Glossary
Rank Abbreviations
In historical documents, there are dozens of variations in the way ranks were abbreviated. Below are some that have cropped up in research into Oxfordshire soldiers. If you are researching other regiments or parts of the country, you may find many others...
These are Warrant Officers and Non-Commissioned Officers only - commissioned officer ranks not included!
| Hospital Sergeant | H/Sgt |
| Recorder? | Rec |
| Superintendent? | Spt |
| ?Warrant Sergeant | W/Sgt |
| Acting Colour Sergeant | aC/Sgt |
| Acting Company Sergeant Major | a/CSM |
| Acting Corporal | a/Cpl |
| Acting Quartermaster Sergeant | a/QMS, A/QMSgt |
| Acting Regimental Sergeant Major | a/RSM |
| Acting Sergeant | a/Sgt |
| Acting Warrant Officer Class II | a/WO2, a/WOII |
| Armourer Sergeant | Arm/Sgt |
| Band Corporal | B/Cpl, B/Cpl |
| Band Master | B/Mstr |
| Band Sergeant | B/Sgt |
| Bandsman | Bdsm |
| Batman | |
| Bombardier | Bdr |
| Boy | Boy |
| Bugle Major | B/Mjr, B. Mjr, B/Maj, Bug Maj |
| Bugler | Bugler |
| Cadet | Cadet |
| Colour Corporal | C/Cpl |
| Colour Sergeant | C/Sgt |
| Company Quartermaster Sergeant | CQMS |
| Company Quartermaster Sergeant Major | CQSM |
| Company Sergeant Major | CSM |
| Corporal | Corpl., Cpl, Corp., Corp |
| Craftsman | Cfn |
| Driver | Dvr |
| Drum Major | D/Mjr, D/Maj |
| Drummer | Drumr, Drmr |
| Fusilier | Fus |
| Guardsman | Gdsm |
| Gunner | Gnr |
| Instructor Musketry Sergeant | IM/Sgt |
| Lance Corporal | L/Cpl, L/Corporal |
| Lance Sergeant | L/Sgt |
| Pay Sergeant | Pay Sgt |
| Paymaster | |
| Paymaster Sergeant | PMS, PMrS, PMSgt |
| Paymaster Sergeant Major | PSM |
| Pioneer | Pnr |
| Pioneer Sergeant | P/Sgt |
| Private | Pte |
| Private, Cadet | Boy/Pte |
| Private, trade Clerk | Clerk/Pte |
| Private, trade Farrier | Pte/farrier |
| Quartermaster | QM |
| Quartermaster Sergeant | QMSgt, QMS |
| Regimental Medical Sergeant | RMS |
| Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant | RQMS |
| Regimental Sergeant Major | RSM, Regt. Serjt. Maj. |
| Rifleman | Rfn |
| Sapper | Spr |
| Sergeant | Sgt, Serjeant, Sejt., Serjt., Sgte |
| Sergeant at Arms or Sergeant Armourer | Sgt Arm |
| Sergeant Bugler | S/Bglr, S/Buglr, S/Bug, Sgt Bglr |
| Sergeant Major | S/Mjr, S/Maj, Sgt M, Sgt Maj, SgtMjr |
| Servant | |
| Signal Corporal | Signalling Corp |
| Signaller | Sig |
| Staff Master | S/mstr, S/Mstr, S Mstr, S/Mtr |
| Staff Quartermaster Sergeant | SQMS |
| Staff Sergeant | S/Sgt |
| Staff Sergeant Major | SSM |
| Temporary Corporal | t/Cpl |
| Temporary Regiment Sergeant Major | t/RSM |
| Troop Sergeant or Temporary Sergeant | t/Sgt |
| Temporary Warrant Officer Class 2 | t/WO2 |
| Troop Sergeant Major | Tp. Sejt. Major, Tr.Sergt. Maj, Troop Sejt. Maj., TSM, T.Serjt. Maj., T.Serjt. Major, T.Sejt. Maj., T.Sejt. Major |
| Trooper | Tpr |
| Trumpeter | Trmptr, Trumpr., Trumptr. |
| Warrant Officer Class 1 | WOI, WO1 |
| Warrant Officer Class 2 | WOII, WO2 |
| Warrant Officer Class 3 | WOIII |