BELGIAN ARMY
IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
BATTLE DRESS
RANK INSIGNIA
1940 - 1945
Already in 1940 the Belgian Government in
Exile decided that all Land Army units
would adopt the British Rank Insignia on the Battle-Dress.
The Service-Dress, for Officers and Warrant Officers, would remain Belgian, with Belgian Rank Insignia.
The reason for adopting the British Rank
Insignia on the Battle-Dress was that since the Belgian
Government in Exile
decided that most of the Land Army units would be integrated into
the British Army,
it was logical that they adopted the British Rank Insignia.
It would also facilitate the recognition of the different ranks.
Belgium was the only Allied Nation that adopted the British Rank Insignia.
Men and NCO's
The Rank Insignia are worn on both arm sleeves.
The problem that occured was Belgian ranks were not the same as British ranks.
It was only
on December 30th 1941 that an instruction, issued by
the Commander of the Belgian Forces in the United Kingdom,
Lieutenant-General DEAUFRESNE DE LA CHEVALERIE, cleared the
problem.
NCO's and Men |
||
Belgian Rank | British equivalent | |
Corporal | Lance-Corporal | |
Corporal 2 years service |
Corporal | |
Sergeant | Lance-Sergeant | |
1st Sergeant | Sergeant | |
1st Sergeant-Major | Staff Sergeant | |
Adjudant | Warrant Officer n°2 | |
Adjudant - RSM | Warrant Officer n°1 |
Corporal , Corporal 2 years service , Sergeant |
1st Sergeant of the Artillery | |
1st Sergeant , 1st Sergeant - Major | Adjudant , Adjudant RSM |
The Rank
Insignia which were adopted for 1st Sergeant was 3 British
chevrons with a grenade above for all arms,
except for the Artillery, where the grenade was replaced by a
gunbarrel.
The Rank
Insignia for Adjudant RSM was a Belgian equivalent of the British
RSM Insignia :
a shield with the Belgian National colours and a Belgian King's
crown above, surrounded by 2 white heraldic lions.
Sleeve insignia of Adjudant RSM | Belgian Workmanship |
On February 28th 1944 some changes were issued by the Ministery of Defense.
NCO's and Men |
||
Belgian Rank | British equivalent | |
Corporal | Lance-Corporal | |
Corporal 2 years service |
Corporal | |
Sergeant | Lance-Sergeant | |
1st Sergeant | Sergeant | |
1st Sergeant-Major | Warrant Officer n°2 | |
Adjudant | Warrant Officer n°1 | |
Adjudant 1st Class | Warrant Officer n°1 |
1st Sergeant - Major | Adjudant 1st Class |
The Rank Insiginia for 1st Sergeant of the Artillery became 3 chevrons surmounted by 2 crossed gunbarrels.
The Rank Insignia for 1st Sergeant - Major was a shield, with the Belgian National colours, in wreath.
The adjudant was allowed to wear the insignia of the former Adjudant RSM on both sleeves.
The Adjudant 1st Class was allowed to wear, beside the sleeve insignia of Adjudant, a white strip on the shoulder straps.
1st Sergeant of the Artillery | Sleeve Insignia of 1st Sergeant - Major |
Friz-Hill,
United Kingdom, 1943, the Belgian Independant Parachute
Company. Left : Adjudant THONNARD ; Right : 1st Sergeant STEVENS. Watch the arm sleeve insignia. |
1st Sergeant |
Officers
Alle officers wore their rank insignia on both shoulder straps.
Officers |
||||
Belgian Rank |
British equivalent | |||
B |
2nd Lieutenant | 2nd Lieutenant | A | |
B | Lieutenant | Lieutenant | A | |
B | Captain | Captain | B | |
B | Senior Captain | Captain | B | |
C |
Major | Major | B | |
C |
Lieutenant-Colonel | Colonel | C | |
C | Colonel | Brigadier | C | |
D |
Major-General | Major-General | D | |
D |
Lieutenant-General | Lieutenant-General | D |
A |
Junior officers Field Officers Senior Officers General Officers |
Lieutenant-General was the highest rank in the Belgian Army during WW2.
Belgian made pips , British made pip | Belgian made crown , British made crown |
On February
28th 1944 the Belgian Ministry of Defense issued that a Senior
Captain
was allowed to wear a white strip above the 3 pips as Rank
Insignia.
Senior Captain , Captain , Lieutenant , 2nd Lieutenant |
Brussels,
September 5, 1944 Senior Captain LEDENT of the Field Artillery Battery watch the strip above the 3 pips. |
A Belgian
Lieutenant-Colonel was allowed to wear the British Rank Insignia
of Colonel,
and a Belgian Colonel wore the Rank Insignia of a Brigadier-General.
This is what we call a "fast promotion" !!!
Colonel , Lieutenant - Colonel , Major |
It was
specified that Generals would wear the red tabs on both collars,
together with the Belgian General stars on the shoulder straps.
A Major-General wore 2 stars, a Lieutenant-General 3 stars.
Lieutenant-General Belgian stars on shoulder strap |
Lieutenant-General British rank Insignia on shoulder strap |
Some refused to wear the stars and simply wore the British rank Insignia for generals.
Lieutenant-General, Major-General |
A Belgian Colonel was allowed to wear the red tabs, with the red stripe, of a Brigadier on his collars.
Generals wore the red tabs with the golden stripe.
Colonel red tabs. |
Captain JACQMAIN | Lieutenant-General GANSHOF VANDERMEERSCH |