British Army Ranks Specialism & Insignia
The British Army does not have its own specific ensign, unlike the Royal Navy, which uses the White Ensign, and the RAF, which uses the Royal Air Force Ensign. Instead, the Army has different flags and ensigns, for the entire army and the different regiments and corps. The official flag of the Army as a whole is the Union Flag, flown in a ratio of 3:5. A non-ceremonial flag also exists, which is used at recruiting events, military events and exhibitions. It also flies from the MOD building in Whitehall.
Whilst at war, the Union Flag is always used, and this flag represents the Army on the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London (the UK's memorial to its war dead). A British Army ensign also exists for vessels commanded by a commissioned officer, the Blue Ensign defaced with the Army badge. Army Vessels are operated by the Maritime element of the Royal Logistic Corps.
Each Foot Guards and line regiment (which does not include The Rifles and Royal Gurkha Rifles (RGR)) also has its own flags, known as Colours—normally a Regimental Colour and a Queen's Colour. The design of different Regimental Colours. vary but typically the colour has the Regiment's badge in the centre. The RGR carry the Queen's Truncheon in place of Colours.
Ranks, specialisms and insignia
| NATO Code | OF-10 | OF-9 | OF-8 | OF-7 | OF-6 | OF-5 | OF-4 | OF-3 | OF-2 | OF-1 | OF(D) | Student Officer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United KingdomEdit |
No Equivalent | ||||||||||||
| Field Marshal1 | General | Lieutenant General | Major General | Brigadier | Colonel | Lieutenant Colonel | Major | Captain | Lieutenant | Second Lieutenant | Officer Cadet | ||
| Abbreviation | FM | Gen. | Lt-Gen. | Maj-Gen. | Brig. | Col. | Lt-Col. | Maj. | Capt. | Lt. | 2nd Lt. | ||
|
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| NATO Code | OR-9 | OR-8 | OR-7 | OR-6 | OR-5 | OR-4 | OR-3 | OR-2 | OR-1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom |
 |
No Equivalent |
No Insignia |
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| Warrant Officer Class One (Conductor) | Warrant Officer Class One | Warrant Officer Class Two (Quartermaster Sergeant) | Warrant Officer Class Two (Sergeant Major) | Staff Sergeant/ Colour Sergeant |
Sergeant | Corporal/ Bombardier |
Lance-Corporal/ Lance-Bombardier |
Private/regimental equivalent | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
Every regiment and corps has its own distinctive insignia, such as cap badge, beret, tactical recognition flash and stable belt.
Throughout the army there are many official specialisms. They do not affect rank, but they do affect pay bands.
| Band 2 Specialisms: | Band 3 Specialisms: |
| Musician | Survey Technician |
| Farrier | Lab Technician |
| Driver Tank Transporter | Registered General Nurse |
| Radar Operator | Telcom Op (Special) |
| Meteorologist | Aircraft Technician |
| Bomb Disposal Engineer | SAS Trooper |
| Telcom Op (Linguist) | Ammunition Technician (Bomb Disposal) |
| Operator Special Intelligence | |
| Construction Materials Technician | |
| Driver Specialist | |
| Armoured Engineer |