Former ranks of the Canadian Forces

Before Unification as the Canadian Armed Forces in 1968, the Canadian military had three distinct services; the Royal Canadian Navy, the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Canadian Army. All three services had a Regular (full time) component and a Reserve (part time component). The rank structure for these services were based on the services of the British military, the Royal Navy, the Royal Air Force, and the British Army. The change to a "Canadian" rank structure meant that many of the traditional (British) rank titles and insignia were deleted.

Changes: Navy

Almost all vestiges of naval tradition were lost when the Canadian Forces were unified, however, naval rank titles did remain for the personnel of the new Maritime Command, though they became associated with the new CF insignia which was largely drawn from Army and Air Force traditions.

Officer rank insignia in the Canadian Forces resemble more of a naval tradition rather than the Army and Air Force. However, the executive curl was lost.

Changes: Army

While the insignia for non-commissioned personnel of the CF very closely matched that of the pre-Unification Army, there were some changes and new classes of ranks were created. The Army had previously had General Officers, Officers, Warrant Officers, Senior NCOs, Junior NCOs, and Men. All personnel that were not officers were referred to collectively as "Other Ranks". After Unification, Other Ranks became known as Non Commissioned Members (NCMs). The category of Senior NCOs now included only one rank - that of sergeant - whereas before it had included both staff sergeants and sergeants. There were also three grades of warrant officer, whereas immediately before unification there had been only two.

The appointments of Lance Corporal and Lance Sergeant were deleted. Originally, there were only Privates and Corporals below the rank of sergeant. Those corporals with leadership training came to be referred to as "B" Corporals (for having completed Part B of the leadership training) and started to wear a crown over their two chevrons. Eventually the crown was changed to a maple leaf surmounting the chevrons, and the appointment of Master Corporal was created after much hostility and confusion within the ranks regarding who would be providing leadership at the lowest levels of Force Mobile Command (the new name for what used to be the Army).

Changes: Air Force

The distinctive Air Force rank titles were eliminated, and Air Command used the same rank titles as Force Mobile Command.

Relative ranks and responsibilities

The ranks of the new Canadian Forces did not match up exactly with the ranks (and attendant responsibilities) of the old system.

In the Army, for example, an infantry platoon would have a sergeant for a second in command and a staff sergeant would serve as a company quartermaster sergeant. In the new Canadian Forces, however, a warrant officer would fill both those roles. While an infantry section was commanded by a corporal pre-Unification, after Unification that task fell on a sergeant. The rank of corporal in the Army was especially downgraded in terms of responsibility; before Unification a Canadian corporal was the equivalent of a sergeant in most other armies due to his responsibility as a section commander. After Unification, the rank of corporal became nothing more than a pay raise with authority being granted instead to the new master corporals. Equivalents in the table below are very approximate, then.

Certain ranks had alternate titles according to tradition and the trade of the soldier.

Privates:

Artillery - Gunner

Armoured - Trooper

Electrical and Mechanical Engineers - Craftsman

Fusilier Regiment - Fusilier

Rifle Regiment - Rifleman

Engineers - Sapper

Guards Regiments - Guardsman

Lance Corporals:

Artillery - Lance Bombardier

Corporals:

Artillery - Bombardier

Master Corporals:

Artillery - Master Bombardier

Insignia

Pre Unification RCN

Pre Unification Army

Army Officers' Insignia before unification consisted of several rank badges based on British Army designs:

* The Star of the Order of the Bath, commonly called a "pip" in sequence of one, two or three as necessary.

* The Crown, being a St. Edward's Crown after 1953 (sometimes called a "Queen's Crown") and a Tudor Pattern Crown (sometimes called a "King's Crown") before the ascension of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II to the throne.

* The Marmeluke sabre, crossed by a baton, was used in General Officer's insignia.

Army Warrant Officers' also used rank badges based on British designs:

* A Warrant Officer I Class wore the coat of arms of Canada; before the 1950s, the British Royal Coat of Arms was worn.

* A Warrant Officer II Class wore a Crown (either St. Edward's Pattern or Tudor Pattern, as described under officers' insignia above) within a wreath.

* During the Second World War, a Warrant Officer Class III had worn a plain crown; this rank was abolished in practice during, and officially after, the war.

Finally, Army NCO's also used rank badges based on British designs:

* Rank badges were constructed from white herringbone lace sewn into 1-, 2-, or 3-bar chevrons. A crown was worn over the chevrons for Staff Sergeants.

Pre Unification RCAF

Post Unification Canadian Forces

The most noticeable change in rank insignia after Unification was the deletion of British stars and crowns on officer's shoulder boards. Instead, a series of gold stripes was instituted, similar to the pre-unification naval and air force rank system in concept but very different in appearance. Warrant officers retained the traditional army style rank badges, and NCO's chevrons were also changed, being smaller and made from newer material, similar to US Army NCO badges in the 1960s. The maple leaf also featured on NCO badges, even being worn over a private's 1-bar chevron in initial issues of the new insignia in the years immediately after unification.

General's and Admiral's insignia remained similar to pre-Unification Army insignia, with maple leaves replacing the stars and crowns, but retaining the crossed sabre and baton. A wide band of gold braid was also used, similar to pre-Unification Naval insignia worn by Admirals.

External links

A complete guide to pre-Unification Army insignia and ranks can be found at http://www.canadiansoldiers.com