Ranks in the Egyptian Army

Comparative Ranks in the Egyptian Army (Pre-1952)

SIRDARBRITISH COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF  1881-1925
FERIK LIEUTENANT GENERAL
LEWAMAJOR GENERAL
MIRALAIBRIGADIER OR COLONEL
KAIMAKAMLIEUTENANT COLONEL
BIMBASHIMAJOR
SAGHKOLOGASIADJUTANT MAJOR
YUZBASHICAPTAIN
MULAZIM AWALLIEUTENANT
MULAZIM TANISECOND LIEUTENANT
SOLKOLOGASIQUARTERMASTER
BASH SHAWISHSERGEANT MAJOR
BULK AMINQUARTERMASTER SERGT
SHAWISHSERGEANT
OMBASHICORPORAL
NAFARPRIVATE

Notes

These ranks were of Turkish origin dating from the time when Egypt was a province of the Ottoman Empire.

The ranks Miralai and Kaimakam received the honorary title of Bey and, Ferik and Lewa that of Pasha.

After the Nasserite revolution of 1952 and the fall of the last of the Mohamed Ali dynasty (King Farouk) all ranks were changed to an Arabic equivalent. However, in the Sudan Defence Force they remained unchanged until Independence in 1956.