Portuguese Army and Navy Ranks

This reference list provides the military ranks used by the Portuguese Army and Navy during the First World War. It includes officer and enlisted grades, with abbreviations in period usage and English renderings. Where no exact modern equivalent exists, the literal historical form has been retained.

"Click here to download Portuguese Ranks WWI 1914-1918 (DOCX)"

Portuguese Military Ranks (1914–1918)

The Portuguese Army and Navy entered the First World War with a rank system that preserved 19th-century traditions while aligning closely with other Latin European militaries. The Army recognized General, General-Tenente, and General-Majoralongside Brigadeiro, a general officer grade retained in Portugal when many other armies abolished it. Company and field officers ranged from Coronel and Tenente-Coronel down to Alferes (second lieutenant), with Aspirante a Oficial marking the path of officer candidates. Enlisted and NCO ranks featured two levels of Sargento and two of Cabo, reflecting a compact system topped by Sargento Adjudante. The Portuguese Navy paralleled French and British practice, with Almirante, Vice-Almirante, and Contra-Almirante at flag level, followed by the three captaincies (Capitão de Mar e Guerra, Capitão de Fragata, Capitão Tenente). Junior officers included Primeiro Tenente, Segundo Tenente, and Guarda Marinha. Naval enlisted ranks progressed through layered grades of Sargento and Marinheiro, while Grumete denoted apprentice seamen. This dual system reflected Portugal’s longstanding maritime heritage and its adaptation of continental European models to the wartime context.

Army — Officer Ranks

Army — NCO & Enlisted

Navy — Officer Ranks

Navy — NCO & Enlisted

Notes

• The Army preserved the Brigadeiro grade as a general officer, a feature shared with other Latin armies.
• Alferes represented the lowest commissioned officer, equivalent to second lieutenant.
• Aspirante a Oficial was a candidate grade and not always counted as a full commission.
• In the Navy, Capitao de Mar e Guerra literally means 'Captain of Sea and War,' equivalent to a full naval captain.
• Abbreviations for most naval ranks were not standardized in WWI documents; '—' used where no form is attested.