Polish Forces in Scotland
during the
Second World War
 
Polish Military Ranks of WWII
including abbreviations used and their equivalent British Ranks
 
 
Note-The Polish alphabet was not used in the tables below
 
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Polish Army

Polish rank

Abbrev

Equivalent to:

szeregowiec

szer.

Private

strzelec

strz.

Rifleman

dragon

drag.

Dragoon

ulan

ul.

Lancer

saper

sap.

Sapper

kanonier

kan.

Gunner

grenadier

gren.

Grenadier

starszy szeregowiec

st.szer.

Lance Corporal

starszy strzelec

st.strz.

starszy dragon

st.drag.

starszy ulan

st. ul.

starszy saper

st.sap.

bombardier

bomb.

starszy grenadier

st. gren.

kapral

kapr.

Corporal

plutonowy

plut.

Lance Sergeant

sierzant

sierz.

Sergeant

wachmistrz

wachm.

Sergeant of Horse

ogniomistrz

ognm.

Artillery Sergeant

starszy sierzant

st.sierz.

Staff-Sergeant

starszy wachmistrz

st.wachm.

starszy ogniomistrz

st.ognm.

chorazy

chor.

Warrant Officer

aspirant

asp.

Aspirant

podporucznik

ppor.

Second-Lieutenant

porucznik

por.

Lieutenant

kapitan

kpt.

Captain

rotmistrz

rtm.

Captain of Horse

major

mjr.

Major

podpulkownik

pplk.

Lieutenant-Colonel

pulkownik

plk.

Colonel

general brygady

gen.bryg.

Major-General

general dywizji

gen.dyw.

Lieutenant-General

general broni

gen.broni

General

marszalek

marsz.

Marshal

podchorazy

pchor.

Cadet Officer

Notes to Army Ranks
 
1. An officer who had passed Staff College was indicated as e.g., pplk dypl. Dypl. is an abbreviation of dyplomowany.
2. Excluded from the table are field ranks appertaining to the Church.
3. Pchor. would be preceded by the soldier's rank, e.g. plut.-pchor.
4. There are other designations that could be added to a rank, e.g. lekarz (lek.) as in kpt.lek. - Captain army doctor.
5. The Polish language has a different alphabet and to simplify text Polish words appear without their diacritic marks.
6. Polish ranks are stated in lower case letters.
 
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Polish Navy

Polish rank

Abbrev

RN equivalent

marynarz

mar.

Ordinary Seaman

starszy marynarz

st.mar.

Able-Bodied Seaman

mat

mat

Leading Seaman

starszy mat

st.mat

Senior Leading Seaman

bosmanmat

bosmanmat

Petty Officer 2nd Class

bosman

bosman

Petty Officer 1st Class

starszy bosman

st.bosman

Chief Petty Officer

chorazy marynarki

chor.mar.

Warrant Officer

podporucznik marynarki

ppor.mar.

Sub-Lieutenant

porucznik marynarki

por.mar

Lieutenant

kapitan marynarki

kpt.mat

Lieutenant Commander

komandor-podporucznik

kdr.ppor

Commander

komandor-porucznik

kdr.por

No equivalent RN rank

komandor

kdr.

Captain RN

no equivalent Polish rank

Commodore

kontr-admiral

Rear-Admiral

wice-admiral

Vice-Admiral

admiral

Admiral

no equivalent Polish rank

Admiral of the Fleet

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Air Force

Polish rank

Abbrev

RAF rank

Abbrev

szeregowiec

szer.

Aircraftman Class 2

AC2

starszy szeregowiec

st.szer

Aircraftman Class 1

AC1

kapral

kpr.

Leading Aircraftman

LAC

plutonowy

plut.

Corporal

Cpl.

sierzant

sierz.

Sergeant

Sgt.

starszy sierzant

st.sierz.

Flight Sergeant

F/Sgt.

chorazy

chor.

Warrant Officer

W/O.

podporucznik

ppor.

Pilot Officer

P/O.

pororucznik

por.

Flying Officer

F/O.

kapitan

kpt.

Flight Lieutenant

F/Lt.

major

mjr.

Squadron Leader

S/Ldr.

podpulkownik

pplk.

Wing Commander

W/Cdr.

pulkownik

plk.

Group Captain

G/Cpt.

no equivalent rank

Air Commodore

A.Cdr.

general brygady

gen.bryg.

Air Vice Marshal

A.V.M.

general dywizji

gen.dyw.

Air Marshal

A.M.

general broni

gen.br.

Air Chief Marshal

A.C.M.

marszalek

Marshal of the RAF

podchorazy

pchor.

Officer Cadet

O.Cdt.

 
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© Copyright R M Ostrycharz 2001
last modified 20/6/2001