The following table shows comparative officer ranks of several Allied and Central powers during World War I. Not all combatant countries are shown in the table. For modern ranks refer to Comparative military ranks. See also: Comparative military ranks of World War II
KEY:
- Navy
- Army
- Air Force
modern NATO equivalent |
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---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
United States | British Empire1 | France | Italy | Russian Empire2 | German Empire | Austro-Hungarian Empire3 | Ottoman Empire4 | Portugal | |
OF-10 | Admiral of the Navy General of the Armies |
Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal |
Amiral de France5 Maréchal de France5 |
Ammiraglio Generale d’Esercito |
Генера́л-адмира́л (General Admiral) Генера́л-фельдма́ршал (General Field Marshal) |
Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall |
Großadmiral / Vezértengernagy Feldmarschall /Tábornagy |
Müşir Amiral Müşir |
Almirante8 Marechal8 |
OF-9 | Admiral General |
Admiral General |
Amiral Général d’Armée |
Vice Ammiraglio d’Armata Tenente Generale in Comando di Armata |
Адмира́л (Admiral) Генерал от инфанте́рии / кавале́рии / артилле́рии (General of the Infantry / Cavalry / Artillery) |
none Generaloberst |
Admiral / Tengernagy Generaloberst (since 1915)/ Vezérezredes |
Birinci Ferik Amiral Birinci Ferik |
Vice-almirante - |
OF-8 | Vice Admiral Lieutenant General |
Vice-Admiral Lieutenant-General Lieutenant-General |
Vice-Amiral d’Escadre Général de Corps d’Armée |
Vice Ammiraglio di Squadra Tenente Generale in Comando di Corpo d'Armata |
Ви́це-адмира́л (Vice Admiral) Генера́л-лейтена́нт (Lieutenant General) |
Admiral General der Infanterie, General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie |
Vizeadmiral / Altengernagy General der Infanterie / Gyalogsági tábornok, General der Kavallerie / lovassági tábornok, Feldzeugmeister (artillery) / táborszernagy |
Ferik Amiral Ferik |
Contra-almirante General9
|
OF-7 | Rear Admiral Major General |
Rear-Admiral Major-General Major-General |
Vice-Amiral Général de Division |
Contrammiraglio di Divisione Maggior Generale |
Ко́нтр-адмира́л (Counter Admiral) Генера́л-майо́р (Major General) |
Vizeadmiral Generalleutnant |
Kontreadmiral / Ellentengernagy Feldmarschalleutnant / Altábornagy |
Liva Amiral Mirliva | |
OF-6 | Commodore Brigadier General |
Commodore 1st Class | Contre-Amiral Général de Brigade |
Contrammiraglio Brigadier Generale |
Konteradmiral Generalmajor |
Generalmajor / Vezérőrnagy | |||
Commodore 2nd Class Brigadier-General Brigadier-General | |||||||||
OF-5 | Captain Colonel |
Captain Colonel Colonel |
Capitaine de Vaisseau Colonel |
Capitano di Vascello Colonello |
Капита́н 1-го ра́нга (Captain 1st rank) Полко́вник (Polkovnik) |
Kapitän zur See Oberst |
Linienschiffskapitän / Sorhajókapitány Oberst / Ezredes |
Kalyon Kaptanı Miralay |
Capitão de mar e guerra Coronel |
OF-4 | Commander Lieutenant-Colonel |
Commander Lieutenant-Colonel Lieutenant-Colonel |
Capitaine de Frégate Lieutenant-Colonel |
Capitano di Frigata Tenente Colonello |
Капита́н 2-го ра́нга (Captain 2nd rank) Подполко́вник (Podpolkovnik) |
Fregattenkapitän Oberstleutnant |
Fregattenkapitän / Fregattkapitány Oberstleutnant / Alezredes |
Fırkateyn Kaptanı Kaymakam |
Capitão de fragata Tenente-coronel |
OF-3 | Lieutenant-Commander Major |
Lieutenant-Commander Major Major |
Capitaine de Corvette Commandant |
Capitano di Corvetta Maggiore |
Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Senior Lieutenant) Капита́н/ро́тмистр (Captain/Rittmeister)6 |
Korvettenkapitän Major |
Korvettenkapitän / Korvettkapitány Major / Őrnagy |
Korvet Kaptanı Binbaşı |
Capitão-tenente Major |
OF-2 | Lieutenant Captain |
Lieutenant Captain Captain |
Lieutenant de Vaisseau Capitaine |
Tenente di Vascello Capitano |
Лейтена́нт (Lieutenant) Шта́бс-капита́н/Шта́бс-ро́тмистр (Stabs-Captain/Stabs-Rittmeister)6 |
Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann / Rittmeister 7 |
Linienschiffsleutnant / Sorhajóhadnagy Hauptmann / Százados, Rittmeister / Kapitány7 |
Yüzbaşı Yüzbaşı |
Primeiro-tenente Capitão |
OF-1 | Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant |
Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant |
Enseigne de Vaisseau de 1re classe Lieutenant |
Sottotenent di Vascello Tenente |
Ми́чман (Midshipman) Пору́чик/пору́чик (Poruchik/Poruchik) 6 |
Oberleutnant zur See Oberleutnant |
Fregattenleutnant / Fregatthadnagy Oberleutnant / Főhadnagy |
Mülazım Mülazım-ı evvel |
Segundo-tenente Tenente |
Ensign Second Lieutenant |
Mate[citation needed] Second Lieutenant Second Lieutenant |
Enseigne de Vaisseau de 2e Classe Sous-Lieutenant |
Guardiamarina Sottotenente |
Подпору́чик/корне́т (Sub-Poruchik/Coronet)6 | Leutnant zur See Leutnant |
Korvettenleutnant / Korvetthadnagy Leutnant / Hadnagy |
Mülazım Mülazım-ı sani |
Guarda-marinha Alferes | |
Midshipman |
Commissioned Warrant Officer/ Midshipman/ Boatswain | Aspirant Aspirant |
Aspirante Guardiamarina Aspirante |
Пра́порщик (Praporshchik) (army reserve) |
Aspirante Aspirante |
Notes[]
- From 1 April 1918, the date of its official formation, until a little after the close of World War I, the Royal Air Force used the same ranks as the British Army. The highest RAF rank held during this period was lieutenant-general.
- For transliterations, refer to History of Russian military ranks.
- Austro-Hungarian ranks are shown in both German and Hungarian, as would have been contemporary practice.
- Military personnel in the Ottoman Empire were assigned different duties according to their capabilities in order to administer the Armed Forces and particularly to be successful in battle. They were given various ranks so that they could conduct relations with each other and be fully aware of their duties. The issue of what sort of duties should be allocated to which unit or to which military institution used to be determined by the ranking within the Armed Forces. In Islamic countries, certain 'degrees', instead of ranks, were given in accordance with the categorization of government duties. In the course of time, these 'degrees' had taken on certain characteristics. In the Ottoman Empire, besides the ranks that were awarded after passing through certain stages of promotion, there was also the rank of "Pasha" that was given directly by the Ottoman Sultan. This rank, which continued until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, was also given to civilian administrators who were approved of and found suitable. After the establishment of the Republic, the Sultanate was abolished, and the title became synonymous with the General rank, restricted to the Armed Forces only. Paymaster of a regiment - Captain of the Right Wing (Alay Emini - Sağ Kolağası): The rank of the Captain of the Right Wing was very high. The rank of the Adjutant and Paymaster of a regiment was also high but such individuals were not from the military class and they dealt with clerical duties and equipment needed by the regiment. Captain of the Wing - The Captain of the Left Wing- (Kolağası - Sol Kolağası): Captain of the Wing or the Captain of the Left Wing was the senior Captain. If he was educated in the regiment, he was called "Ağa" but if he was the son of a pasha, he was called "Bey".
- Maréchal de France and Amiral de France were as much a dignity of state as a military title. Thus British Field Marshals consulted with French Generals in 1914. The elevation of Joffre to Maréchal in 1916 actually marked a diminution of his powers of command. There was no Amiral de France alive during World War I.
- Army/cavalry ranks. Cossack cavalry had distinct ranks below Podpolkovnik: войсково́й старшина́ (Voiskovoy Starshina), есау́л (Yesaul), подъесау́л (Sub-Yesaul), со́тник (Sotnik), хору́нжий (Khorunzhiy)
- Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps in Germanic-derived rank systems were called Rittmeister.
- Almirante and Marechal were only honorary ranks, not held by anyone during World War I.
- The Portuguese Army was unique in having only a single rank of General Officer. A Portuguese General could be assigned to command from a brigade to the entire Army.
- The US rank Admiral of the Navy was a unique rank created for Admiral George Dewey after the Spanish-American War; it has never been held by any other person and debate still goes on over whether it was a "five-star" or "six-star" rank. General of the Armies is similarly ambiguous; it was granted to General Pershing at the end of the war, and previously had been held (or a rank of the same name had been held) by Generals Grant and Sherman after the Civil War, but its equivalency to modern ranks is disputed.
The original article can be found at Comparative military ranks of World War I and the edit history here.