Company Sergeant Major (rank)

A Company Sergeant Major, usually abbreviated to CSM or C.S.M., is a senior non-commissioned officer of a company in the armies of many Commonwealth countries, responsible for administration, standards and discipline. In combat, his prime responsibility is the supply of ammunition to the company. He also oversees the distribution of other supplies, such as water or food, although that responsibility is mainly that of the Company Quartermaster Sergeant (CQMS), and evacuating the wounded and collecting prisoners of war.

By 1913, there were two Colour Sergeants in each infantry company. On 1 October 1913, they were replaced by the two new ranks of Company Sergeant Major and Company Quartermaster Sergeant, with one of each in each company. Company sergeant major was briefly an actual rank, wearing the colour sergeant's old rank badge of a crown over three chevrons, until it became an appointment of the new rank of Warrant Officer class II in 1915 and adopted the rank badge of a large crown on the lower sleeve.

References / notes

The above term is listed in our Compendium of the Great War.

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