-7	Staff Sergeant/ Colour Sergeant
OR-8	Quartermaster Sergeant/ Warrant Officer Class 2
OR-9b	Sergeant Major/ Warrant Officer Class 1
OR-9a	Staff Sergeant Major/ Conductor

1937 British army officer ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OF-1b	Second Lieutenant
OF-1a	Lieutenant
OF-2	Captain
OF-3	Major
OF-4	Lieutenant colonel
OF-5	Colonel
OF-6	Colonel Commandant/ Colonel on the Staff
OF-7	Major General
OF-8	Lieutenant General
OF-9	General
OF-10	Field Marshal

1902-1920[edit]

1920 British Army other ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OR-1	Private No Insignia
OR-2	Private No Insignia
OR-3	Lance-Corporal Singular point-down chevron
OR-4	Corporal Two point-down chevrons
OR-5	Sergeant Three point-down chevrons
OR-6	Sergeant Three point-down chevrons
OR-7	Colour-Sergeant Three point-down chevrons with a crown
OR-8	Company Sergeant-Major
OR-9	Warrant Officer/Regimental Sergeant-Major

1920 British army officer ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OF-1b	Second Lieutenant
OF-1a	Lieutenant
OF-2	Captain
OF-3	Major
OF-4	Lieutenant-Colonel
OF-5	Colonel
OF-6	Brigadier General
OF-7	Major General
OF-8	Lieutenant General
OF-9	General
OF-10	Field Marshal

1880-1902[edit]

1902 British Army other ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OR-1	Private
OR-2	Private
OR-3	Lance-Corporal
OR-4	Corporal
OR-5	Sergeant
OR-6	Sergeant
OR-7	Colour-Sergeant
OR-8	Company Sergeant-Major
OR-9	Regimental Sergeant-Major

1902 British army officer ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OF-1b	Second Lieutenant
OF-1a	Lieutenant
OF-2	Captain
OF-3	Major
OF-4	Lieutenant-Colonel
OF-5	Colonel
OF-6	Brigadier General
OF-7	Major General
OF-8	Lieutenant General
OF-9	General
OF-10	Field Marshal

Previous ranks[edit]

Old British system for General Officer ranks
NATO rank code	Rank name
OF-6	Colonel-General/ Brigadier-General
OF-7	Sergeant-Major-General^[3] Major-General
OF-8	Lieutenant-General
OF-9	Captain-General/General
OF-10	Marshal/Field Marshal

Notes[edit]

^Note 1 Private (proficient) is not a rank, but is used for pay grade instead

^Note 2 Field Marshal is currently an honorary rank

References[edit]

^ "Ranks". The British Army. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
^ "Wartime (WW2) Military Ranks Table". robdavistelford.co.uk. Rob Davis. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
^ "Why is the Colonel called Kernal" (PDF). media.defense.gov. Raymond Oliver. Retrieved 15 April 2024.

[1] "Ranks". The British Army. Ministry of Defence. Retrieved 15 April 2024.

[2] "Wartime (WW2) Military Ranks Table". robdavistelford.co.uk. Rob Davis. Retrieved 15 April 2024.

[3] "Why is the Colonel called Kernal" (PDF). media.defense.gov. Raymond Oliver. Retrieved 15 April 2024.

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