Guardsman

For other uses, see Guardsman (disambiguation).

Guardsman is a rank used instead of private in some military units that serve as the official bodyguard of a sovereign or head of state. It is also used as a generic term for any member of a guards unit of any rank.

Canada

In the Canadian Forces, the rank is used by privates in the Governor General's Foot Guards and the Canadian Grenadier Guards. This honour was awarded by King George V in 1918 to mark the service of regiments of Foot Guards during the First World War. General Order 138 of 1923 promulgated this honour.^[1]

The rank is considered non-gender specific and therefore applies equally to female soldiers and is inclusive of any person who has earned the rank. The rank badge is identical to that of private, a single chevron.

Nordic countries

Several Guards units in the Nordic countries use the rank. This includes the Danish Army's Gardehusarregimentet (Guard Hussar Regiment) and Den Kongelige Livgarde (Royal Life Guards), the Norwegian Army's Hans Majestet Kongens Garde (His Majesty's Royal Guard), and the Swedish Army's Life Guards. The Finnish Army’s Kaartin jääkärirykmentti (Guard Jaeger Regiment) uses the similar rank of Guard Jaeger.

India

In the Indian Army the rank is used by the elite Brigade of the Guards.^[2] It is also used by the Indian Home Guards as a rank equivalent to a constable in the Indian Police Service.^[3] The rank is used for regular employees and not volunteers.^{[citation needed]}

Singapore

In the Singapore Armed Forces, the rank is used by the elite Singapore Guards.^[4]

United Kingdom

The British Army's Foot Guards regiments have used the rank since 1920, when it was adopted instead of private.^[5][6] It is abbreviated Gdsm.^[7]

United States

It is also used to refer to members of the National Guard of the United States, a reserve force of the U.S. Army and Air Force.

References

1. "Governor General's Foot Guards Regimental Museum". Retrieved 4 October 2020.
2. "230 recruits pass out as guardsmen from Kamptee Regimental Centre". 16 August 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2021. Following completion of training, 230 recruits have passed out as guardsmen from the Guards Regimental Centre in Kamptee. The 'Brigade of The Guards' is the elite regiment of the Indian Army.
3. "Gauhati High Court: Nirmal Dey And Anr. vs State Of Tripura And Ors. on 6 January, 1997". Retrieved 10 April 2021. The case of the Petitioner No. 1 is that he entered into the service as a member of the Tripura Home Guards in 1965 with the designation of "Guardsman" which is equivalent to the rank of Police Constable and the duties performed by him since his entry into the service are similar to the duties performed by a police constable.
4. "The Guardsmen". mindef.gov.sg. Archived from the original on 12 June 2018. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
5. "British army ranks". nam.ac.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2021. Private is the lowest rank of trained soldier. Various regiments and corps have equivalent ranks such as trooper, gunner, guardsman, sapper, signalman, fusilier, craftsman and rifleman. Insignia: None
6. "Guardsman (British Army)". icanbea.org.uk. Retrieved 10 April 2021.
7. "Abbreviations". Internetseite des Lincolnshire Regiments. Retrieved 11 April 2020.