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Leading Seaman (LS or L/S) is a junior non-commissioned rank or rate in navies, particularly those of the Commonwealth. When it is used by NATO nations, leading seaman has the rank code of OR-4. It is often equivalent to the army and air force rank of corporal and some navies use corporal rather than leading seaman.
The rank is used in the navies of Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Ghana, India, the Irish Republic, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the United Kingdom.
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Australia
The badge in the Royal Australian Navy 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 in the Royal Australian Air Force and The Australian Army
Canada
In the Canadian Navy, Leading Seaman (LS) is senior to the rank of Able Seaman, and junior to Master Seaman (which is actually an appointment of Leading Seaman). Its Army and Air Force equivalent is Corporal and it is part of the cadre of junior non-commissioned officers, and one of the Junior Ranks. In French 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 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.
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 and their Army and Air Force equivalents: Privates, Corporals, and Master Corporals. Their mess on naval bases or installations is generally named the "Junior Ranks Mess".
Also, in Canada, specifically the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, a killick is a rudimentary anchor, composed of large rocks enclosed in a a wooden cage. This term originates from the Irish influences on Newfoundland English. This type of anchor ( albeit a much larger version) was also placed on land at times, to serve as a landmark of the coastline in foggy sailing conditions. http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-kil1.htm
United Kingdom
The rate of Leading Seaman, Leading Hand or Leading Rating in the Royal Navy is senior to Able Seaman and junior to Petty Officer. It is approximately equivalent to Corporal 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 (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
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