| FINNISH MILITARY RANKS |
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| INSIGNIA OF RANK & COLLAR BADGE COLOURS 1939 - 1945 |
| FINNISH MILITARY RANKS |
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| INSIGNIA OF RANK & COLLAR BADGE COLOURS 1939 - 1945 |
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| Army & Air Force | Finnish Rank Army, Cavalry, Air Force (Abbreviation) |
English Equivalent (Abbreviation) Notes |
| . COMMISSIONED OFFICERS . |
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Kenraali (kenr.) |
General (Gen.) |
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Kenraaliluutnantti (kenrl.) |
Lieutenant
General (Lt.Gen.) |
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Kenraalimajuri (kenrm.) |
Major
General (Maj.Gen) |
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Eversti (ev.) |
Colonel (Col.) |
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Everstiluutnantti (evl. / ev.ltn.) |
Lieutenant
Colonel (Lt.Col.) |
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Majuri (maj.) |
Major (Maj.) |
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Kapteeni (kapt.) . . |
Captain (Capt.) . . |
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Luutnantti (ltn.) |
[First]
Lieutenant (1st Lt. or Lt.) |
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Vänrikki (vänr.) . . |
Second
Lieutenant (2nd Lt. or 2Lt.) . . |
| . NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS (NCOs) . |
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| Sotilasmestari (stm.) . . |
Warrant
Officer (WO) . [literally:] |
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| Vääpeli (vääp.) |
Master
Sergeant (M.Sgt) |
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| Ylikersantti (ylik.) |
Staff
Sergeant (S.Sgt) |
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| Kersantti (kers.) |
Sergeant (Sgt) |
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| Alikersantti (alik.) |
Corporal (Cpl) |
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| . CADETS, STUDENTS AND TRAINEES . |
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Kadetti (kad.) . . . |
Cadet (Equals to S.Sgt or M.Sgt depending on the class level -> promoted to 2nd Lt. after Cadet School) |
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Kanta-aliupseerioppilas (k-au.opp.) . . . |
Cadre NCO
Student (Equals to Sgt -> promoted to S.Sgt after Cadre NCO School) . |
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Upseerikokelas
/ Kokelas (u.kok. / kok.) . . . |
(Reserve)
Officer Trainee (Equals to Sergeant -> promoted to 2nd Lt. after compulsory conscription) . |
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Upseerioppilas (u.opp. / ups.opp.) . . . |
(Reserve)
Officer Student (Equals to Cpl -> promoted to Officer Trainee after Reserve Officer School) . |
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Aliupseerioppilas
/ Oppilas (au.opp. / opp.) . . . |
(Reserve)
NCO Student (Equals to Private or L.Cpl -> promoted to L.Cpl during or after the reserve NCO school and to Cpl after it) |
| . ENLISTED MEN (1941-) . |
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| Rajajääkäri (rj.jääk.) |
Frontier
(Guard) Jäger (Equals to Cpl) |
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| . MEN . |
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| Korpraali (korpr.) |
Lance
Corporal (L.Cpl) |
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Sotamies (stm.) Alokas (alok.) . . . |
Private (Priv.) Recruit * . . . . |
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| NOTES * Alokas [Recruit] is the name for Sotamies [Private] before taking the military oath. It is not a military rank. 1. Pre-additions to the rank of General are "Cavalry", "Infantry" and "Artillery" e.g. "Infantry General". 2. The rank of Field Marshal was only for Finnish C-in-C C. G. E Mannerheim when he became the Chairman of the unofficial Defence Council in the early 1930's. The title Marshal of Finland was unofficial honour rank/title only awarded to him on 4.6.1942 (75th birthday). 3. The ranks of Ylivääpeli [Senior Master Sergeant] and Yliluutnantti [Senior Lieutenant] were not used during the WW II. A new General's rank Prikaatikenraali [Brigade General] was introduced during the 1980's with one lion and all former Generals' ranks got one more lion. 4. During the war cadre NCOs who were also reserve officers used their reserve ranks. 5. Before and during the Winter War reserve officers used silver "roses" and their rank had an official prefix "reservi" (abbreviation "res.") [= "reserve" e.g. Reserve Lieutenant or Lieutenant in Reserve]. Higher reserve officers (up from Major) and retired officers used normal golden roses. Later in 1940 silver "roses" and "in reserve" prefix were discontinued and all officers used golden ones thereafter. 6. Collar badges were usually used only by the conscrips, enlisted men, cadre NCOs and cadre officers. In many cases "roses" were although used without collar badges like with older m/22 and m/27 uniforms or just not to reveal leaders so easily in combat. Conscript Lance Corporals and NCOs usually had plain rank badges of Private and older style rank badge bands in shoulder straps. |
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| Background Colour . |
Emroidery Colour |
Branch of Service or Unit |
| CARMINE | GREY | General Staff officers, Military Academy |
| DARK GREEN | LIGHT GREY | general colour, infantry, Reserve Officer School (trainees) |
| DARK GREEN | YELLOW | jäger troops (light infantry) |
| DARK GREEN | ORANGE | Frontier Guard |
| YELLOW | GREY | cavalry, Cavalry Brigade Staff |
| YELLOW | DARK BLUE | Uusimaa Dragoon Regiment (URR) |
| YELLOW | DARK RED | Häme Mounted Regiment (HRR) |
| YELLOW | VIOLET | (mounted) Signals Squadron |
| VIOLET | GREY | engineer troops (1941-) |
| VIOLET | YELLOW | signals troops (1941-) |
| VIOLET | GREY | technical troops (1939-1940), Army chaplains (1939-1942) |
| VIOLET | BLACK | engineer and signals troops (including their Reserve
Officer School trainees before 1940), fortress troops (1944-) |
| RED | BLACK | field artillery, anti-aircraft artillery, fortress artillery, Riding Battery |
| BLACK | GREY | Separate Tank Company (-1940), Field Bishop, Army chaplains (1942-) |
| BLACK | ORANGE | armoured troops (1941-) |
| BLACK | RED | Navy General Staff, coastal artillery, Naval School |
| GREY | PURPLE | military judges (1942-) |
| GREY | RED | military hospitals and pharmacies |
| DARK BLUE | YELLOW | Cadet School |
| BRIGHT BLUE | LIGHT GREY | Ministry of Defence, depots and factories, supply troops |
| BRIGHT BLUE | BLACK | Air Force |
| . Note: Navy personnel didn't use collar patches (except if otherwise indicated). . |
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| Sources:
PALMO1, LEIPE1 . . |
Pre-version © 2000 - 8.10.2004 Harri Anttonen
