Lieutenant (British Army and Royal Marines) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Lieutenant
Army and Royal Marines insignia
Country	United Kingdom
Service branch	British Army  Royal Marines
Abbreviation	Lt
NATO rank	OF-1
Next higher rank	Captain
Next lower rank	Second lieutenant
Equivalent ranks	Sub-lieutenant (RN) Flying officer (RAF)

A Lieutenant (often shortened to Lt) is an important junior officer in the British Army and Royal Marines. This rank is a step up from a second lieutenant. It is also a step below a captain.

The rank of Lieutenant is part of the OF-1 group in NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) military rankings. This means it's a starting officer rank. In the British forces, it's just called "Lieutenant," not "First Lieutenant" like in some other countries.

This rank is similar to a flying officer in the Royal Air Force (RAF). It is also considered equal to a sub-lieutenant in the Royal Navy (RN). However, the Army's Lieutenant rank has always been junior to the Navy's own rank of lieutenant.

What a Lieutenant Does

In the British Army today, a person usually holds the rank of Lieutenant for up to three years. A Lieutenant often leads a platoon or a troop. This group is made up of about thirty soldiers.

Before 1871, some parts of the British Army used different names. For example, the Royal Artillery and Royal Engineers had "first lieutenant" and "second lieutenant." After 1871, the whole Army started using the single rank of "Lieutenant."

How to Address a Lieutenant

In the United Kingdom, you don't usually call a Lieutenant by their rank. Instead, you would use "Mr." or "Ms." followed by their last name. So, a Lieutenant named Smith would be called "Mr. Smith." This is different from how you would address a "Captain" or higher ranks.

Badges and History

A Lieutenant's rank is shown by special badges called insignia. These badges have changed over time.

From 1856 to 1880, Lieutenants wore a single crown on their collar. This is the same badge that a major wears today.

In 1881, the badges changed. Lieutenants started wearing a single pip (a small star-like symbol) on their shoulder. Then, in 1902, they received a second pip. This two-pip badge is still used today.

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  1856 to 1880 Lieutenant's collar rank insignia

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  1881 to 1902 Lieutenant's shoulder rank insignia

During the First World War, officers sometimes wore their rank badges on their shoulders. This was because badges on the cuffs (sleeves) made them easy targets for snipers. This change was made official in 1917 and became permanent in 1920. Before that, cuff badges looked like this:

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  First World War lieutenant's rank insignia (general pattern)

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  First World War lieutenant's rank insignia (Scottish pattern)

The Royal Air Force also had the rank of Lieutenant for a short time. This was from April 1, 1918, to July 31, 1919. After that, the rank of flying officer took its place.

See also

• British and U.S. military ranks compared
• British Army Other Ranks rank insignia
• British Army officer rank insignia