Military Ranks

Serbian Ranks

Ranks were the same in all arms (Infantry, Cavalry, Aviation, etc.). Serbia, being a land-locked country, didn't have a navy.

Rank abbreviations were reconstructed from modern usage, or common sense and analogies where the rank no longer exists. In WW I only the Cyrillic ranks would have been used; the Latin column may be used as a guide to pronunciation; the pronunciation column contains a simplified version, where appropriate, for English speakers.


Officers:
Cyrillic Latin Pronunciation* Abbrev.-Cyr. Abbrev.-Latin English
Војвода Vojvoda Voyvoda војв. vojv. Fieldmarshal
Ђенерал Đeneral Dyeneral ђен. đen. General
Пуковник Pukovnik Pookovnik пук. puk. Colonel
Потпуковник Potpukovnik Potpookovnik ппук. ppuk. Sub-colonel
Мајор Major Mayor мај. maj. Major
Капетан прве класе Kapetan prve klase кIк kIk 1st Class Captain
Капетан друге-
druge класе		 Kapetan drooge klase кIIк kIIk 2nd Class Captain
Поручник Poručnik Porootchnik пор. por. Lieutenant
Потпоручник Potporučnik Potporootchnik ппор. ppor. Sub-lieutenant
Enlisted men and NCOs:
Cyrillic Latin Pronunciation* Abbrev.-Cyr. Abbrev.-Latin English
Наредник Narednik нар. nar. Sеrgeant
Поднаредник Podnarednik пнар. pnar. Sub-sеrgeant
Каплар Kaplar капл. kapl. Corporal
Редов Redov ред. red. Private

*Pronunciation (simplified):
A is pronounced like in "mud"
E is pronounced like in "bed"
I is pronounced like in "pit"
Oo is pronounced like in "book"
O is pronounced like in "bog"
Y is pronounced like in "York".
S is pronounced like in "sin"
Our thanks to Nemanja Konstantinovic for furnishing this information.