Home Page World War II Armed Forces — Orders of Battle and Organizations Last Updated 18.02.2020
British, Colonial, and Dominion Armed Forces
Officer Ranks
 
• Royal Navy US Navy
equivalent		 British Army
Royal Marines		 US Army
USAAF
USMC
equivalent		 Royal Air Forces
Women's Auxiliaries: to Jan 40 → from Jan 40
Nursing Services
Abbrev Definition Abbrev Definition Abbreviation
{Alternatives}		 Definition
G5 — Admiral of the Fleet Fleet Admiral FM Field-Marshal General of the Army MRAF Marshal of the Royal Air Force
G4 Adm Admiral
 Admiral GEN   General General ACM Air Chief Marshal
G3 V Adm Vice-Admiral Vice Admiral LTG   Lieutenant-General Lieutenant General AM Air Marshal
G2 R Adm Rear-Admiral Rear Admiral [2] MG Major-General Major General AVM
n/a → ACC		 Air Vice Marshal
n/a → Air Chief Commandant
G1 Com Commodore [1] Commodore [2] BG Brigadier [3] Brigadier General Air Com {A/C}
S/C → A/C		 Air Commodore
Senior Controller → Air Commandant
Matron-in-Chief
O6 Capt Captain Captain COL Colonel Colonel Grp Cpt {G/C}
CON → G/O		 Group Captain
Controller → Group Officer
Chief Principal Matron
O5 Cdr Commander Commander LTC Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant Colonel Wng Cdr {W/C}
CH/C → W/O		 Wing Commander
Chief Commandant → Wing Officer
Principal Matron
O4 Lt Cdr Lieutenant-Commander Lieutenant Commander MAJ Major Major Sqdn Ldr {S/L}
SC → SQ/O		 Squadron Leader
Senior Commandant → Squadron Officer
Matron
O3 Lt Lieutenant Lieutenant CPT Captain Captain Flt Lt {F/LT}
CC → FLT/O		 Flight Lieutenant
Company Commander → Flight Officer
Senior Sister
O2 Sub Lt Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant (junior grade) 1LT Lieutenant 1st Lieutenant Flg Off {F/O}
DCC → S/O		 Flying Officer
Deputy Company Commander → Section Officer
Sister
O1 Mid Midshipman Ensign 2LT 2nd Lieutenant 2nd Lieutenant Plt Off {P/O}
CA → ASO		 Pilot Officer
Company Assistant → Assistant Section Officer
Staff Nurse
Temporary appointments received the abbreviation "T/" before the rank.
Skipper [Skr] was a rank used in the Royal Naval Reserve for captains of fishing boats who were members of the service. It was equivalent to Warrant Officer.
Skippers could also be promoted to Chief Skipper [Ch Skr] (equivalent to Commissioned Warrant Officer) and Skipper Lieutenant [Skr L].
[1]   A temporary title in the Royal Navy. It was bestowed upon Captains who commanded squadrons of more than one vessel.
(It was not until 1996 that Commodore was made a rank in the Royal Navy.)
[2]   Up to 8 April 1943 the USN G1 pay grade was Rear Admiral (Lower Half), and the G2 pay grade was know as Rear Admiral (Upper Half).
[3]   In the British Army, a Brigadier was considered as a field grade officer, not a general.
 
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