Lieutenant Colonel (rank)

A Lieutenant Colonel, abbreviated to Lt Col and Lt-Col., is a rank in the British Army and Royal Marines which is also used in many Commonwealth countries. It resides above the rank of Major and is subordinate to that of Colonel. The rank insignia in the British Army and Royal Marines, as well as many Commonwealth countries, is a crown above a 4 pointed "Bath" star, also colloquially referred to as a "pip". The crown has varied in the past with different monarchs; the current one being the Crown of St Edward. Most other Commonwealth countries use the same insignia, or with the state emblem replacing the crown.

In the modern British Armed forces, the established commander of a regiment or battalion is a Lieutenant Colonel. The rank of Lieutenant Colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence. A Lieutenant Colonel is typically in charge of a battalion in the army. From 1 April 1918 to 31 July 1919, the Royal Air Force maintained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. It was superseded by the rank of Wing Commander on the following day.