Comparative officer ranks of World War I

The following table shows comparative officer ranks of several Allied and Central powers during World War I. Not all combatant countries are shown in the table. For modern ranks refer to List of comparative military ranks. See also: Comparative officer ranks of World War II

KEY:

Navy

Army

Air Force

Approximate modern NATO equivalent
	United States	British Empire1	France	Italy	Russian Empire2	Serbia	German Empire	Austro-Hungarian Empire3	Ottoman Empire4	Portugal
OF-10	Admiral of the Navy10 General of the Armies10	Admiral of the Fleet Field Marshal	Amiral de France5 Maréchal de France5	Ammiraglio Generale d’Esercito	Генера́л-адмира́л (General Admiral) Генера́л-фельдма́ршал (General Field Marshal)	Војвода (Field Marshal)12	Großadmiral Generalfeldmarschall	Großadmiral / Vezértengernagy Feldmarschall /Tábornagy	Müşir Amiral Müşir	Almirante8 Marechal8
OF-9	Admiral General	Admiral General	Vice-Amiral Général de Division	Vice Ammiraglio d’Armata Tenente Generale in Comando di Armata	Адмира́л (Admiral) Генерал от инфанте́рии / кавале́рии / артилле́рии (General of the Infantry / Cavalry / Artillery)	Генерал (General)11	none Generaloberst	Admiral / Tengernagy Generaloberst (since 1915)/ Vezérezredes	Birinci Ferik Amiral Birinci Ferik	Vice-almirante -
OF-8	Vice Admiral Lieutenant-General	Vice Admiral Lieutenant General Lieutenant General		Vice Ammiraglio di Squadra Tenente Generale in Comando di Corpo d'Armata			Admiral General der Infanterie, General der Kavallerie, General der Artillerie	Vizeadmiral / Altengernagy General der Infanterie / Gyalogsági tábornok, General der Kavallerie / lovassági tábornok, Feldzeugmeister (artillery) / táborszernagy	Ferik Amiral Ferik	Contra-almirante General9
OF-7	Rear Admiral Major-General	Rear Admiral Major General Major General		Contrammiraglio di Divisione Maggior Generale	Ви́це-адмира́л (Vice Admiral) Генера́л-лейтена́нт (Lieutenant General)		Vizeadmiral Generalleutnant	Kontreadmiral / Ellentengernagy Feldmarschalleutnant / Altábornagy	Liva Amiral Mirliva
OF-6	Commodore Brigadier-General	Commodore 1st Class	Contre-Amiral Général de Brigade	Contrammiraglio Brigadier Generale	Ко́нтр-адмира́л (Counter Admiral) Генера́л-майо́р (Major General)		Konteradmiral Generalmajor	Generalmajor / Vezérőrnagy
		Commodore 2nd Class Brigadier General Brigadier General
OF-5	Captain Colonel	Captain Colonel Colonel	Capitaine de Vaisseau Colonel	Capitano di Vascello Colonello	Капита́н 1-го ра́нга (Captain 1st rank) Полко́вник (Polkovnik)	Пуковник (Colonel)	Kapitän zur See Oberst	Linienschiffskapitän / Sorhajókapitány Oberst / Ezredes	Kalyon Kaptanı Miralay	Capitão de mar e guerra Coronel
OF-4	Commander Lieutenant-Colonel	Commander Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant Colonel	Capitaine de Frégate Lieutenant-Colonel	Capitano di Frigata Tenente Colonello	Капита́н 2-го ра́нга (Captain 2nd rank) Подполко́вник (Podpolkovnik)	Потпуковник (Lieutenant-Colonel)	Fregattenkapitän Oberstleutnant	Fregattenkapitän / Fregattkapitány Oberstleutnant / Alezredes	Fırkateyn Kaptanı Kaymakam	Capitão de fragata Tenente-coronel
OF-3	Lieutenant-Commander Major	Lieutenant Commander Major Major	Capitaine de Corvette Commandant	Capitano di Corvetta Maggiore	Ста́рший лейтена́нт (Senior Lieutenant) Капита́н/ро́тмистр (Captain/Rittmeister)6	Мајор (Major)	Korvettenkapitän Major	Korvettenkapitän / Korvettkapitány Major / Őrnagy	Korvet Kaptanı Binbaşı	Capitão-tenente Major
OF-2	Lieutenant Captain	Lieutenant Captain Captain	Lieutenant de Vaisseau Capitaine	Tenente di Vascello Capitano	Лейтена́нт (Lieutenant) Шта́бс-капита́н/Шта́бс-ро́тмистр (Stabs-Captain/Stabs-Rittmeister)6	Капетан прве класе (Captain 1st Class)	Kapitänleutnant Hauptmann / Rittmeister 7	Linienschiffsleutnant / Sorhajóhadnagy Hauptmann / Százados, Rittmeister / Kapitány7	Yüzbaşı Yüzbaşı	Primeiro-tenente Capitão
OF-1	Lieutenant Junior Grade First Lieutenant	Sub-Lieutenant Lieutenant Lieutenant	Enseigne de Vaisseau de 1reclasse Lieutenant	Sottotenent di Vascello Tenente	Ми́чман (Midshipman) Пору́чик/пору́чик (Poruchik/Poruchik) 6	Капетан друге класе (Captain 2nd Class)	Oberleutnant zur See Oberleutnant	Fregattenleutnant / Fregatthadnagy Oberleutnant / Főhadnagy	Mülazım Mülazım-ı evvel	Segundo-tenente Tenente
	Ensign Second Lieutenant	Chief Commissioned Warrant Officer Second Lieutenant Second Lieutenant	Enseigne de Vaisseau de 2e Classe Sous-Lieutenant	Guardiamarina Sottotenente	Подпору́чик/корне́т (Sub-Poruchik/Cornet)6	Поручник (Lieutenant)	Leutnant zur See Leutnant	Korvettenleutnant / Korvetthadnagy Leutnant / Hadnagy	Mülazım Mülazım-ı sani	Guarda-marinha Alferes
	Midshipman	Commissioned Warrant Officer/ Midshipman	Aspirant Aspirant	Aspirante Guardiamarina Aspirante	Пра́порщик (Praporshchik) (army reserve)	Потпоручник (Sub-Lieutenant)				Aspirante Aspirante

Notes

1. From 1 April 1918, the date of its official formation, until a little after the close of World War I, the Royal Air Force used the same ranks as the British Army. The highest RAF rank held during this period was lieutenant-general.
2. For transliterations, refer to History of Russian military ranks.
3. Austro-Hungarian ranks are shown in both German and Hungarian, as would have been contemporary practice.
4. Military personnel in the Ottoman Empire were assigned different duties according to their capabilities in order to administer the Armed Forces and particularly to be successful in battle. They were given various ranks so that they could conduct relations with each other and be fully aware of their duties. The issue of what sort of duties should be allocated to which unit or to which military institution used to be determined by the ranking within the Armed Forces. In Islamic countries, certain 'degrees', instead of ranks, were given in accordance with the categorization of government duties. In the course of time, these 'degrees' had taken on certain characteristics. In the Ottoman Empire, besides the ranks that were awarded after passing through certain stages of promotion, there was also the rank of "Pasha" that was given directly by the Ottoman Sultan. This rank, which continued until the establishment of the Republic of Turkey, was also given to civilian administrators who were approved of and found suitable. After the establishment of the Republic, the Sultanate was abolished, and the title became synonymous with the General rank, restricted to the Armed Forces only. Paymaster of a regiment - Captain of the Right Wing (Alay Emini - Sağ Kolağası): The rank of the Captain of the Right Wing was very high. The rank of the Adjutant and Paymaster of a regiment was also high but such individuals were not from the military class and they dealt with clerical duties and equipment needed by the regiment. Captain of the Wing - The Captain of the Left Wing- (Kolağası - Sol Kolağası): Captain of the Wing or the Captain of the Left Wing was the senior Captain. If he was educated in the regiment, he was called "Ağa" but if he was the son of a pasha, he was called "Bey".
5. Maréchal de France and Amiral de France were as much a dignity of state as a military title. Thus British Field Marshals consulted with French Generals in 1914. The elevation of Joffre to Maréchal in 1916 actually marked a diminution of his powers of command. There was no Amiral de France alive during World War I.
6. Army/cavalry ranks. Cossack cavalry had distinct ranks below Podpolkovnik: войсково́й старшина́ (Voiskovoy Starshina), есау́л (Yesaul), подъесау́л (Sub-Yesaul), со́тник (Sotnik), хору́нжий (Khorunzhiy)
7. Captains in the cavalry and mounted transport corps in Germanic-derived rank systems were called Rittmeister.
8. Almirante and Marechal were only honorary ranks, not held by anyone during World War I.
9. The Portuguese Army had the particularity of having only a single rank of General Officer. A Portuguese General could be assigned to command from a brigade to the entire Army.
10. The US rank Admiral of the Navy was a unique rank created for Admiral George Dewey after the Spanish–American War; it has never been held by any other person and debate still goes on over whether it was a "five-star" or "six-star" rank. General of the Armies is similarly ambiguous; it was granted to General Pershing at the end of the war, and previously had been held (or a rank of the same name had been held) by Generals Grant and Sherman after the Civil War, but its equivalency to modern ranks is disputed.
11. Like the Portuguese Army, the Serbian Army had only a single rank of General Officer. A Serbian General could be assigned to command from a division to the entire Army.
12. Voivode of Serbia (Field Marshal) was the highest rank in the army of the Kingdom of Serbia. Radomir Putnik held title from beginning of the war since he was promoted in 1912.