A private is a soldier, usually with the lowest rank in many armies. Soldiers with the rank of private may be conscripts or they may be professional (career) soldiers.
A chevron is a V-shaped mark or symbol, often inverted. The word is usually used in reference to a kind of fret in architecture, or to a badge or insignia used in military or police uniforms to indicate rank or length of service, or in heraldry and the designs of flags.
Sergeant is a rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The alternative spelling, serjeant, is used in The Rifles and other units that draw their heritage from the British light infantry. Its origin is the Latin serviens, 'one who serves', through the French term sergeant.
Corporal is a military rank in use by the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. The rank is usually the lowest ranking non-commissioned officer. In some militaries, the rank of corporal nominally corresponds to commanding a section or squad of soldiers.
Lance Corporal is a military rank, used by many English-speaking armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO).
Bombardier is a military rank that has existed since the 16th century in artillery regiments of various armies, such as in the British Army and the Prussian Army. Traditionally the bombardier tended the vents at the top of breeches, handled the final assembly of ammunition and placed the ammunition in the muzzles for the gunners to fire. It is today equivalent to the rank of corporal in other branches. The rank of lance bombardier is the artillery counterpart of lance corporal.
Naik is an Indian Army, Pakistan Army and Bangladesh Police rank equivalent to corporal. The rank was previously used in the Indian Army during the Raj and the Camel Corps, ranking between lance naik and havildar. In cavalry units, the equivalent is lance daffadar. Like a British corporal, a naik wears two rank chevrons.
Lance naik (L/Nk) is the equivalent rank to lance corporal in the Indian and Pakistan armies and before 1947, in the British Indian Army, ranking below naik. In cavalry units the equivalent is acting lance daffadar. Like British lance corporals, each wears a single rank chevron.
Lance Corporal of Horse (LCoH) is an appointment unique to the Household Cavalry of the British Army, equivalent to Lance Sergeant in the Foot Guards. It was introduced in 1971. On promotion to Corporal, an NCO is automatically appointed Lance Corporal of Horse, so that the rank structure effectively goes straight from Lance Corporal to Lance Corporal of Horse, and then to Corporal of Horse. However, Lance Corporals of horse are still addressed as "Corporal".
Corporal of horse (CoH) is a rank in the British Army's Household Cavalry corresponding to sergeant in other regiments. Formerly, no cavalry regiments had sergeants, but the Household Cavalry are the only ones to keep this tradition alive. It is said to stem from the origin of the word sergeant, which comes from the same root as servant. Since even the lowliest trooper in the Household Cavalry was once a gentleman, it was considered that such a rank was inappropriate. The rank of corporal of horse has existed since at least the 1660s. The rank below is Lance-corporal of horse and that above is staff corporal.
Daffadar is the equivalent rank to sergeant in the Indian and Pakistani cavalry, as it was formerly in the British Indian Army. The rank below is lance daffadar. The equivalent in infantry and other units is havildar. Like a British sergeant, a daffadar wears three rank chevrons.
Havildar or havaldar is a rank in the Indian, Pakistani and Nepalese armies, equivalent to sergeant. It is not used in cavalry units, where the equivalent is daffadar.
"Other ranks" is the term used to refer to all ranks below officers in the British Army and the Royal Marines. It includes warrant officers, non-commissioned officers ("NCOs") and ordinary soldiers with the rank of private or regimental equivalent. Officers may, in speaking, distinguish themselves from those "in the ranks".
The British Indian Army, commonly referred to as the Indian Army, was the main military force of the British Indian Empire before its dissolution in 1947. It was responsible for the defence of the British Indian Empire, including the princely states, which could also have their own armies. As quoted in the Imperial Gazetteer of India, "The British Government has undertaken to protect the dominions of the Native princes from invasion and even from rebellion within: its army is organized for the defence not merely of British India, but of all possessions under the suzerainty of the King-Emperor." The Indian Army was an important part of the forces of the British Empire, in India and abroad, particularly during the First World War and the Second World War.
Before Unification as the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, the Canadian military had three distinct services: the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Army. All three services had a Regular (full-time) component and a reserve (part-time) component. The rank structure for these services were based on the services of the British military, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army. The change to a "Canadian" rank structure meant that many of the traditional (British) rank titles and insignia were removed or changed.
Maréchal des logis is a sub-officer rank used by some units of the French Armed Forces. It is traditionally a cavalry unit rank. There are three distinct ranks of maréchal des logis, which are generally the equivalents of sergeant ranks.
The Pakistan Army ranks and insignia are the military insignia used by the Pakistan Army. Being a former Dominion, Pakistan shares a rank structure similar to that of the British Army.
Corporal technician is a rank in the Pakistan Air Force and a former rank in the British Royal Air Force, below senior technician and above junior technician. It is equivalent to the Pakistan Army's naik and the Pakistan Navy's leading rate. The British rank, which was only held by airmen in technical trades, existed between 1950 and 1964. British corporal technicians wore two inverted chevrons to distinguish their trade rank.
Lance sergeant is an appointment in the armies of the Commonwealth and formerly also a rank in the United States Army.
