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    SECOND LIEUTENANT

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GENERAL
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Second Lieutenant

2/Lieut.
Junior (Field) Officer

Lieutenant
Warrant Officer 1

DISCRIPTION

The Second Lieutenant is the most junior officer rank of the unit. Each Element, the Grenadier Guards and the Coldstream Guards, are commanded by a Second Lieutenant. Thus the 2/Lieut. is posted to the Element's HQ, with a Senior NCO or Warrant Officer as adjudant.

The Second Lieutenant is the commander of his/her Element, generally organized into three Squadrons with an HQ. As such, he/she is responsible for the Element's overall performance, organization and administration. The 2/Lieut. supervises the NCO's of the Squadrons and ensures the Element is in top condition. The 2/Lieut. can promote members within the Element up to the rank of Sergeant. All higher promotions must be approved by 151 - Brigade Headquarters. When all higher ranked officers are on leave, the 2/Lieut. acts as the platoon commander during events.

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The unit's ORBAT currently lists two Lieutenant commissions. 
 

Promotion requirements:

  • 25 or more months of active service

  • good experience as a battle/platoon commander

  • excellent leadership, and administrative, skills

  • must embody the unit's ethos of commitment and teamwork

  • no recorded disciplinary actions on his/her service records

HISTORY

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Current Lieutenant(s)
> 2/Lieut. J. Eldar

> 2/Lieut. S. Scott

Former Lieutenant(s)
> Maj. S. Bertrand

> Capt. J. Harper

> Lieut. C. Reid

> 2/Lieut. J. MacBean

TRIVIA

  • The original 6th Guards Armoured Brigade ORBAT did not list any Second Lieutenants at its formation in 1944. At VE day 1945, the ORBAT listed only six Second Lieutenants; 
     

  • The Second Lieutenants were generally posted to the Squadrons, not to any of the HQ's;
     

  • In the British armed forces, second lieutenant is a rank which is not used as a form of address. Instead a second lieutenant named, for example, Smith is addressed and referred to as Mr Smith, with the exception that the alternative titles;
     

  • Contrary to the above, Second Lieutenants are addressed as 'Ensign' in the Foot Guards;
     

  • In a typical military formation, the Second Lieutenant is in command of a platoon in the absence of a Lieutenant;

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  • The German equivalent for the Captain rank is Leutnant (Wehrmacht) and 
    SS-Untersturmführer (Waffen-SS).

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