The following article has been prepared using the Australian Military Regulations 1908 (with amendments to 1913) and Orders for Dress and Clothing 1912. As these military regulations, unlike later publications thereof, do not list all ranks and their corresponding appointments, the embarkation rolls of the AIF have also been used to establish the appointments used within different corps. As a result, it is probable that some of the appointments below were used by Artillery, Engineer and AMC units and would therefore; use the gun, bomb, or geneva cross of these units, in addition to the badges shown. As I have not been able to locate any members of these units holding these appointments in the embarkation rolls, and therefore cannot be certain that such appointments existed in these units, I have not shown these badges.
The following, being concerned with the badges of rank and appointment, is not a complete list of the appointments used by the AIF. Appointments for which no identifying badge was worn (which are a considerable number) are not shown.
Excepting the ranks and appointments of Master Gunner Class III, Brigade or Regimental Sergeant-Major and Staff Sergeant-Major (which are discussed under the heading Non-Commissioned Officers), each heading below corresponds to a rank. The images below this heading show the badges of that rank and also of the appointments holding that rank. I have been unable to conceive a means of also showing the order of precedence however, I hope to complete a list of ranks and appointments, giving their order of precedence in the future.
Warrant Officers
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Warrant Officer
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Warrant Officer
(Medical Corps)
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Non-Commissioned Officers
The rank of Master Gunner, Class III appears in military regulations however, no corresponding badge is shown in dress regulations. The badge shown was that worn in the British Army.
The appointment of Regimental or Brigade Sergeant-Major (when not a Warrant Officer) is shown in dress regulations and the badge pictured below described in those regulations. In the military regulations of 1904 this is shown as a rank, those of 1908 show it as an appointment however, the corresponding rank is not shown. In order of precedence it ranks above the rank of Quartermaster Sergeant.
Staff Sergeant-Major is shown in the order of precedence and ranks with Master Gunner Class III and Brigade or Regimental Sergeant-Major. It does not appear however, in the table of ranks and appointments and whether it is a rank or an appointment is therefore not known. Several individuals in the embarkation rolls of Infantry Battalions and Light Horse Regiments are listed with this rank/appointment.
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Master Gunner 3rd Class
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Brigade Sergeant-Major
(when not a Warrant Officer)
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Brigade or Regimental
Sergeant-Major
(when not a Warrant Officer)
Staff Sergent-Major
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Regimental Sergeant-Major
Army Medical Corps
(when not a Warrant Officer)
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Quartermaster-Sergeants
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Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant
(Medical Corps)
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Brigade or Regimental Quartermaster-Sergeant
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Armament Quartermaster-Sergeant
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Farrier Quartermaster-Sergeant
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Wheeler Quartermaster-Sergeant
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Saddler Quartermaster-Sergeant
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Squadron, Troop, Battery, or Company Sergeants-Major
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Battery Sergeant-Major
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Company Sergeant-Major
(Engineers)
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Company, Troop, or Squadron Sergeant-Major
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Staff Sergeant Artificer
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Farrier Staff Sergeant
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Wheeler Staff Sergeant
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Saddler Staff Sergeant
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Staff Sergeant
(Medical Corps)
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Staff Sergeant
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Colour Sergeants
The rank of Colour Sergeant was peculiar to Infantry regiments. It ranked with Squadron, Troop, Battery and Company Sergeants-Major.
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Colour Sergeant
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Squadron, Troop, Battery or Company Quartermaster-Sergeants
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Battery Quartermaster-Sergeant
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Company Quartermaster-Sergeant
(Engineers)
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Company Quartermaster-Sergeant
(Medical Corps)
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Squadron, Troop or Company Quartermaster-Sergeant
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Sergeants
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Fitter Sergeant
(Artillery)
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Armourer Sergeant
Fitter Sergeant
Smith Sergeant
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Farrier Sergeant
(Artillery)
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Farrier Sergeant
(Engineers)
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Farrier Sergeant
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Wheeler Sergeant
(Artillery)
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Wheeler Sergeant
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Saddler Sergeant
(Artillery)
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Saddler Sergeant
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Sergeant Trumpeter
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Sergeant Bugler
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Band Sergeant
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Pioneer Sergeant
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Sergeant
(Medical Corps)
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Sergeant
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Corporals
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Lance Sergeant
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Farrier Corporal
Shoeing-Smith Corporal
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Wheeler Corporal
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Saddler Corporal
Collarmaker Corporal
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Band Corporal
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Corporal
(Medical Corps)
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Corporal
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2nd Corporals
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2nd Corporal
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Bombadiers
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Bombadier
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Gunners, Drivers, Sappers, or Privates
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Lance Corporal
(Medical Corps)
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Lance Corporal
Acting Bombardier
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Shoeing Smith
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Wheeler
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Saddler
Collarmaker
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Trumpeter
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Bugler
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Bandsman
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Pioneer
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Private
Driver
(Medical Corps)
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