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Lance corporal

Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many English-speaking armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal.

Etymology[edit]

The presumed origin of the rank of lance corporal derives from an amalgamation of "corporal" from the Italian phrase capo corporale ("head of the body") with the now-archaic lancepesade, which in turn derives from the Italian lancia spezzata, which literally means "broken lance" or "broken spear", formerly a non-commissioned officer of the lowest rank. It can be translated as "one who has broken a lance in combat", and is therefore a leader.[1] "Lance" or "lances fournies" was also a term used in Medieval Europe to denote a unit of soldiers (usually 5 to 10 men strong).

Brazil[edit]

After the independence of Brazil in 1822, the new Brazilian Army followed the Portuguese system of ranks, having also the rank of anspeçada. The rank existed also in the Brazilian States' Military Police Forces and in the Military Firefighters Corps. The rank of anspeçada was discontinued in Brazil in the first half of the 20th century.

Portugal[edit]

In the Portuguese Army, the equivalent of a lance corporal rank used to be that of anspeçada. This rank was replaced at the end of the 19th century by the present rank of segundo-cabo (second corporal), the former rank of cabo (corporal) being renamed primeiro-cabo (first corporal).

Lance corporal

 United States Army (USA)
 United States Marine Corps (USMC)

LCpl

Enlisted rank

OR-3

E-3

1802

1920 (USA)

Lance corporal
(Antigua and Barbuda Regiment)[22]

Lance corporal (Antigua and Barbuda Regiment)[22]

Lance corporal
(Australian Army)[23]

Lance corporal (Australian Army)[23]

ল্যান্স কর্পোর‍্যাল
Lyānsa karpōrāla
(Bangladesh Army)[24]

ল্যান্স কর্পোর‍্যাল Lyānsa karpōrāla (Bangladesh Army)[24]

Lance corporal
(Barbados Regiment)[25]

Lance corporal (Barbados Regiment)[25]

Lance corporal
(Belize Defence Force)

Lance corporal (Belize Defence Force)

Lance corporal
(Botswana Ground Force)[26]

Lance corporal (Botswana Ground Force)[26]

Lance corporal
(Dzongkha: འགོ་ པ །, romanized: Gopa)
(Royal Bhutan Army)[27]

Lance corporal (Dzongkha: འགོ་ པ །, romanized: Gopa) (Royal Bhutan Army)[27]

Lans koperal
(Royal Brunei Land Forces)[28]

Lans koperal (Royal Brunei Land Forces)[28]

Lance corporal
(Fiji Infantry Regiment)

Lance corporal (Fiji Infantry Regiment)

Lance corporal
(Gambian National Army)

Lance corporal (Gambian National Army)

Lance corporal
(Ghana Army)

Lance corporal (Ghana Army)

Lance corporal
(Guyana Army)[29]

Lance corporal (Guyana Army)[29]

Lance corporal
(Jamaican Army)[30]

Lance corporal (Jamaican Army)[30]

Lance corporal
(Kenya Army)

Lance corporal (Kenya Army)

Lance corporal
(Lesotho Army)[31]

Lance corporal (Lesotho Army)[31]

Lance corporal
(Malawi Army)

Lance corporal (Malawi Army)

ލާންސް ކޯޕްރަލް
Laans koapral
(Maldives National Defence Force)[32]

ލާންސް ކޯޕްރަލް Laans koapral (Maldives National Defence Force)[32]

Lans koperal
(Malaysian Army)[33]

Lans koperal (Malaysian Army)[33]

Lance corporal
(Namibian Army)[34]

Lance corporal (Namibian Army)[34]

Lance corporal
(New Zealand Army)[35]

Lance corporal (New Zealand Army)[35]

Lance corporal
(Nigerian Army)[36]

Lance corporal (Nigerian Army)[36]

Lance corporal
(Papua New Guinea Land Element)

Lance corporal (Papua New Guinea Land Element)

Lance corporal
(Saint Kitts and Nevis Regiment)[37]

Lance corporal (Saint Kitts and Nevis Regiment)[37]

Lance corporal
(Seychelles Infantry Unit)[38]

Lance corporal (Seychelles Infantry Unit)[38]

Lance corporal
(Sierra Leone Army)

Lance corporal (Sierra Leone Army)

Lance corporal
(Singapore Army)[39]

Lance corporal (Singapore Army)[39]

Lance corporal
(Sri Lanka Army)[40]

Lance corporal (Sri Lanka Army)[40]

Lance corporal
(South African Army)[41]

Lance corporal (South African Army)[41]

Lance corporal
(Tongan Land Component)[42]

Lance corporal (Tongan Land Component)[42]

Lance corporal
(Trinidad and Tobago Regiment)[43]

Lance corporal (Trinidad and Tobago Regiment)[43]

Lance corporal
(Ugandan Land Forces)[44]

Lance corporal (Ugandan Land Forces)[44]

Lance corporal
(British Army)[45]

Lance corporal (British Army)[45]

Lance corporal
(British Household Cavalry)

Lance corporal (British Household Cavalry)

Lance corporal
(Zambian Army)

Lance corporal (Zambian Army)

Lance corporal
(Zimbabwe National Army)

Lance corporal (Zimbabwe National Army)

Variants[edit]

Sweden[edit]

Sweden uses the rank of vicekorpral (previously vicekonstapel, or "vice constable", in the artillery and anti-aircraft artillery) between private and korpral. It was primarily a training grade discontinued in 1972 but reinstated in 2009.

Comparative military ranks

Lance sergeant

Lances fournies

Terminal Lance