Colour sergeant (CSgt or C/Sgt) is a non-commissioned rank in the
Royal Marines and
infantry regiments of the
British Army, ranking above
sergeant and below
warrant officer class 2. It has a
NATO ranking code of OR-7 and is equivalent to the rank of
staff sergeant in other branches of the Army,
flight sergeant or
chief technician in the
Royal Air Force, and
chief petty officer in the
Royal Navy. The insignia is the monarch's crown above three downward pointing chevrons. , with a colour sergeant to the left of the colours The rank was introduced into British Army infantry regiments in 1813 In 1915, CSMs were given the new rank of
warrant officer class II, but the CQMS of an infantry company continued to hold the rank of colour sergeant. The Royal Marines also retained the rank throughout. Historically, colour sergeants of British line regiments protected
ensigns, the most junior officers who were responsible for carrying their
battalions'
colours to rally troops in battles. For this reason, to reach the rank of colour sergeant was considered a prestigious attainment, granted normally to those sergeants who had displayed courage on the field of battle. This tradition continues today as colour sergeants form part of a colour party in military parades. During ceremonial events, it is from a colour sergeant that the ensign collects the colour of the battalion or regiment. Colour sergeants are referred to and addressed as "Colour Sergeant" or "Colour" ("Colour Sergeant Hewitt" or "Colour Hewitt", for instance) in the Army, or as "Colour Sergeant" or "Colours" in the Royal Marines, and never by the more junior rank of "Sergeant". Unusually, NCOs with the rank of colour sergeant who hold the appointment of company quartermaster sergeant are still addressed and referred to by their rank, not their appointment. In Foot Guards regiments, colour sergeants are addressed as "Sir" and afforded the respect and privileges normally accorded to warrant officers. In
The Rifles, the spelling "colour serjeant" is used, in common with other Rifles ranks and appointments including the word
serjeant. In the
Royal Marines Band Service, the
bandmasters of the seven
Royal Navy Volunteer Bands usually hold the rank of band colour sergeant. The senior playing musician in a Royal Marines band also holds this rank, which replaced the rank of bandmaster in 1969. Colour sergeants and warrant officers form an important part of the instructor cadre at the
Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. ==United States==