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Leading Seaman (LS or L/S) is a non-commissioned
Non-commissioned member

A non-commissioned member , in the Canadian Forces, is defined in the Queen's Regulations and Orders as:"? any person, other than an officer , who is enrolled in, or who pursuant to law is attached or seconded otherwise than as an officer to, the Canadian Forces?"...
 rank or rate in navies
Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's military forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions....
, particularly those of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, also known as the Commonwealth or the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organization of fifty-three independent member states....
.

badge in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the navy of the Australian Defence Force. Established in 1901, the RAN was formed out of the Commonwealth Naval Forces to become the small navy of Australia after federation, consisting of the former colonial navies of the new Australian states....
 is the fouled anchor over the word "Australia". it is senior to Able Seaman but junior to Petty Officer. Leading Seaman or Leading Hand which it is also known as is the equivalent of Corporal
Corporal

Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
 in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF began in March 1912 as the Australian Flying Corps and became a fully independent Air Force in March 1921....
 and The Australian Army
Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force....


Canada
In the Canadian Navy
Canadian Forces Maritime Command

Canadian Forces Maritime Command , also known as the Canadian Navy, is the navy of the Canadian Forces. While equal in rank and position, The Chief of the Maritime Staff takes precedence over the Chiefs of the Land and Air Staffs following the tradition of the Royal Navy....
, Leading Seaman (LS) is senior to the rank of Able Seaman
Able Seaman (rank)

Royal NavyIn the United Kingdom Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century, the term Able Seaman referred to a seaman with at least two years' experience at sea....
, and junior to Master Seaman
Master Seaman

Master Seaman , or matelot-chef in French language, is a non-commissioned member Military rank of the Canadian Navy, which is between Leading Seaman and Petty Officer 2nd Class ....
 (which is actually an appointment of Leading Seaman).






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Leading Seaman (LS or L/S) is a non-commissioned
Non-commissioned member

A non-commissioned member , in the Canadian Forces, is defined in the Queen's Regulations and Orders as:"? any person, other than an officer , who is enrolled in, or who pursuant to law is attached or seconded otherwise than as an officer to, the Canadian Forces?"...
 rank or rate in navies
Navy

A navy is the branch of a nation's military forces principally designated for naval warfare and amphibious warfare; namely, lake- or ocean-borne combat operations and related functions....
, particularly those of the Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations

The Commonwealth of Nations, also known as the Commonwealth or the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organization of fifty-three independent member states....
.

Australia

The badge in the Royal Australian Navy
Royal Australian Navy

The Royal Australian Navy is the navy of the Australian Defence Force. Established in 1901, the RAN was formed out of the Commonwealth Naval Forces to become the small navy of Australia after federation, consisting of the former colonial navies of the new Australian states....
 is the fouled anchor over the word "Australia". it is senior to Able Seaman but junior to Petty Officer. Leading Seaman or Leading Hand which it is also known as is the equivalent of Corporal
Corporal

Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
 in the Royal Australian Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force

The Royal Australian Air Force is the Air Force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF began in March 1912 as the Australian Flying Corps and became a fully independent Air Force in March 1921....
 and The Australian Army
Australian Army

The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force....


Canada


In the Canadian Navy
Canadian Forces Maritime Command

Canadian Forces Maritime Command , also known as the Canadian Navy, is the navy of the Canadian Forces. While equal in rank and position, The Chief of the Maritime Staff takes precedence over the Chiefs of the Land and Air Staffs following the tradition of the Royal Navy....
, Leading Seaman (LS) is senior to the rank of Able Seaman
Able Seaman (rank)

Royal NavyIn the United Kingdom Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century, the term Able Seaman referred to a seaman with at least two years' experience at sea....
, and junior to Master Seaman
Master Seaman

Master Seaman , or matelot-chef in French language, is a non-commissioned member Military rank of the Canadian Navy, which is between Leading Seaman and Petty Officer 2nd Class ....
 (which is actually an appointment of Leading Seaman). Its Army
Canadian Forces Land Force Command

Land Force Command , often also called the Canada Army, is responsible for army operations within the Canadian Forces.The current size of Land Force Command is 19,500 regular soldiers and 16,000 reserve soldiers, for a total of around 35,500 soldiers....
 and Air Force
Canadian Forces Air Command

Canadian Forces Air Command , also known as the Canadian Air Force, is the air force element of the Canadian Forces. AIRCOM is the descendant of the Royal Canadian Air Force , which was Canada's air force from its foundation in 1924 until February 1, 1968....
 equivalent is Corporal
Corporal

Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
 and it is part of the cadre of junior non-commissioned officers
Non-commissioned officer

A non-commissioned officer , also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted rank member of an armed force who has been given authority by a officer ....
, and one of the Junior Ranks
Junior Ranks

Junior Ranks is the collective term in Canada for all the non-commissioned members ranked below that of Sergeant/Petty Officer 2nd Class; in other words, all Non-commissioned officers#Canada and Private s....
. In French
French language

French is a Romance language spoken around the world by around 80 million people as first language, by 190 million as second language, and by about another 200 million people as an acquired tongue, with significant speakers in 54 countries....
 the rank is Matelot de 1re classe (Mat 1).

The rank insignia of the Leading Seaman is two gold chevrons, point down, worn on both upper sleeve of the Service Dress tunic, and in gold thread on black slip-ons on other uniforms. The former rank insignia worn in the Royal Canadian Navy
Royal Canadian Navy

The Royal Canadian Navy was the navy of Canada from 1911 until 1968 when the three Canadian services were unified to form the Canadian Forces. The modern Canadian navy is known as Canadian Forces Maritime Command ....
 was a foul anchor; thus Leading Seamen are colloquially termed killicks, from a demotic term for an anchor. This tradition was inherited from the Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
.

Leading Seamen are generally initially addressed as "Leading Seaman Bloggins", and thereafter as "Leading Seaman". The same rank title is used for female members.

Leading Seamen generally mess and billet with other Seamen
Seaman

Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy. In Commonwealth of Nations context it refers to the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
 and their Army and Air Force equivalents: Private
Private (rank)

A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank . The term dates from the Middle Ages, where privates were known as "private soldiers" who were either hired, conscripted, or feudalism into service by a nobleman forming an army....
s, Corporal
Corporal

Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
s, and Master Corporal
Master Corporal

Master Corporal , in the Canadian Forces, is an appointment of the rank of Corporal in the Canadian Forces Land Force Command and Canadian Forces Air Command....
s. Their mess on naval bases or installations is generally named the "Junior Ranks Mess".

United Kingdom


The rate of Leading Seaman or Leading Rating
Leading Rating

Leading Rating is the most senior of the junior rates in the Royal Navy. It is equal in status to Corporal, although for a long time was officially junior to that rank....
 in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy

The Royal Navy of the United Kingdom is the oldest of the British Armed Forces . From the mid-18th century until well into the 20th century, it was the most powerful navy in the world, playing a key part in establishing the British Empire as the dominant world power from 1815 until the early 1940s....
 is senior to Able Seaman
Able Seaman (rank)

Royal NavyIn the United Kingdom Royal Navy in the middle of the 18th century, the term Able Seaman referred to a seaman with at least two years' experience at sea....
 and junior to Petty Officer
Petty Officer

A Petty Officer is a Non-commissioned officer or equivalent in many navy....
. It is approximately equivalent to Corporal
Corporal

Corporal is a Military rank in use in some form by most militaries and also by some police forces or other uniformed organizations. It is usually equivalent to Ranks and insignia of NATO....
 in the other services, although used to be considered junior to that rank (but always senior to Lance-Corporal). The badge is the fouled anchor
Anchor

An anchor is an object, often made out of metal, that is used to attach a ship to the bottom of a body of water at a specific point. There are two primary classes of anchors?temporary and permanent....
 (an anchor with a length of rope twisted around it), worn on the upper arm in formal uniform and on the shoulder slides in working dress.

Specialists use the "Leading" before their speciality (e.g. Leading Writer, Leading Cook, Leading Regulator).

A Leading Seaman is often jocularly referred to as a "killick", a type of homemade anchor.

See also

  • Non-commissioned member
    Non-commissioned member

    A non-commissioned member , in the Canadian Forces, is defined in the Queen's Regulations and Orders as:"? any person, other than an officer , who is enrolled in, or who pursuant to law is attached or seconded otherwise than as an officer to, the Canadian Forces?"...
  • Seaman
    Seaman

    Seaman as a rate refers to one of the lowest rates in a Navy. In Commonwealth of Nations context it refers to the lowest rank in the Navy, followed by Able Seaman and Leading Seaman, and followed by the Petty Officer ranks....
  • Non-commissioned officer
    Non-commissioned officer

    A non-commissioned officer , also known as an NCO or Noncom, is an enlisted rank member of an armed force who has been given authority by a officer ....