Military ranks of Rhodesia

The Military ranks of Rhodesia were the military insignia used by the Rhodesian Security Forces. Since Rhodesia was a landlocked country, the Security Force did not have a navy. Being a former British colony, Rhodesia shared a rank structure similar to that of the United Kingdom.^[1]

Since 1980, they have been replaced by the military ranks of Zimbabwe.

Commissioned officer ranks

The rank insignia of commissioned officers.

Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet
Rhodesian Army^[2] v t e
Rhodesian Army^[2] v t e			Lieutenant general	Major general	Brigadier	Colonel	Lieutenant Colonel	Major	Captain	Lieutenant	Second Lieutenant
Rhodesian Air Force^[2]^[3] v t e
Rhodesian Air Force^[2]^[3] v t e			Air Marshal	Air Vice-Marshal	Air Commodore	Group Captain	Wing Commander	Squadron Leader	Flight Lieutenant	Air Lieutenant	Air Sub-Lieutenant
Rhodesian Internal Affairs Regular Service^[4]^[5] v t e
Rhodesian Internal Affairs Regular Service^[4]^[5] v t e				Provincial commissioner	District commissioner	Assistant district commissioner	Senior district officer	District officer				Cadet I		Cadet II
Rhodesian Internal Affairs National Service
Rhodesian Internal Affairs National Service									Senior vedette officer	Vedette officer	Ensign	National Service Cadet I	National Service Cadet II	National Service Cadet III	National Service Cadet IV
Rhodesian Guard Force^[6] v t e
Rhodesian Guard Force^[6] v t e					Commander	Deputy Commander	Senior Commandant	Commandant	Assistant Commandant	Junior Commandant II	Junior Commandant I
British South Africa Police^[2]^[7] v t e
British South Africa Police^[2]^[7] v t e		Commissioner	Deputy commissioner	Senior assistant commissioner	Assistant commissioner		Chief superintendent	Superintendent	Chief inspector	Inspector
Rank group	General / flag officers					Senior officers			Junior officers			Officer cadet

Other ranks

The rank insignia of non-commissioned officers and enlisted personnel.

Rank group

Senior NCOs

Junior NCOs

Enlisted

Rhodesian Army^[2]

No insignia

Warrant Officer Class 1

Warrant Officer Class 2

Private
(or equivalent)

Rhodesian Air Force^[2]^[3]


Warrant officer class 2	Master Technician	Master Sergeant

No insignia

Station warrant officer

Warrant officer class 1

Rhodesian Internal Affairs
Regular Service^[4]^[5]

No insignia

Warrant officer

Senior district assistant

District assistant grade I

District assistant grade II

Private

Rhodesian Internal Affairs
National Service

No insignia

Vedette senior warrant officer

Vedette junior warrant officer

Staff vedette

Vedette detachment leader

Vedette section leader

Senior vedette

Vedette

Rhodesian Guard Force^[8]

No insignia

Keep commander

Deputy keep commander

British South Africa Police^[2]^[7]

Section officer

Senior patrol officer

Rank group

Senior NCOs

Junior NCOs

Enlisted

References

^ Mathews, L. L. (1979). "Rhodesia". In Keegan, John (ed.). World armies. Sandhurst: Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. p. 592. LCCN 79-9217. Retrieved 31 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f Bridger, Peter, ed. (1973). Encyclopaedia Rhodesia. Salisbury. pp. 441–444. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
^ ^a ^b Brent, W. A. (1988). Rhodesian Air Force – A Brief History 1947–1980. Freeworld Publications. p. 35.
^ ^a ^b "Intaf Rank Insignia". Archived from the original on 16 April 2023.
^ ^a ^b "INTAF Rank Structure and Badges of Rank". Archived from the original on 26 January 2021.
^ "Guard Force Rank Structure". Archived from the original on 5 May 2021.
^ ^a ^b "BSAP Rank Structure and Badges of Rank". rhodesianforces.org. Archived from the original on 3 July 2022.
^ "Guard Force Rank Structure". Archived from the original on 5 May 2021.