POLISH FORCES IN SCOTLAND
during and after World War Two
Polish Military Ranks of WWII
Army, Navy and Air Force
including abbreviations used and their equivalent British Ranks
Note- The Polish alphabet was not used in the tables below
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.
Lance Corporal Rifles
starszy dragon
st.drag.
Lance Corporal Dragoons
starszy ulan
st. ul.
Lance Corporal Lancers
starszy saper
st.sap.
Lance Corporal Engineers
bombardier
bomb.
Lance Corporal Artillery
starszy grenadier
st. gren.
Lance Corporal Grenadiers
kapral
kapr.
Corporal
plutonowy
plut.
Sergeant
sierzant
sierz.
Sergeant Major
wachmistrz
wachm.
Sergeant Major of Horse
ogniomistrz
ognm.
Sergeant Major of Artillery
starszy sierzant
st.sierz.
Company Sergeant Major, Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant, Warrant Officer 2nd Class (WO II)
starszy wachmistrz
st.wachm.
Company Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer 2nd Class (WO II)
starszy ogniomistrz
st.ognm.
Battery Sergeant Major
chorazy
chor.
Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer 1st Class (WO I)
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.
3. Pchor. would be preceded by the soldier's rank, e.g. plut.-pchor.
5. The Polish language has a different alphabet and to simplify text Polish words appear without their diacritic marks.
2. Excluded from the table are field ranks appertaining to the Church.
4. There are other designations that could be added to a rank, e.g. lekarz (lek.) as in kpt.lek. - Captain army doctor.
6. Polish ranks are stated in lower case letters.
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
Polish 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.
For comments please email rostrycharz@googlemail.com
© Copyright R M Ostrycharz 2001-2025
PolishRanks.hrml
Last modified 6 July 2025