Military ranks
For Europeans in the East India Company Armies and later the Indian Army, ranks were for the most part the same as those in the British Army. Medical service employees were also given a military rank.
Contents
Quick conversion table
| Indian Army Rank | British Army equivalent |
|---|---|
| Risaldar-Major/Ressaidar-Major | Cavalry Major |
| Subadar-Major/Subedar-Major | Infantry Major |
| Risaldar/Ressaidar | cavalry Captain |
| Subadar/Subedar | Captain |
| Jemadar | Lieutenant |
| Havildar-Major | Sergeant-Major |
| Daffardar/Daffadar/Duffardar | Cavalry Sergeant |
| Havildar | Infantry Sergeant |
| Lance-Duffardar/Lance-Daffadar/Lance-Daffardar | Cavalry Corporal |
| Naik | Infantry Corporal |
| Acting Lance-Daffadar | Cavalry Lance-Corporal |
| Lance-Naik | Infantry Lance-Corporal |
| Sowar | Cavalry Trooper or Private |
| Sepoy | Private |
Officers
Cavalry Regiments in the HEICo Army
In regular Cavalry Regiments there was single Colonel who was largely honorary. Below him were two Lieut-Cols. Below them the Regiment was divided into two "Wings". Each Wing had a Major, 6-7 Captains, up to a dozen Lieutenants and below these Cornets (who were effectively Trainees).
From among the Lieutenants would be chosen an Adjutant and usually an Interprteter and Quarter-Master. In addition, the Regiment would have attached to it one or two Surgeons, a Veterinary Surgeon and a Riding Master, the latter a warrant officer.
Other Ranks
Warrant Officers
- Conductors and Sub-Conductors in the Ordnance, Commissariat and Public Works Departments were warrant officers. For their records, refer the Unattached List
- Apothecaries and Stewards, and Assistant Apothecaries and Assistant Stewards in the Subordinate Medical Department were warrant officers. The title Apothecary changed in 1894 to Assistant Surgeon. For their records, refer Apothecary
- Riding Masters were warrant officers who were attached to Regiments.
- Some Army schoolmasters were warrant officers. In 1881 those of twelve years service as a schoolmaster appear to be entitled to this rank.
- findmypast includes a database "British Army Schoolchildren and Schoolmasters 1803-1932" (located in Education & work/Schools & education).
- In 1881 “trained bandmasters” were warrant officers. Also refer Bandmaster
Non-commissioned Officers
Includes the ranks of (increasing in seniority) Lance Corporal, Corporal and Sergeant. In the Royal Artillery, prior to 1920 a Bombardier was the NCO rank directly below Corporal, with Acting Bombadier the rank below that. After that date a Bombadier is the Artillery equivalent of a Corporal. Acting Bombadier was renamed Lance Bombadier in 1918.
Some Non-commissioned Officers, particularly Sergeants were in the Ordnance, Commissariat and Public Works Departments. For more details, including their records, refer the Unattached List
Privates
The lowest ranked soldier is a Private. In the Artillery, a private was in earlier days known as a matross, and later as a gunner.
Related articles
- List of ranks
- See also specific details on Indian Ranks
External links
- British Army officer rank insignia Wikipedia
- British Army Other Ranks rank insignia Wikipedia.
- Warrant Officer Wikipedia
- Non -commissioned officer Wikipedia
- Bombardier Wikipedia
- Sergeant and warrant officer teachers now an archived page, Corps of Army Schoolmasters now an archived webpage. Duke of York’s Royal Military School.
- Bandmaster Wikipedia
- London Gazette, 2 December 1881 sets out some pay scales for Warrant Officers and Non Commissioned Officers, and also Officers on earlier pages.
- 6 May 1897 Hansard Question re Army schoolteachers in relation to Bandmasters hansard.millbanksystems.com
