Bombardier

The Royal Artillery's equivalent of corporal, NATO OR-4, with lance bombardier corresponding to lance corporal.

Overview

In the Royal Artillery and Royal Horse Artillery, a soldier holding corporal's rank is called a bombardier, and the lance corporal equivalent is a lance bombardier. The title derives from the bombard, an early form of cannon, and for much of British history a bombardier ranked below corporal as a junior artillery specialist. In 1920 the rank of corporal was abolished in the artillery and bombardier took its place. Bombardiers wear two chevrons and typically lead small teams or serve as specialists in surveillance and command systems. Artillery units in several Commonwealth armies use the same titles.