Colonel

A Colonel, abbreviated to Col., is a senior military officer rank. It resides above that of Lieutenant Colonel and below that of Brigadier. Historically, in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, a Colonel was typically the chief commander in charge of a regiment in the British Army (originally the leader of a column). Modern usage, however, varies greatly. A Colonel was the chief acting officer of artillery or engineer regiments is always a colonel, but in the infantry and cavalry he is frequently known as a Lieutenant Colonel, the full rank being often conferred as a honorary distinction upon some Royal or distinguished personage. A colonel or Lt-colonel's pay varies from £328 to £447 a year according to the branch of the service.

References

Compendium: This compendium entry is part of the knowledge base relative to the specific analysis of the Lonsdale Battalion and the wider Border Regiment, predominantly in connection with their actions and the places they were known to have been stationed or fought during the 1914-1918 period. Much of this information has come from primary sources including, but not limited to, the Lonsdale records and the Border Regiment War Diaries. Please feel free to expand and improve this resource.