Lieutenant Colonel (rank)

1902 to 1920 Lieutenant Colonel's sleeve cuff rank insignia.

A Lieutenant Colonel, abbreviated to Lt Col and Lt-Col., is a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines which is also used in many Commonwealth countries. It resides above the rank of Major and is subordinate to that of Colonel. The rank insignia in the British Army and Royal Marines, as well as many Commonwealth countries, is a crown above a 4 pointed "Bath" star, also colloquially referred to as a "pip". The crown has varied in the past with different monarchs; the current one being the Crown of St Edward. Most other Commonwealth countries use the same insignia, or with the state emblem replacing the crown.

In the modern British Armed forces, the established commander of a regiment or battalion is a Lieutenant Colonel. The rank of Lieutenant Colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence. A Lieutenant Colonel is typically in charge of a battalion in the army. From 1 April 1918 to 31 July 1919, the Royal Air Force maintained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. It was superseded by the rank of Wing Commander on the following day.

Glossary of words and phrases

The above term is listed in our glossary of words and phrases of the Armed Forces of Great Britain during the Great War. Included are trench slang, service terms, expressions in everyday use, nicknames, the titles and origins of British and Commonwealth Regiments, and warfare in general. These words and phrases are contemporary to the war, which is reflected in the language used. They have been transcribed from three primary sources (see Contents). Feel free to expand upon and improve this content.
Browse other terms: A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z