British Army Ranks

From Highest To Lowest, With, Insignia of Rank, followed by the Rank Held

• Crown, Pip, Crossed Sabre and Scroll Case, - General
• Crown, Crossed Sabre and Scroll Case, - Lt. General
• Pip, Crossed Sabre and Scroll Case, - Maj. General
• Crown, 3 Pips - Brigadier
• Crown, 2 Pips - Colonel
• Crown, 1 Pip - Lieutenant Colonel
• Crown, - Major
• 3 Pips, - Captain
• 2 Pips, - Lieutenant
• 1 Pip, - 2nd Lieutenant

• Crown with Emblems of State - Warrant Officer, Class 1
• Large Crown or Crown on Wrist - Warrant Officer, Class 2

• Crown, 3 Stripes, - Staff or Colour Sergeant
• 3 Stripes, - Sergeant
• 2 Stripes, - Corporal or Bombardier
• 1 Stripe, - Lance Corporal or Lance Bombardier
• Nothing - Private or Rifleman or Ranger or Signaller or Sapper or Craftsmen or Gunner or Trooper or Airtrooper

On the Combat 95 Uniform, badges of rank are worn on the centre of the chest, on a slide, on a vertical tab. Some Private Soldiers choose to wear a blank slide, instead of nothing. Most Warrant Officers wear a Crown on a brown leather strop on the right wrist, when the shirt is worn with the sleeves rolled up. Then they wear a blank slide, instead of the crown on the chest.

In more formal uniform, the positions of rank, are as usual, the arms for NCO's and the shoulders for commissioned officers.

Note on Saluting: Only commissioned officers are saluted. The Salute is palm forward, rather than palm down, which is only used by the navy. Warrant officers and commissioned officers are called "Sir" by NCO's and other ranks, but warrant officers are not saluted. Warrant officers are usually addressed as "Sergeant Major" by officers. The reasoning behind this, is that commissioned officers hold the queen's commission, and by saluting the officer, you are saluting the Queen. Warrant officers hold the Royal Warrant, but this is not given by the Queen, so they are not saluted.

To Give some context, I have put most of the ranks into an infantry battalion

• A Section Commander - Corporal
• A Section Second-in-Command - Lance Corporal
• 4 Riflemen - Privates, Riflemen, or Rangers, Depending on Regiment
• 2 Light Machine Gunners - Privates, Riflemen, or Rangers, Depending on Regiment

• A Platoon Commander - Lieutenant or 2nd Lieutenant
• A Platoon Sergeant - Sergeant
• A Platoon Signaller, Private, Rifleman, or Ranger, Depending on Regiment
• 2 Mortar Men - Lance Corporal and a Private, Rifleman, or Ranger, Depending on Regiment

A Company would consist of 4 Platoons and,

• A Company Commander - The OC - Major
• A Company Second-in-Command - The 2IC - Captain
• A Company Sergeant Major - The CSM - WO-2
• A Company Quartermaster Sergeant - The CQMS - Colour Sgt
• 2 Company Drivers - Lance Corporals or Privates
• 2 Company Storemen - Lance Corporals or Privates
• A Company Clerk - Lance Corporal or Private
• 2 Company Medics - Corporals or Lance Corporals

The Battallon HQ would consist of

• The Battalion Commanding Officer - The CO - Lt. Colonel
• The Battalion Second in Command - The 2IC - Major
• The Battalion Sergeant Major - The RSM - WO1
• The Battalion Adjutant - The Adj. - Major or Captain
• The Battalion Operations and Training Officer - Ops Officer - Major or Captain
• The Battalion Intelligence Officer - The Slime, er, The IO. - Major or Captain
• The Battalion Quartermaster - The QM - Captain
• The Battalion Quartermaster Sergeant - The RQMS - WO2
• The Battalion Padre - The Padre - Major or Captain
• The Battalion Medical Officer - The MO - Major