British Army Ranks | National Army Museum

Skip to main content

Explore more from Organisation

British Army ranks A soldier's rank indicates his position in the military hierarchy. But what are the various ranks in the British Army and how are they denoted?

5 minute read

Organisation

Officers and other ranks

There are two distinct tiers within the British Army’s rank structure: officers and other ranks.

All soldiers’ ranks are denoted by a title and a set of insignia. Officers usually wear their insignia on their shoulders or chest. Other ranks wear theirs on their sleeves.

Officers

Officers are at the top of the hierarchy. Their ranks indicate that they hold positions of authority, granted through a commission - a formal document of appointment signed by the monarch.

Field Marshal

Two crossed batons in a wreath beneath a crown

Field marshal is the highest rank in the British Army. Throughout the 20th century, it was reserved for army and army group commanders in wartime, and retiring Chiefs of the General Staff. Peacetime promotions to the rank of field marshal have now been discontinued.

General

Crossed baton and sabre beneath a star and crown

A general commands an army or army corps. It is currently the highest rank granted in the British Army.

Lieutenant General

Crossed baton and sabre beneath a crown

A lieutenant general usually commands an army corps or a division.

Major General

Crossed baton and sabre beneath a star

A major general commands a division or brigade.

Brigadier

Three stars beneath a crown

A brigadier commands a brigade in the field or holds a senior staff appointment.

Originally, the rank was known as brigadier-general - the lowest general officer rank. But since the 1920s, it has been a field officer rank.

Colonel

Two stars beneath a crown

Colonels normally serve as staff officers (responsible for the Army's administrative needs) at divisional level and above, or in command of ad hoc groupings at sub-brigade level.

Key fact #1

The rank of colonel should not be confused with the colonel of the regiment. The latter role is usually performed by a retired general officer who has responsibility for the protection of a regiment's interests. This dates back to the 17th century, when colonels were responsible for equipping their own regiments.

Lieutenant Colonel

Single star beneath a crown

A lieutenant colonel commands an infantry battalion, artillery regiment or cavalry regiment. They are responsible for the unit both in the field and when stationed in barracks.

Major

Single crown

A major commands a company, squadron or battery, normally around 150-200 men. Within a battalion, they are second only to the lieutenant colonel.

Captain

Three stars

A captain is in charge of a company or serves as its second-in-command.

Lieutenant

Two stars

A lieutenant commands a platoon or troop, but with additional responsibilities above those of a second lieutenant.

Second Lieutenant

Single star

This is the lowest commissioned officer rank in the British Army, commanding a platoon or troop.

Other ranks

Other ranks are the enlisted soldiers of the Army. They do not have a commission and they do not hold positions of high command. However, separate tiers of authority - warrant officer (WO) and non-commissioned officer (NCO) - exist within their rank structure.

View this object

Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1)

Royal coat of arms, sometimes surrounded by a wreath (depending on appointment)

WO1 is the senior non-commissioned rank, with specialist roles in the technical and non-combatant services, in the combat and combat-support arms (responsible for discipline within the unit), and in war for its ammunition resupply and prisoner handling.

Appointments include conductor and regimental sergeant major.

Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2)

Crown, sometimes surrounded by a wreath (depending on appointment)

A WO2 has similar roles and responsibilities to a WO1, but at a sub-unit level (i.e. below the regimental level).

Appointments include company sergeant major and squadron sergeant major.

Key fact #2

The thing that distinguishes officers from other ranks is a commission. Warrant officers do not have a commission. Instead, their authority is granted through a warrant. Warrant officers must also be promoted to their position from a non-commissioned officer rank, like sergeant.

Staff Sergeant

Three chevrons beneath a crown

This is a non-commissioned officer rank with specific duties such as supply within the sub-unit - an appointment known as company quartermaster-sergeant (CQMS) or squadron quartermaster-sergeant (SQMS).

In infantry battalions, a CQMS is called a colour sergeant.

Sergeant

Three chevrons

This is the senior enlisted soldier within a platoon or troop, acting as a second-in-command. Some also have specialist roles.

In the Household Cavalry, the title corporal of horse is used.

Corporal

Two chevrons

In most units, a corporal commands a section.

A corporal in the Royal Artillery is called a bombardier, and in the Guards a lance sergeant.

Lance Corporal

Single chevron

This is the lowest rank of non-commissioned officer. A lance corporal usually serves as second-in-command of a section. It is also a rank held by specialists such as clerks, drivers, signallers, machine-gunners and mortarmen.

A lance corporal in the Royal Artillery is called a lance bombardier.

Private

No insignia

Private is the lowest rank of trained soldier.

Various regiments and corps have equivalent ranks such as trooper, gunner, guardsman, sapper, signalman, fusilier, craftsman and rifleman.

spacer

Explore further

Story

British Army organisation

Do you know your brigades from your battalions? Learn more about the organisation of the British Army and the tactical formations it has deployed on campaign.

Story

Army mascots

Since the 18th century, regiments have kept animals as mascots to work alongside them, bring them luck and strengthen morale.

story

Sandhurst, officers and the role of history

The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst has trained the Army’s officers since 1802. For generations, its officer cadets have endeavoured to live up to the academy’s motto: ‘Serve to Lead’.

Story

The regimental system

The regiment or corps is the key administrative component of the British Army. Each has its own history, traditions and insignia. To its soldiers, the regiment is a military family that provides comradeship and a distinct identity.

Story

The Parachute Regiment

Established in 1942, this regiment forms Britain’s elite airborne infantry. Its soldiers are trained to be resilient, disciplined, versatile, aggressive in battle and self-reliant.

Story

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers

The Royal Dublin Fusiliers was an infantry regiment of the British Army, which recruited in the east of Ireland.