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Off Topic: Translation of Cavalry ranks

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 6:26 am
by Crossroads
Thought I'd try my luck in this forum as well:
Anyone familiar with rank titles in English, of US or Commonwealth variation, do you have anything similar to this:

Captain of cavalry:
- German rittmeister,
- Swedish: ryttmästare,
- Finnish: ratsumestari,

but apparently there doesn't seem to be any equivalents in English?

So, if I want to point out this particular officer comes from Cavalry, and possibly even commands a Cavalry unit, would the translation then indeed be Captain of Cavalry?

The unit he would command would be of course not a Company but a Squadron of men (ahem: dragoons), so perhaps a modern or contemporary Armored unit rank would be available?

Or, would that be just plain confusing, and Captain be the proper generic title to use?

There are other peculiarities in lower ranks but I'll put those aside. However many of these men served as Battalion commanders too and I would like to get their ranks properly displayed in the OoBs.

Thanks!

RE: Off Topic: Translation of Cavalry ranks

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 9:45 am
by Warhorse
My WW2 reference doesn't seem to want to help out with this, apparently just the rank, no designater?

RE: Off Topic: Translation of Cavalry ranks

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 10:16 am
by Crossroads
Well, effectively a Ratsumestari / Ryttmästare was a Captain, their collar insignia would have been same. One would need to recognize him from some other piece of his uniform to realize he's a cavalry officer in order to be able to address him properly.

So should I just name them all as Captains?

RE: Off Topic: Translation of Cavalry ranks

Posted: Sat Mar 22, 2014 7:58 pm
by Warhorse
I would say yes, to keep it simple! I know what you're saying, I looked in my books for hours until I found a table for the NKPA/CCF ranks doing my scenario's for Korea, I like to have the ranks as close as possible!

RE: Off Topic: Translation of Cavalry ranks

Posted: Sun Mar 23, 2014 7:04 pm
by TAIL GUNNER
for late war US independent Cavalry Squadrons, it appears a Lt. Col. commanded the entire squadron, and Captains for each individual troop.

See here:
http://www.militaryresearch.org/2-26%2015Sep43.pdf

RE: Off Topic: Translation of Cavalry ranks

Posted: Fri Mar 28, 2014 4:37 pm
by Crossroads
Apparently, many nations had rittmeisters. Wiki LINK. I will stick to Captain though.