Military ranks

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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.

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 Lt- Cols. Below them the Regiment was divided into two "Wings". Each Wing had a Major, 6-7 Captains, up to a dozen Lts and below these Cornets (who were effectively Trainees).

From among the Lts 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.
  • 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

External links