question British Army rank...

[Jack]

Just had a call from my bank manager...........:???

 

He was asking for a favour:sweat: he wanted to know what the rank structure of the modern British army is - can any one help or point me in the right direction?

 

 

Many thanks

 

Jack.

[M.Rimmer]

Hi Jack,

 

I think there's something on arrse,if not try the British Army website,haven't got the address but it will be on google.

 

Matt.

[Degsy]

Private

Lance Corporal

Corporal

Sergeant

Staff Sergeant

Warrant Officer 3rd class

Warrant Officer 2nd class

Warrant Officer 1st class

Regimental S/Major

Staff Sgt Major 1st class

 

2nd Lieutenant

Lieutenant

Captain

Major

Lt Colonel

Colonel

Brigadier

Major General

Lt General

General

Field Marshal

 

The rank of private is known differently in certain arms ie Artillery =Gunner

REME = Craftsman, Armoured = Trooper

[AlienFTM]

Private

Lance Corporal

Corporal

Sergeant

Staff Sergeant

Warrant Officer 3rd class

Warrant Officer 2nd class

Warrant Officer 1st class

Regimental S/Major

Staff Sgt Major 1st class

 

2nd Lieutenant

Lieutenant

Captain

Major

Lt Colonel

Colonel

Brigadier

Major General

Lt General

General

Field Marshal

 

The rank of private is known differently in certain arms ie Artillery =Gunner

REME = Craftsman, Armoured = Trooper

 

Regimental Sergeant Major is an appointment, not a rank. An RSM will hold the rank of WO1.

 

WO3 is an extremely old rank not seen, I think, since the early Second World War (Guards Regiments had the appointment Platoon Sergeant Major who may have held the rank of WO3.

 

Staff Sergeant Major 1st Class? Never heard of it (and for four years I worked at the RAPC Computer Centre handling Army Pay and Records). I know that there are a couple of appointments which were considered to be senior to "run of the mill" (which is hardly an apt description for a soldier at the pinnacle of his career) WOs1 including RAOC (now RLC) Conductor. I don't know if the appointment of Conductor was carried over to the RLC when the RAOC ceased to exist.

 

Some more junior ranks which occur:

 

RE = Sapper; Rifles = Rifleman; Guards = Guardsman; Military Police ... ("No, don't go there!" Ed)

 

You will also find a unique rank structure in the Life Guards who, believing themselves to be Second to None, refuse to accept any rank of Sergeant, derived from the French word for servant.

 

Their Sergeants are variants of Corporal of Horse and their appointments equating to Quartermaster Sergeant and Sergeant Major become Quartermaster Corporal and Corporal Major. There are also Lance Segreants elsewhere in the Guards.

 

If you want the horse's mouth, better than Wikipedia, try http://www.arrse.co.uk/wiki/Rank

[Snapper]

Is your bank manager doing Gilvert and Sullivan then Jack? or did he think you had a passing resemblence to Gilbert O'Sullivan??? :-D

[Jack]

Many thanks to all and info now sent to him. Hope it is correct otherwise I am screwed!

[Tony B]

'Dear Sir, we regret to inform you.... and will be siezing the plank' :cool2:

[Degsy]

Alien that List I quoted was lifted off the net and I was alittle dubious but it said something about having been updated after a recent alteration in rank titles.