Lesson 56.Insignia and awards in Great Britain.

Assignment 1. Read the following words and word combinations, using transcriptions:

 

insignia	[ɪn'sɪgnɪə]	Guard	[gɑːd]
Royal Clothing Warrant	['rɔɪəl 'kləuðɪŋ 'wɔr(ə)nt]	regimental	[ˌreʤɪ'ment(ə)l]
General Officer	['ʤen(ə)r(ə)l 'ɔfɪsə]	Colonel	['kɜːn(ə)l]
distinguish	[dɪ'stɪŋgwɪʃ]	Brevet Major	['brevɪt 'meɪʤə]
arrangement	[ə'reɪnʤmənt]	Ensign	['ensaɪn]
epaulette	['epəlet]	Lieutenant	[lef'tenənt], [luː'tenənt]
Brigadier General	[ˌbrɪgə'dɪə 'ʤen(ə)r(ə)l ]	Commandant	['kɔməndænt]

 

Assignment 2. Active vocabulary: Learn the following words and word combinations:

No.	Word/word combination	Russian equivalent
1.	insignia	знак различия
2.	warrant	Предписание
3.	distinguish	отличать, различать
4.	arrangement	расположение в определенном порядке
5.	cuff	Манжета
6.	field officers	старший офицерский состав
	consist of	состоять из
	epaulette	Погоны
	collar	Воротник
	infantry	пехотные войска
	regimental officer	строевой офицер
	colonel	Полковник
	inch	Дюйм
	brevet	почётное звание
	ensign	младший лейтенант, прапорщик
	rifle regiment	стрелковый полк
	chaplain	военный священник
	increase	увеличивать
	reflect	Отображать
	sward	меч, шпага
	baton	жезл, палочка
	inappropriate	Непригодный

Assignment 3. Read the text, be ready to answer questions:

The first British Army rank insignia were introduced in 1760. According to the Royal Clothing Warrant, General Officers were distinguished by the pattern and arrangement of laces on the cuff.

Badges for field officers were first introduced in 1810. These badges consisted of (and still consist of) crowns and stars. These rank insignia were worn on shoulder epaulettes.

The Crown has varied in the past. In 1864, a new dress regulation specified the insignia of Brigadier General to be oak leaf and acorn laces of one inch on the upper and lower collar, and no star or crown.

During 1855 to 1880, Guards infantry regimental officers wore different rank insignia.

Colonel, Lt Colonel and Major wore 1/2 inch regimental pattern laces on upper and lower collar with one crown and one star.Captain wore similar collar with one crown. Brevet Major wore similar collar with one star. Lt wore similar lace on upper collar with one crown and one star. Ensign wore similar collar with one crown. All officers' badges on service dress were originally of gilding metal, except for Rifle regiments and the Royal Army Chaplains' Department, which used bronze instead. A variety of alternative materials and prints have been used on various styles of dress.

The insignia was moved to the shoulder boards in 1880 for all officers in full dress, when the system of crowns and stars was reorganised on similar lines to that seen today. Exceptions included the rank of Brigadier General (now Brigadier- see below) and until 1902, a Captain had just two stars and a Lieutenant one star. From 1871, the rank of Ensign (Cornet in cavalry regiments) was replaced with the rank of Second Lieutenant, which had no insignia. The 1902 change gave the latter a single star and the insignia of Lieutenants and Captains were increasedto two and three stars respectively. In addition to the shoulder badges, officers' ranks were also reflected in the amount and pattern of gold lace worn on the cuffs of the full-dress tunic.

Brigadier Generals wore a crossed sword and baton symbol on its own. In 1922 the rank was replaced with Colonel-Commandant, a title that reflected the role more accurately, but which many considered to be inappropriate in a British context. From 1928 the latter was replaced with the rank ofBrigadierwith the rank insignia used to this day

 

Answer the questions:

1. When was the first British rank insignia introduced?

2. How was it distinguished?

3. What did the badges for field officers consist of?

4. Where were these badges worn?

5. What insignia did Colonel, Lt Colonel and major wear?

6. What differences were in insignia by brevet Major, Lieutenant and Ensign?

7. What happened with the insignia in 1880?

8. How was the rank of ensign replaced from 1871?

9. How were the insignia of Lieutenants and Captains increased to?

10. What symbol was on the Brigadier Generals’ insignia?

Assignment 4. Give definitions of the following words and word combinations:

Insignia, pattern, arrangement of laces, field officers, consist of, shoulder epaulettes, the crown, upper and lower collar, a variety of alternative materials and prints, styles of dress, was moved, infantry regimental officers, chaplain.

 

 

Assignment 5. Listen to the recording and answer the following questions.

Look through the words below before listening:

Senior Staff Officers	старший офицер штаба
Field Marshal	фельдмаршал
wreath	кольцо
gorget patches	нагрудный знак
lapels	лацканы
promote	повышать в чине
Subalterns	младший офицер
Sovereign	правитель
commission	офицерское звание

 

SENIOR STAFF OFFICERS

The Senior Staff Officers, known in army slang as the "top brass", range from the highest possible rank of Field Marshal down to Colonel. The badges of rank of Senior Staff Officers are worn on the epaulets, or shoulder straps, of their uniforms and consist of various combinations of crowns, stars (or pips), swords, batons and wreaths. A Field Marshal, for example wears crossed batons in a wreath with a crown. A General has a crossed sword and baton, a star and a crown on the lapels of their uniform jackets. All Senior Staff Officers also wear coloured gorget patches on the lapels of their uniform jackets.

 

REGIMENTAL OFFICERS

Regimental Officers range from Lieutenant Colonel down to Second Lieutenant. They normally serve with their regiment or corps until they are promoted to the rank of Colonel. Lieutenant

Colonels and Majors are known as Field Officers. Lieutenants and Second Lieutenants are known as Subalterns. The badges of rank of Regimental Officers consist of combinations of pips and crowns. A Captain, for example, wears three pips.

Soldiers at the Royal Military Academy who are training to become officers are called Officer Cadets (OCdts). When they graduate from the Academy and become officers, they receive a

document signed by the Sovereign (that is the King or the Queen) called a "commission".They

are commissioned as Second Lieutenants.

 

OTHER RANKS

Below Second Lieutenant we have what are usually called Other Ranks. These consist of Warrant Officers, Senior NCOs, Junior NCOs and Privates.

Answer the questions:

1. Where are the badges of rank of Senior Staff Officers worn?

2. What are the badges consist of?

3. What does a Field Marshal wear?

4. What has a General on his uniform?

5. What do all Senior Staff Officers wear on the lapels of their uniform jackets?

6. What do the badges of rank of Regimental Officers consist of?

7. How are Soldiers at the Royal Military Academy called?

8. What document do they receive after graduating from the Academy?

Assignment 6. Discuss in groups:

1. What are the military ranks in your country?

2. The badges of ranks in your country.

Assignment 7. Order the ranks!

Colonel, corporal, private, captain, sergeant

Home assignment

Continue the following phrase:

1. According to the Royal Clothing Warrant, General Officers were distinguished by the…

2. Colonel, Lt Colonel and Major wore 1/2 inch regimental pattern laces on upper and lower … with one … and one …

3. Captain wore similar collar with…

4. Brigadier Generals wore a crossed…

5. A Field Marshal wears crossed...

6. General has a crossed sword and baton, a star and a crown on the...