Leading Rating

All you want to know about Leading Rating

This article does not cite any references or sources.
Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unverifiable material may be challenged and removed. (November 2007)

Leading Rating (or Leading Rate) is the most senior of the junior rates in the British Royal Navy. It is equal in status to Corporal, although for a long time was officially junior to that rank. The rate was introduced under the authority of Admiralty Circular No. 121 of 14 June 1853.

Leading Ratings are normally addressed as Leading Hand or using their branch title eg Leading Seaman, Leading Regulator etc.

The insignia worn by Leading Rates is a single fouled anchor, leading to the slang term Killick or Hooky used in reference to this rate.

In 2007 in celebration of the 154th Anniversary of the introduction of the rate, 60 members of the Leading Hands and Corporals Mess of HMS Collingwood, attended a mess dinner on the Gun Deck of HMS Victory.

Common military ranks
Officers
Navies¹	Armies and Air Forces	Commonwealth Air Forces
Admiral of the Fleet	Field Marshal	Marshal of the Air Force
Admiral	General	Air Marshal
Commodore	Brigadier	Air Commodore
Captain	Colonel	Group Captain
Commander	Lt. Colonel	Wing Commander
Lt. Commander	Major	Squadron Leader
Lieutenant	Captain	Flight Lieutenant
Sub-Lieutenant	Lieutenant	Flying Officer
Seamen, soldiers and airmen
Warrant Officer	Sergeant Major	Warrant Officer
Petty Officer	Sergeant	Sergeant
Leading Rate	Corporal	Corporal
Seaman	Private	Aircraftman
¹ in the Commonwealth

	OR-1	OR-2	OR-3	OR-4	OR-5/OR-6	OR-7	OR-8	OR-9
	Ratings and Other Ranks of the British Armed Forces
Royal Navy:		AB		LH	PO	CPO	WO2	WO1
Royal Marines:		Mne	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	CSgt	WO2	WO1
Army:	Pte	Pte	LCpl	Cpl	Sgt	SSgt / CSgt	WO2	WO1
Royal Air Force:	AC	LAC - SAC - Jnr Tech		Cpl	Sgt	Chf Tech - Flt Sgt		WO / MAcr