Lieutenant colonel (United Kingdom)

Please see Lieutenant Colonel for other countries which use this rank

Lieutenant Colonel (Lt Col), is a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines which is also used in many Commonwealth countries. The rank is superior to major, and subordinate to colonel. The comparable Royal Navy rank is commander, and the comparable rank in the Royal Air Force and many Commonwealth air forces is Wing Commander.

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 modern British forces, a Lieutenant Colonel usually commands a regiment or battalion.

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 It was superseded by the rank of Wing Commander on the following day.

Historical insignia

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  1856 to 1867 Lieutenant Colonel's collar rank insignia

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  1867 to 1880 Lieutenant Colonel's collar rank insignia

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  1881 to 1902 Lieutenant Colonel's shoulder rank insignia

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  1902 to 1920 Lieutenant Colonel's sleeve cuff rank insignia

References

NATO rank code / Service branch	student officer	OF-1		OF-2	OF-3	OF-4	OF-5	OF-6 ★	OF-7 ★★	OF-8 ★★★	OF-9 ★★★★	OF-10 ★★★★★
Royal Navy	OC	Midshipman	Sub-Lt	Lt	Lt Cdr	Cdr	Capt	Cdre	RAdm	VAdm	Admiral	Adm of the Fleet
Royal Marines	OCdt	2Lt	Lt	Capt	Major	Lt Col	Colonel	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt-Gen	General	Captain-General
British Army	OCdt	2Lt	Lt	Capt	Major	Lt Col	Colonel	Brig	Maj-Gen	Lt-Gen	General	Field marshal
Royal Air Force	Off Cdt / SO	APO / Plt Off	Fg Off	Flt Lt	Sqn Ldr	Wg Cdr	Gp Capt	Air Cdre	AVM	Air Mshl	Air Chf Mshl	Mshl of the RAF
lists	rear admirals vice admirals admirals RM full generals Army full generals air chief marshals female senior officers