Army and Navy Uniforms and Insignia / How to Know Rank, Corps and Service in the Military and Naval Forces of the United States and Foreign Countries

by Dion Williams

The principal insignia of rank worn on the sleeves of noncommissioned officers and enlisted men holding special assignments of duty are as follows:

Staff Sergeant Major, Army Service Corps	A crown surrounded by a wreath.
Master Gunner 1st and 2nd class, Field Artillery	A field gun with a crown above it.
Master Gunner 3rd class. Field Artillery	The same without the crown.
Sergeant Major	A crown.
Bandmaster	A lyre with leaves at the base and a crown above it.
Cavalry Squadron Corporal Major	A chevron of four stripes worn point up with a crown above it.
Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant	A chevron of four stripes worn point up with a twelve pointed star above it.
Quartermaster Sergeant	A chevron of four stripes worn point up.
Company Sergeant Major	A chevron of three stripes worn point down with a crown above it.
Color Sergeant	A chevron of three stripes worn point down with crossed flags and a crown above it.
Sergeant	A chevron of three stripes worn points down.
Corporal	A chevron of two stripes worn points down.
Lance Corporal	A chevron of one stripe worn point down.
Infantry Pioneer	Two axes crossed.
Roughrider of Cavalry	A spur worn rowel up.
Scout Corporal	A three-pointed lance head with a cross below it.
Squadron Scout, Cavalry	A three-pointed lance head.
Bugler	A horn bugle with cords.
Bugler of Rifle Regiments	Two such bugles.
Sergeant Trumpeter	Two straight trumpets crossed with a three-pointed lance head vertical in the center.
Drummer	A snare drum.
Machine Gunner	The letters “M. G.” surrounded by a wreath.
Horseshoer	A horseshoe worn toe up.
Saddler	A horse’s bridle curb bit.
Wheelwright and Carpenter	A wagon wheel.
Flight Sergeant of Royal Flying Corps	Chevrons as for other sergeants with a four-bladed propeller and a crown above it.
Sergeant of Royal Flying Corps	The same without the crown.
Flying Corps Badge	The words “Royal Flying Corps” on a blue ground.
Qualified Pilot, Flying Corps	Two horizontally spread wings with a crown above and the initials “R. F. C.” in the center.
Engineer Noncommissioned Officers	The same chevrons as other noncommissioned officers with a bursting bomb above.
Royal Army Medical Corps
enlisted men	A scarlet Geneva cross in a yellow circle.

Excellence in target practice with rifles and guns is indicated by special badges worn on the sleeves between the elbow and the shoulder as follows:

Best rifle shot in Regiment	Two rifles crossed surrounded by a wreath with a crown above it.
Best shooting squadron or company in a Regiment	The same without the wreath.
Best shot in squadron, company or band	Two rifles crossed with a star above.
First Class Gunner, Artillery	Two cannon crossed with a crown above.
Best swordsman in Regiment, Cavalry
Two sabers crossed with a crown above.
Best swordsman in Troop, Cavalry	Two sabers crossed with a star above.
Best swordsman in every twenty men. Cavalry	The same without the star.
First Prize Gunner, Artillery	The letter “G” with a wreath beneath and a crown above.
Second Prize Gunner, Artillery	The same with a star instead of the crown.
Gun Layer, Artillery	The letter “L” with a wreath beneath.

A new type of distinguishing mark adopted during the present war consists of pieces of cloth of various shapes worn in the center of the back between the shoulders to enable officers to distinguish the organization to which a man on the firing line belongs.

Uniforms of the French Army

Up to within a few years the uniform of the troops of the Line of the French Army consisted of a dark blue coat and red trousers, with caps of the kepi design and white gaiters or short leggings. This uniform was decorated with gold and silver ornamentation and rank insignia and as a variation in the headdress the cavalry wore helmets with plumes.

At the time of the Boer War in South Africa the question of a less conspicuous uniform was agitated with the result that a coat of mignonette green (or reseda as it was called in France) was adopted although the red trousers were retained. With this uniform a helmet of the same color as the coat was adopted. Some of the troops still retained the dark blue coats however and discussion as to the uniform to be finally adopted continued.

In 1912 a single-breasted sack coat of a light gray-blue color was tried with the blue and red kepi, and red trousers which were worn tight around the calves of the legs. The wrap puttee was also worn to some extent.

Shortly after the beginning of the present war it was demonstrated by service in the field that the red trousers and gold trimmings were too conspicuous for modern field service, and as a result a uniform of the light gray-blue color, known as “horizon blue,” was adopted for both officers and enlisted men on field service, but the old dress uniforms were not abolished though not worn during war. In this uniform simplicity was sought and all bright buttons, insignia and trimmings were reduced to a minimum with the object of securing a serviceable and inconspicuous uniform.