MILITARY ETIQUETTE

Press, Volume LIV, Issue 16153, 6 March 1918, Page 4

MILITARY ETIQUETTE

HOW TO ADDRESS AN OFFICER.

A correspondent has -written to the Wellington "Post" asking tie correct way to address, or introduce, officers, particularly second-lieutenants and lieutenants. Enquiries made in othcial quarters elicited the following reply ■ Lieutenants and seoond-lieutenants, generally known in the service as subaltern officers," are addressed on and off parade, both by. civilians and soldiers, as "Mr." Private and unofficial letters are addressed as J. Jonps« jijso «» Regiment, etc. The military rank of lieutenant or secondlieri tenant is inserted only in official communications. Ihe only time that a subaltern is referred to verbally > lieu tenant or second-lieutenant wwhen he is awaiting trial by court-martial. A subaltern's visiting card should always be inscribed in the following manner:— "Mr ,T. Jones, Regiment, etc. Letters addressed'to a captain or officer of higher rank should always bear the officer's rank and unit, but, in addressing such officers verbally, it is unusual to use the rank -without the surname unless the person addressing the officer concerned is on terms of friendship with him. Thus, a granger would usually address a senior officer as "Major Brown" or "Colonel Smith," but these officers' friends mielit address them merely as "Colonel'* or "Major/ A captain is never addressed merely as "Cantain." His rank and . surname shoidd always be stated, hut bis friends would naturally address him by his surname or a nickname. Chaplains (who do not hold military rank) are not referred to as captains, major? etc. The compound term of 4 'Chnplain-Colonel," 4 'Chaplain-Major,'' etc.. is equally incorrect. A chaplain would be introduced to a stranger as "Mr So-and-So," but in the service ho is colloquially addressed ond referred to ps "Pn'clre." Letters should be addressed to him as follows: —"Rev. John Smith, Chaplain to tho Forces," etc.