British Army Ranks

Here you will find ranks used during WW2. Equivalent rank and common abbreviations are in brackets. 

Bandmaster

Bandsman (Bdsm) 

Battery Quartermaster Sergeant (BQMS)

Battery Sergeant Major (BSM)

Bombardier (Bdr)

Brigadier (Brig)

Bugler (Bglr)

Bugle Major (B/M)

Captain (Capt)

Chaplain General (= Major General) (CG)

Chaplain to the Forces 4th Class (= Captain) (CF4)

Chaplain to the Forces 3rd Class (= Major) (CF3)

Chaplain to the Forces 2nd Class (= Lieutenant Colonel) (CF2)

Chaplain to the Forces 1st Class (= Colonel) (CF4)

Chief Commandant (= Lieutenant Colonel) (ATS)

Chief Commander (= Lieutenant Colonel) (ATS)

Chief Controller (= Major General) (ATS) 

Chief Principle Matron (= Colonel) (QAIMNS/TANS) 

Chief Volunteer (= Lance Corporal) (ATS) 

Colonel (Col)

Colour Sergeant (C Sgt)

Company Assistant (= 2nd Lieutenant) (ATS)

Company Commander (= Captain) (ATS)

Company Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS)

Company Sergeant Major (CSM)

Controller (= Colonel) (ATS)

Corporal (Cpl)

Craftsman (Cfn)

Deputy Chaplain General (= Brigadier) (DCG) 

Deputy Company Commander (= Lieutenant) (ATS)

Driver (Dvr)

Drum Major (D/M)

Drummer (Dmr)

Field Marshal (FM)

Fusilier (Fus)

General (Gen)

Guardsman (Gdsm)

Gunner (Gnr)

Junior Commander (= Captain) (ATS) 

Lance Bombardier (L Bdr)

Lance Corporal (L Cpl)

Lance Sergeant ( L Sgt)

Lieutenant (Lt/Lieut)

Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col)

Lieutenant General (Lt Gen)

Major (Maj)

Major General (Maj Gen)

Matron (= Major) (QAIMNS/TANS)

Matron-in-Chief (= Brigadier) (QAIMNS/TANS)  

Musician (Mus/Musn)

Pipe Major (P/M)

Piper 

Platoon Sergeant Major (PSM)

Principle Matron (= Lieutenant Colonel) (QAIMNS/TANS)

Private (Pte)

Quartermaster (QM)

Rifleman (Rfm/Rfmn)

Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant (RQMS)

Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM)

Senior Commander (= Major) (ATS) 

Sapper (Spr)

Second Lieutenant (2Lt/2nd Lt)

Second Subaltern (= Second Lieutenant) (ATS)

Section Leader (= Sergeant) (ATS)

Senior Commandant (= Major) (ATS)

Senior Controller (= Brigadier) (ATS)

Senior Leader (= Warrant Officer) (ATS)

Senior Sister (= Captain) (QAIMNS/TANS) 

Sergeant (Sgt)

Sergeant Major (SM)

Signalman (Sgmn)

Squadron Quartermaster Sergeant (SQMS)

Squadron Sergeant Major (SSM)

Staff Nurse (QAIMNS/TANS)

Sister ( = Lieutenant) (QAIMNS/TANS)

Staff Sergeant (S Sgt)

Sub Leader (= Corporal) (ATS) 

Subaltern (= Lieutenant) (ATS)

Troop Sergeant Major (TSM)

Trooper (Tpr)

Trumpeter 

Volunteer (= Private) (ATS)

Warrant Officer Class 1 (WO1) 

Warrant Officer Class 2 (WO2)

Warrant Officer Class 3 (WO3)