Indian National Army 1945
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Indian National Army 1945
The colonels rank I found on the Imperial War Museums site, not much luck with finding any other information.
It appears, backed up by most authors, that the other ranks wore mainly German insignia. Also some authors appear to confirm that there was no special insignia for the Indian National Army, although every now and again item appear that were gained from released prisoners returning to India.
I've made an uneducated guess and come up with what I believe could have been the officers rank structure. The NCO's appear to have worn mainly German ranks.
Again David Littlejohn in his book, Foreign Legions of the Third Reich, states that normal German rank terms were used and that there was no special insignia produced.
What ranks were used and what they were called remains an open question, since I'm unable to find anyone to agree on what was actually used I've left the chart without rank names.
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It appears, backed up by most authors, that the other ranks wore mainly German insignia. Also some authors appear to confirm that there was no special insignia for the Indian National Army, although every now and again item appear that were gained from released prisoners returning to India.
I've made an uneducated guess and come up with what I believe could have been the officers rank structure. The NCO's appear to have worn mainly German ranks.
Again David Littlejohn in his book, Foreign Legions of the Third Reich, states that normal German rank terms were used and that there was no special insignia produced.
What ranks were used and what they were called remains an open question, since I'm unable to find anyone to agree on what was actually used I've left the chart without rank names.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Last edited by wfrad on Tue 26 Jul 2022, 8:23 am; edited 1 time in total (Reason for editing : removed photobucket)
wfrad- Posts : 16416
Join date : 2008-04-16
Location : Durham UK
Re: Indian National Army 1945
Ive come across a rank insignia chart elsewhere, not sure of it's accuracy though. I recall that the enlisted ranks wore bars to detonate ranks.
ChrisF202- Posts : 338
Join date : 2008-05-19
Location : Long Island, New York, USA
Indian National Army
Pity you couldn't dig up that chart Chris.
Bars for the enlisted ranks among the other foreign units were quite common, so maybe the INA also used bars.
Most of the information regarding the German Indian National Army refers to German ranks in use, and photographs of the period seems to support this.
Also Indian nationals didn't hold senior positions in the pre-war British Indian army so there is no real comparison between the two regarding Indian Officers.
To compare the British/Indian ranks below with the my chart would be pure fantasy on my part.
Anglo sounding Colonel, Major and Capt. may not have been used.
That said there was a tendency for foreign units to have some form of rank identity so what if any did the INA have?
Does anyone know for certain?
British Indian Ranks:
Cavalry Ranks
Risaldar-Major...... A crown
Risaldar......Two stars
Jemadar......One star
Other ranks
Duffardar-Major......Royal Arms
Duffardar......Three stripes
Lance-Duffardar......Two stripes
Infantry ranks
Subadar-Major......A crown
Subadar…...Two stars
Jemadar…...One star
Havildar-Major…...Royal Arms
Havildar.…..Three stripes
Naik.…..Two stripes
Lance Naik.…..One stripe
Sowar is the trooper in the cavalry, and a sepoy the private in the infantry.
Bars for the enlisted ranks among the other foreign units were quite common, so maybe the INA also used bars.
Most of the information regarding the German Indian National Army refers to German ranks in use, and photographs of the period seems to support this.
Also Indian nationals didn't hold senior positions in the pre-war British Indian army so there is no real comparison between the two regarding Indian Officers.
To compare the British/Indian ranks below with the my chart would be pure fantasy on my part.
Anglo sounding Colonel, Major and Capt. may not have been used.
That said there was a tendency for foreign units to have some form of rank identity so what if any did the INA have?
Does anyone know for certain?
British Indian Ranks:
Cavalry Ranks
Risaldar-Major...... A crown
Risaldar......Two stars
Jemadar......One star
Other ranks
Duffardar-Major......Royal Arms
Duffardar......Three stripes
Lance-Duffardar......Two stripes
Infantry ranks
Subadar-Major......A crown
Subadar…...Two stars
Jemadar…...One star
Havildar-Major…...Royal Arms
Havildar.…..Three stripes
Naik.…..Two stripes
Lance Naik.…..One stripe
Sowar is the trooper in the cavalry, and a sepoy the private in the infantry.
wfrad- Posts : 16416
Join date : 2008-04-16
Location : Durham UK
Re: Indian National Army 1945
Hi Bill, I located the chart! Could you send me your email address?
ChrisF202- Posts : 338
Join date : 2008-05-19
Location : Long Island, New York, USA
INA rank chart
Thanks Chris
email sent by PM.
Regards
WF
email sent by PM.
Regards
WF
wfrad- Posts : 16416
Join date : 2008-04-16
Location : Durham UK
Re: Indian National Army 1945
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wfrad- Posts : 16416
Join date : 2008-04-16
Location : Durham UK
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